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CHAPTER SIX: CONTEXT AND FURTHER USE OF THE FINDINGS OF MY ACTION RESEARCH
I explored my central research question, can DEs be created in LTD
empirically in an action research of two cycles. The first cycle, consisted
of three series of three lessons each conducted with 9-11 year olds and
explored the connection of the two fields. This cycle came to the finding
that participants need some conscious understanding of the concepts and
structures to be able to create DEs in living through improvisations.
This finding led to researching the impact of offering participants the use
of three central components of Bondian dramas explicitly, the aim of creating
drama, the Centre investigated through the narrative and dramaturgical
structures behind possible DEs, as a part of the drama lessons with the aim
of creating DEs in LTD. The incidents analysed showed that participants
were able to use the structures in living through improvisation, creating
gaps in meaning for themselves. While I have not been able to confidently
document DEs created for participants watching the improvisations, a variety
of rich understanding and complex questions produced by participants as
the outcome of the drama lessons were documented and shared as part
of the analysis. The outcome of the second cycle was that the framing of
participants to be aware of the Bondian concepts and structures did not hinder
but in fact enhanced their participation in living through improvisations and
boosted the possibility of them creating DEs in scenes, and in improvisations
as well. Further outcomes of the research included:
s that the awareness of theatre concepts heightened the understanding of
participants of drama as an art form;
s that narratives based on profound dilemmas of human life can generate
space for participants to bring in their personal and social interests and
concerns;
« that the participants’ connection to the problem can make a narrative or
situation extreme;
+ that the use of objects in specific ways offers many possibilities for
participants to explore problems within the fiction;
s that contemporary social problems and issues are recognised easily in
the fictional world by the participants if they are manifested in the story
in striking images, situations, roles and objects that participants can
connect to or manipulate within situations;
s that ownership and control of the fiction creates engagement in
the drama but the loss of control over the narrative can create extreme
moments and a motivation to understand and build the story further.
These findings contribute new insights for those working in the field of drama
in education. They contribute not only to the improvement of my practice,
but provide rich input to anyone exploring LTD or the implementation of
Bondian theory in classroom drama. The research also created a new model
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