Lifelong Learning is the development of human potential through a continuously supportive process which stimulates individuals to acquire knowledge and skills throughout their lifetimes (Dewey, 1910; Leicester & Field, 2000). It is significant both for the individual and the society in the 21st century, especially for China. Inspired by the Lisbon Key Competences (Cziboly, 2010) and Capability Approach, the author defined five core capabilities for lifelong learning related to this educational research: language capability, learning capability, creative capability, aesthetic and cultural capabilities, and social and civic capabilities. Drama in educational settings is the focus on the educational function to define drama as a teaching and learning method (DfES, 2003). It incorporates elements of an actor's training to facilitate students' physical, social, emotional and cognitive development. Drama used as a pedagogy in education is seen as a valuable tool for learning in many aspects related to language learning and lifelong learning (Cziboly, 2010). However, influenced by culture and history, drama pedagogy is less well developed in China compared to the West, in terms of both theory and practice. In this research, the author conducted a case study using drama pedagogy to design a drama program through "College Chinese" teaching in the Communication University of China. The two main research questions were 1) to explore the relationship between drama pedagogy and lifelong learning and 2) to discover the positive and negative effects of using drama pedagogy in the Chinese context. For the second question, the author used the concept of "localisation", which is the process of adapting a product or content to a specific locale or market. Although it is a term that is more often used in business and economics, the author used it in this research because it is closely related to the idea of adapting a teaching strategy from one distinct cultural area (e.g. the West) to another (e.g. China). This research contributes to the theory of the relationship between drama pedagogy and lifelong learning. It also has implications for the localisation of liberal pedagogy in indigenous contexts and the future educational reform in China.

This paper is a qualitative study of the pedagogical conditions and the knowledge necessary for the creation and development of an education regarding leadership in the field of amateur theatre. The purpose of the study has been for participants to reflect and create knowledge about the creation and implementation of a course for leaders of amateur theatre. Questions raised in the study concern the students’ previous experience of drama, theatre and leadership; their desire to become leaders of theatre; their own view of their need for knowledge for their future leadership; their understanding of the contents of the education and the theoretical perspectives upon which a course in theatre leadership can build. Finally, the participants’ perceptions of difficulties and possibilities of working as theatre leaders were investigated. All 13 participants have answered a questionnaire regarding their previous experience of drama, theatre and leadership and also about why they want to become theatre leaders. The participants have also taken part in four focus conversations regarding what they think they learned, how they value the knowledge they gained and what knowledge they feel will be needed in a future leadership. The data has been analyzed hermeneutically to find patterns in the participants’ perceptions of their learning. The results show that participants consider it being useful to work in groups with exercises related to their future leadership. In doing so, they reinforced prior knowledge and developed new knowledge within all areas of the education. The results also show that several participants fear there will be financial constraints and a lot of solitary work in the future. The opportunities expressed regard the participants’ increased ability to provide opportunities for children and young people to play theatre and thus develop in the art of theatre as well as personally.

In the society of today English-speaking skills are essential, and the school should prepare students to live, work and participate actively in society. However, speaking English does pose a challenge for some students due to speaking anxiety, which can have a negative impact on their development. One possible strategy to counteract this is implementing drama techniques in the foreign language classroom. This study examines two classes of Swedish secondary and upper-secondary school students’- and teachers’ perceptions of the ability to speak in English, of using drama techniques in the second language classroom to overcome students’ speaking anxiety, and other possible benefits of using creative drama in the language classroom. Data are collected through student questionnaires and teacher interviews. The results and findings reveal that reluctant speakers are found in the examined classes. The study also reveals that the teachers, and a majority of the students, perceive creative drama as being beneficial for the taciturn students in overcoming their speaking anxiety. In addition, creative drama is perceived by the students and the teachers as having additional benefits such as improved language skills and self-confidence. Moreover, this study shows that drama pedagogy has the potential of developing a more accepting classroom atmosphere, in which both students and teachers can have some fun.

