Effect of Drama in Education: Quality Thematic Network (QTN) on Drama in Education

In Hong Kong’s recent curriculum reform, creativity has been identified as a generic skill to be nurtured in our students of all levels in the key learning areas, including arts education. The present study evaluated the effects of a drama in education project on both students and teachers. Teachers from kindergarten, primary and special schools took part in a 12-hour teacher training program on drama in education. Teachers also received support in lesson planning on drama enhanced learning to the classes they were teaching. The study included 26 kindergartens, 22 primary schools, and 1 special school that participated voluntarily in the drama project. There were 824 teacher participants. About 4,597 student participants in total were randomly drawn to participate, 3,472 of them were primary school students (2,235 were in the experimental group and 1,237 were in the control group), 1,055 of them were kindergarten students. Significant differences were found in the teacher-perceived dramatic and creativity characteristics in the experimental group of kindergarten students. Primary students in the drama training also reported significant gains in dramatic, creativity and communicative characteristics. Special learners also displayed more dramatic and creativity characteristics, as well as positive emotions and perspective taking. Significant positive effects were also found in the creative fostering teaching technique of all groups of teachers involved in the training. They encouraged their students to become cooperative learners and provided students with try out opportunities. They also indicated that drama strategies were effective in classroom instruction and enhanced teacher self efficacy. Limitations and future directions were discussed.