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The present research looks at peer collaboration and creativity, an area largely neglected by previous peer collaboration researchers, where goals are ill-defined and measures ambiguous. In previous (science based) peer collaboration research, the crucial factor promoting group productivity appears to be the 'social instrument of language'. Groups achieving intersubjectivity, or mutual understanding, through dialogue out-perform those groups who do not. The returning theme is one of sharing ideas verbally with other group members, arguing through alternatives and providing justifications for accepted and rejected solutions. It was suggested that in collaborative music composition tasks an alternative medium exists for the communication of ideas and for the establishment of a shared understanding of the task, namely communication through the music itself. It was hypothesised that, rather than talking about their ideas, children would be more likely to try them out directly on the musical instruments. It was also predicted that this form of interaction would be significantly related to group productivity.;The present research also considers three key gender issues: firstly, the recurring finding by previous researchers that boys in mixed gender groups take control of the task by dominating verbally and non-verbally over the girls; secondly, suggested differences between the genders in communicative styles; and thirdly, the relative productivity of single gender and mixed gender groups.;Three studies were carried out with children aged 9-10, working in groups of four of varying gender compositions. Each study involved a distinct type of music composition task. Evidence was provided for the occurrence of interaction through music, and its importance for group productivity was found to be dependent on the nature of the task. Important gender differences were observed, including female domination in mixed gender groups. The implications of these findings are discussed in relation to previous peer collaboration research and classroom practice.

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No description available.

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I researched an area of the curriculum called 'the critical and historical study', a part of the Advanced level art syllabus in which I felt improvements could be made in my teaching. An investigation of the relationship between my teaching and students' responses was carried out as part of reviewing and improving the critical study unit of coursework. Curriculum changes made between 1997-1999, intended to provide students with different ways of making practical responses to other people's art and a range of methods for interpreting the meanings of art were studied using action research methods to capture the dynamic of changes in practice and in my thinking. Changes were also being made more broadly at a structural level through post sixteen educational policy reforms. I wanted to situate my practice in the contextual dimensions of A level art and describe my involvement in writing a new syllabus for the subject during this period of reform. I also wanted to understand better concepts of critical studies in art education historically in their policy contexts. Undertaking curriculum policy analysis helped me to make sense of the latest period of change and explore curriculum divisions within the subject such as the 'uneasy relationship' between art history and studio practice. A relationship whose unease intensified in the mid 19805 and coincided with my career entry into the teaching profession. I turned my attention to the emergence of critical studies over the last forty years, and considered how that impacted on my teaching in the last fifteen years. I traced different conceptions of critical studies to unravel the value positions of its promoters in order to understand and to locate my own position in the development of the discipline. In combination, these interests gave my research a multiple focus and required complex methodologicaJ approaches in order to make sense of critical studies in art education through my classroom practice and students' experiences, curriculum policy histories, art education literature and autobiographical life history.

Although, in principle, schools and dance teachers support the notion of encouraging social and emotional development, there has been little emphasis on this area within English schools, little theory or research on how it might be applied within mainstream education, and teachers are mostly too busy to prioritise it. The basic model for dance in British schools is "dance as Art", performed for a theatre audience. It is commonly assumed by dance teachers that practice at performing dance boosts children's confidence and self-esteem. Using a social constructionist methodology and qualitative methods of group interviews, I find that children construct a wide variety of discourses about what constitutes dance, much of it based on a social model of dance for enjoyment and for each other, which is largely ignored by schools. Whether pupils gain confidence, or feel embarrassed, depends hugely on the quality of the audience, whether they are judgemental, or witnessing in an empathic way. Potentially, one of the major social and emotional benefits of dance could be as an open workshop to explore aspects of their gender and sexuality. There is still a large swathe of opinion, especially among boys, that school dance is for girls, and that boys who participate in it are "poofs". This attitude prevails much more strongly about the contemporary style of most school dance, than about popular, and more "macho" social forms such as breakdance. Apparently homophobic attitudes among boys are part of a policing of expressions of masculinity among "straight" boys, who suffer from schools' failure to tackle issues of gender, aggravated by a current discourse around so-called "child protection" that restricts most attempts to explore issues of touch and personal space, even within a heterosexual setting. I propose a model from performativity theory, of how both gender and "good dance" are constructed, or performed within schools, in a way which generates a measure of social exclusion, particularly of boys' dance. Using video recorded observations of lessons, I locate school dance within a wider social practice of "discipline of the body" and associated resistance, that constrains what movements are acceptable where and when. Within these constraints, dance lessons offer a space for young people to develop self-awareness, to explore and challenge customary boundaries of movement, the feelings associated with freer movement, and issues of identity. Some children gain self-knowledge, practice co-operation and trust, learn from cultures other than their own, extend their movement and expressive vocabulary, and experience enjoyment and zest for life. Using two contrasting approaches to phenomenology, I illustrate how the "dance as art" model, and the emphasis on school discipline and exam curricula, mostly excludes any emphasis on using movement introspectively to explore feelings and to develop autonomy, as occurs in most body / movement therapeutic settings. An emphasis on choreography omits opportunities to respond spontaneously to a partner in the present moment, or to dance alone for their own pleasure. Children resort to hiding their attempts to escape socialisation, through dance as "crazy" or "wild" self-expression. I emphasise the value of movement and dance as an embodied, non-verbal, non-rational route to knowledge of self, and raise theoretical questions about the limits to social construction, and the possibility of verbalising embodied experience.