The thesis presents a qualitative study which examines teachers’ and pupils’ experiences of drama tasks in secondary school subject lessons other than Drama, where the tasks are incorporated in pursuit of curriculum-defined teaching and learning goals. I take a cultural-historical perspective in my analysis, interrogating the possibilities for meaningful appropriations of drama as a pedagogical toolkit by examining social interaction and communication within the cultural context of the classroom and how these practices may have developed over time. Set in four secondary school classrooms in the UK, the study focused on the experiences of teachers, (who are not trained drama specialists), and their pupils as they undertook drama tasks as part of curriculum lessons. I carried out a series of lesson observations, supplemented by interviews with participants. Using Cultural Historical Activity Theory (Cole 1996, Engeström 1987, Engeström 1999) as a heuristic tool, I created an analytical framework that explored the tensions between communicative tools, rules of the classroom space, and teacher-pupil and peer relations. This theoretical stance appreciates both the dynamic nature of classrooms and the possibilities for pedagogies of choice. The emphasis on tool-mediated action offers a fresh perspective in that it creates a structured and detailed framework for exploring the subtle and complex process of empathetic thought. This study reveals some of the ways in which tensions occur and existing and historically-embedded cultural practices are brought to the surface, and reinforced or challenged. I provide extracts from the data to illustrate a concern for an assessment-driven acquisition of curriculum content is a particular constraint, along with varying opportunities for both teacher and pupils to construct a framework for spontaneous in-role action within the dramatic form. The appropriation of communicative tools, although influential in achieving goals, does not always preclude emotional investment in the tasks. Although there are shifts from teacher authority to increased pupil decision-making, the way in which the teacher and pupils operate in these drama tasks reveals as much about the established and reinforced learning and social practices of the classroom, as the way these practices are changed. The research considers how drama as a pedagogical toolkit has developed historically, and it reveals implications for future study and practice relating to the understanding of drama-as-toolkit within formal educational settings.

This study started with my interest in drama pedagogy practices. The aim is to investigate the teacher's conceptions of children's play and learning activities in drama pedagogy practices. Basically drama pedagogy means children and teachers creating play worlds together, usually based on various literary works, where they portray and play. Previous research shows that drama pedagogy as a method can enrich and develop children's play. Also, drama can be important for children's linguistic, social and aesthetic development. In this study, overall three interviews and two observations at different occasions was carried out. By using a phenomenographic approach, similarities and differences in teacher's conceptions were revealed. This resulted in three different categories of description; influence, emotion and togetherness in play and learning. The categories of description show that in preschool teacher's conceptions of play and learning their awareness is directed at how they base their plannning in preschool's curriculm. At the same time they have children's interests as guidelines, and let their questions and plays take a great place in the outcome of the activities. Another assumption is that emotion became prominent in the conceptions, both in the preschool teachers' own relationships to playing and portraying, but also in playing and designing with the children. / Den här studien startade i min förundran över gestaltande lekpedagogiskt arbetssätt. Studiens syfte är att undersöka pedagogers uppfattningar av barns lek och lärande i verksamheter där de arbetar med gestaltande lekpedagogik. Ett gestaltande lekpedagogiskt arbetssätt innebär sammanfattningsvis att barn och pedagoger skapar lekvärldar tillsammans, oftast utifrån litteratur, där de gestaltar och leker. Tidigare forskning visar att arbetssättet kan berika och utveckla barns lek. Dramat visas även ha betydelse för barns språkliga, sociala och estetiska utveckling. I den här studien utfördes totalt tre intervjuer och observationer vid två olika tillfällen. Utifrån en fenomenografisk ansats undersöktes likheter och olikheter i pedagogernas uppfattningar. Detta resulterade i tre olika beskrivningskategorier som var framträdande i producerad data; inflytande-, emotioner- och helhet i lek och lärande. Det beskrivningskategorierna visar är att i pedagogernas uppfattningar om lek och lärande uppmärksammas hur pedagogen tar grund i förskolans läroplan då de planerar. Samtidigt låter de barns intressen, frågor och lek vara med och styra mycket i verksamhetens utformning. En annan utgångspunkt i uppfattningarna är att pedagogernas uppmärksamhet riktas mot emotioner. Både i pedagogens eget förhållande till lek och gestaltning, men också i lek och gestaltning med barnen.

