Search

The University of Texas at Austin Master of Fine Arts (MFA) program offers a cognitive apprenticeship for graduate students in drama-based pedagogy (DBP) through Drama for Schools (DFS), a professional development program for K-12 educators. This article presents findings from an exploratory case study investigation of graduate students' experiences in the cognitive apprenticeship in the practice of drama-based pedagogy in K-12 public school classrooms. Findings indicate that when graduate students simultaneously participated in fieldwork (as "masters") and related coursework (as "apprentices"), they developed a personal understanding of how theory was realized and confounded within real world contexts. Implications for university faculty members and teaching artist educators are included.

This article tells the story of Jenny Harrison, a visual arts middle school teacher who became an Action Research Teacher (ART) fellow in Drama for Schools, a professional development program in drama-based instruction. Through an action research model of teacher training and her own line of inquiry, Jenny investigated how drama-based instruction impacted her teaching and her students’ articulation of visual arts concepts. Artifacts from this project include interview transcripts, teacher reflections, student work-products, and lesson plans. The integration of drama-based instruction into Jenny’s visual arts curriculum paved the way for in-depth, intentional learning for students, for herself, and for the Drama for Schools program.

"Drama for Schools" ("DFS") is a professional development program in drama-based instruction shaped by theories of critical pedagogy and constructivism. In 2007, the Director of "DFS" invited an educational psychology faculty member to develop a research and evaluation component for the program. This article discusses and troubles this interdisciplinary partnership through the lens of praxis, the continual cycle of thought, action, reflection and response. In this article, we touch upon implications of activated praxis such as (a) how "DFS" has evolved in its identity as a research-based program model; (b) how outcome measurement was embedded into program implementation; (c) the experience of disseminating findings in both arts-based and educational research spaces; and (d) how long-range planning was guided both by research and program priorities. We conclude with identification of how this process has resulted in praxis for participants across all levels of the partnership. (Contains 1 figure.)

This mixed methods study seeks to explore the relationships between teacher concerns, self-efficacy, and level of comfort with the implementation of drama-based instruction (DBI) within a large-scale initiative to increase learning opportunities through the arts. This study was embedded in a year-long professional development program during which teachers either (a) attended three school-wide in-service trainings ("non-cadre teachers") or (b) participated in a small group ("cadre teachers") that received ongoing, focused support from a teaching artist throughout the year in addition to the school-wide training. Significant differences were present in cadre teachers' comfort with the reform as compared to non-cadre teachers both at the beginning and end of the reform. Additionally, self-efficacy and comfort with DBI were significantly related at both the beginning and end of the year. Teachers who were more comfortable with DBI appeared to progress to higher order concerns regarding the reform. We discuss the significance of these findings in the context of design and implementation of professional developments that promote pedagogical conceptual change.

This mixed-methods research study explores the potential relationship between the teacher self-efficacy and pedagogical conceptual change. The study context was a drama-based instruction professional development model that specifically sought to facilitate pedagogical conceptual change. Significant differences were present between elementary and secondary teachers in self-efficacy for teaching and in pedagogical conceptual change. However, self-efficacy did not predict conceptual change. The independent variable (elementary and secondary teachers) was a significant moderator between years teaching experience and self-efficacy. We discuss the significance of these findings in light of teacher training and teacher effectiveness. (Contains 6 tables and 3 figures.)

Drama for Schools (DFS) is an arts integration professional development program rooted in critical pedagogy and constructivism that emphasizes partnerships between school districts and a major research university. As a part of the research initiative embedded in this professional development program, DFS began an Arts integration Research Teacher (ART) Fellow initiative. Four teachers who had been in DFS for at least a year participated in the ART Fellow program researching the impact of drama-based instruction in their classrooms. The purpose of this article is to present findings from the ART Fellows partnership and to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the model. Methods used in this analysis included measures of student outcomes and perspectives from both ART Fellows and DFS program staff. While findings were largely non-conclusive about the impact of arts integration on student outcomes, the ART Fellow program influenced how teachers and the DFS staff viewed participatory research as an extension of the program's critical pedagogical and constructivist philosophy. This article discusses the implications for using a teacher-as-researcher approach to professional development and strategies for improving successful implementation in a school-based context. (Contains 1 table and 1 note.)