This thesis has its origins in my own experience of teaching creative dance to children in two neighbouring districts in south-east Scotland. It addresses three questions, which, stated briefly, are: 1. What do dance participants perceive creative dance to be? 2. How is it provided in the area solved? 3. What benefits are to be gained from creative dance, in participants’ opinion? A study of this sort, which spans the disciplines of education, sociology and aesthetics, defies rigid categorisation. I found it more helpful, therefore, to view it as a composite model that demanded a flexible approach to methodology. Data collection included semi-structured interviews (n=31), one structured interview, questionnaires (n=82), and observations (n=6), three of which were recorded on video tape. Issues concerning the understanding of the concepts ‘dance’, ‘art’, ‘creativity’ and ‘community’ are discussed, and the provision of dance in communities. Analysis and interpretation of the data reveal that respondents held largely positive regard for creative dance. It was thought to be a beneficial experience, physically, emotionally and cognitively, which offered an alternative way of communicating to others. Community decision-makers deemed it worthy of inclusion in Arts and Education policies, though there was little evidence of it happening at the time. In conclusion I have commented on respondents’ views of the main concepts and have referred to recent events which either have had, or are likely to have, some impact on the professional delivery of dance of every genre, in the future.

This study investigates the ways in which the Feldenkrais Method is perceived to influence motor learning, motor control, and creativity in certain college and university dance programs located in the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States. The study reviews literature concerning the Feldenkrais Method and its relationships to theories of motor learning, motor control, and creativity. Data were processed utilizing the epistemological stance of interactionism and grounded theory methodology. Data col/ection included on-site semi-structured interviews of key personnel, both instructors and their students, observations of studio andlor classroom lessons, and document review. This study provides primary stage research on the perceived influence of the Feldenkrais Method on motor learning, motor control, and creativity in dance practice. Beliefs exist in the field of somatics that the Feldenkrais Method develops and improves internal matters and learning processes. This study documents and supports certain of these beliefs, offering new insight into how dance is perceived to be influenced. Among these influences, patterns and issues were identified and differentiated. These include effects such as improved internal sensitivity, ability to attend to sensations and perceive internal information, and developed selfawareness. Further effects include influence on anatomical learning, particularly in regard to learning about human and personal anatomy, understanding interaction amongst body parts, and improved movement efficiency. Additionally, identified patterns of influence suggests a method of learning, using processes of exploration, investigation, and experimentation, that is developed and improved in order to aChieve these effects. The study identifies the need for more effective ways to transfer Feldenkrais philosophies and experiences to a greater number of aspects of dance training, particularly in dance technique. An issue concerning an internal/external split of perceived Feldenkrais influence was identified in this research. It is crucial for the identified patterns of influence to exist in certain externally oriented situations, and, therefore, this must be recognized and more closely addressed. Although transfer of Feldenkrais needs to be addressed in both dance technique as well as dance choreography, it was identified that there is less of an issue with transfer to dance choreography, as this is an area where there is often more opportunity to address internal matters and new learning processes. This study contributes to the scholarly work of Feldenkrais specifically, as well as to somatics more generally. A critical analysis and subsequent new theory is presented as to what is occurring during the inclusion of Feldenkrais somatic practices in dance, and why dancers are being influenced in certain ways. This study contributes an analysis of somatic work that occurs in dance, and, it offers a framework for understanding how and why this form of somatic work affects dancers. The study also provides critical analyses of how the Feldenkrais Method is being used, and can be used, to enhance performance and to achieve optimal performance in dance practice. New knowledge and new theory provided by this study can assist in the development of the integration of somatic education and dance practice, and encourage practitioners from both fields to more effectively assist their students in making the transfer of Feldenkrais experiences and information easier and more likely to occur. Information from this study can likely serve as a foundation for future studies concerning Feldenkrais somatic practice in relation to dance. It is likely that knowledge and theory from this study may be applied to teaching and learning other somatic performance activities