Applied theatre often draws upon critical pedagogy and constructivist methodology as a way to bring participants into direct engagement with their own learning experiences. As learners, adults bring a wealth of perspectives that further affect how they interact with an applied theatre experience. "Drama for Schools" (DFS) is a professional development programme that partners graduate students and academics with teachers in elementary and secondary education. DFS hopes to shift the learning culture of classrooms through the use of drama-based instructional methods (e.g. interactive games, improvisation, and role playing). This article investigates how DFS facilitated change in (1) teacher identity; (2) pedagogy; and (3) teacher perceptions of their students. Data sources in this study included monthly written reflections and focus groups by DFS participants. Results varied across the research. Teacher's did not appear to change their views substantively over the course of the year. However, instructional strategies shifted in distinct ways, often reflecting the critical pedagogical nature of the drama-based strategies. Furthermore, teachers reported that DFS strategies facilitated risk-taking by all members of the classroom. As a result, the roles of teacher and learner in the classroom became more fluid during drama-based instruction. Implications for this work include a discussion of how DFS, as an applied theatre professional development model, is a vehicle for potential positive change in the learning culture of classrooms. (Contains 2 figures, 2 tables and 2 notes.)

Despite potentially devastating consequences to both mother and child, many pregnant substance abusers refuse treatment. To understand why, the present study compared women who enrolled in (N = 102) vs. declined (N = 23) day treatment. Participants were primarily African American, unemployed, high school graduates with a mean age of 27 years. Although demographic characteristics did not differ between groups, treatment enrollees had greater drug severity and were more likely to identify crack cocaine as their drug of choice. They also manifested more family and psychiatric problems, emotional distress, and Axis II psychopathology. In addition, treatment enrollees had greater legal severity and higher rates of criminal justice system involvement (46% vs. 13%). The women who declined perinatal addiction services may have perceived less need for intensive treatment due to lower problem severity and less distress. Development of alternative treatment approaches, such as limited perinatal addiction services provided in conjunction with prenatal care, is warranted. Key Words: Pregnant; Treatment acceptance; Treatment refusal; Psychiatric severity., INTRODUCTION Despite growing awareness of the potentially harmful effects of fetal exposure to alcohol and other drugs, substance use during pregnancy is surprisingly common. The National Pregnancy and Health Survey [...]

Three subgroups of drug dependent women (N = 78) were identified through cluster analysis on MCMI-II scores. Group 1 (26%) presented a relatively benign clinical picture. In contrast, Group 2 (37%) evidenced severe addiction, psychiatric (Axis I), and personality (Axis II) problems. Group 3 (37%) was characterized by fewer Axis I problems, prominent addiction and externalizing (Cluster B) personality deficits. Group membership was significantly associated with retention in a gender-specific day treatment program. Group 2 experienced rapid attrition, with only 36% completing treatment, compared to 57% for Group 1 and 76% for Group 3. Results indicate that drug-dependent women with externalizing psychopathology can be retained in treatment when environmental barriers are removed and an adequate 'holding environment' is maintained. However, women with severe psychiatric problems, unstable mood, and interpersonal deficits are less likely to complete treatment. Early identification of women at risk for drop-out affords an opportunity to intervene to prevent its occurrence. Keywords: Women; Retention; Attrition; Drop-out; Psychopathology

This study investigated the association between two demographic and two psychological variables and treatment retention for 65 perinatal substance abusers. Subjects who lived in the community while attending day treatment were 6.125 times more likely to drop out than subjects who lived in a program-operated shelter (p < .0001). An interaction was found for pregnancy status and antisocial personality disorder (p < .0478). Subjects who were both pregnant and antisocial were 4.876 times more likely to remain in treatment than those who were neither pregnant nor antisocial. Degree of 'treatment resistance,' measured by the MMPI Negative Treatment Indicators (TRT) Scale, did not predict dropout. These findings indicate that supportive housing can play an important role in preventing dropout for perinatal substance abusers. Additionally, pregnancy may present a 'window' of opportunity for treating a hard to reach population, drug abusing women with comorbid ASP. Keywords - perinatal; pregnancy; women; retention; dropout; antisocial personality.