O trabalho propõe-se a discutir a presença de atividades de caráter transdisciplinar no ensino e aprendizagem de teatro na Educação Básica. O foco da investigação é a experiência pedagógica do Projeto Amora do Colégio de Aplicação da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (CAP/UFRGS), no período compreendido entre 1996 e 2011. A escolha desse campo investigativo decorre, dentre outros aspectos, da identificação da autora (professora da disciplina de Teatro do CAP) aos propósitos do Projeto Amora, que objetiva “oportunizar a construção do conhecimento a partir da articulação entre as múltiplas facetas das diferentes disciplinas e propiciar ao sujeito da aprendizagem uma visão ampla e interacional da realidade, sem descuidar do binômio afeto-cognição”. Na intenção de compreender tais propósitos, relacionando-os à construção de conhecimento na disciplina de Teatro, partiu-se da hipótese de que os entrelaçamentos conceituais e epistemológicos entre os distintos campos de conhecimento poderiam contemplar o desejo de que os estudantes realizassem aprendizagens significativas no espaço escolar. Sob o aporte das teorias do currículo, da epistemologia e da pedagogia do teatro, e tendo como metodologia o estudo de caso, analisou-se o ensino de Teatro desenvolvido no referido projeto a partir de diversas fontes, tais como, documentos, relatos de experiências de docentes e estudantes, planos e relatórios de ensino e de aprendizagem, dentre outras. Nessa perspectiva, foi possível identificar que o Projeto Amora possibilitou a transformação das relações interpessoais e da gestão escolar, ao adotar em suas práticas a concepção de conhecimento interacionista, na qual o desenvolvimento moral e o protagonismo dos estudantes se refletem no uso dos tempos e espaços institucionais. Foi possível ainda: reconhecer que a pedagogia relacional e suas concepções nortearam a ressignificação das disciplinas, das experiências de ensino e aprendizagem e dos processos avaliativos; e constatar que o reconhecimento do Teatro como área de estudo, na forma proposta pelo Projeto Amora, oferece um processo contínuo de estruturação de esquemas e conteúdos que possibilita aos estudantes realizar operações cognitivas de identificação (o que é só do Teatro), de comparação (o que não é só do Teatro) e de relação (o que é do Teatro e de outras disciplinas), permitindo formular generalizações acerca do ato teatral. Dessa forma, consolidou-se a ideia de que a transdisciplinaridade não pode prescindir do mergulho necessário nas especificidades da mathema Teatro. / This paper aims at discussing the presence of transdisciplinary activities in the teaching and learning of Drama in elementary school. The investigation focuses in the experience at a Pedagogical project called Amora at Colégio de Aplicação da UFRGS (CAP/UFRGS), between 1996 and 2011. The author’s identification with the project’s purpose -- which aims at building learnig experiences through the articulation of the different subjects and allow the learner to develop an open and interactional view of reality, caring for their cognition and affection -- motivated the research due to her work as a Drama teacher. Intending to comprehend such purposes, and relating them to the building of Drama knowledge, we hypothesized that the epistemological and conceptual interrelations among the different fields of study could contemplate the student’s wishes to accomplish meaningful learning in the school. Based on epistemology, Drama pedagogy and curriculum theories, and the case study methodology, the teaching of Drama in such project was analyzed from several sources such as documents, reports from teachers and students, teaching plans and reports, and others. It was possible to identify that the Amora Pedagogical Project allowed changes in interpersonal relations and school management, by adopting the project’s interactionist concepts and knowledge, in which the moral development and the students’ protagonism reflects in the institutional time and space. It was also possible: to recognize that the relational pedagogy and its conceptions guided the subjects’ resignificance, the teaching and learning experiences, and the assessment processes; to find out that the recognition of Drama as a Field of study, in the way proposed by the project, allows a continuous process of scheme organization and contents that enables the students to accomplish identification cognitive operations (which belongs to the Drama field), comparison (which does not belong only to Drama) and connection (which belongs to Drama and other subjects), allowing them to formulate generalizations about the dramatic acting. Thus consolidating that the transdisciplinarity idea cannot be subtracted from the specificities of the Drama mathema.

O trabalho propõe-se a discutir a presença de atividades de caráter transdisciplinar no ensino e aprendizagem de teatro na Educação Básica. O foco da investigação é a experiência pedagógica do Projeto Amora do Colégio de Aplicação da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (CAP/UFRGS), no período compreendido entre 1996 e 2011. A escolha desse campo investigativo decorre, dentre outros aspectos, da identificação da autora (professora da disciplina de Teatro do CAP) aos propósitos do Projeto Amora, que objetiva “oportunizar a construção do conhecimento a partir da articulação entre as múltiplas facetas das diferentes disciplinas e propiciar ao sujeito da aprendizagem uma visão ampla e interacional da realidade, sem descuidar do binômio afeto-cognição”. Na intenção de compreender tais propósitos, relacionando-os à construção de conhecimento na disciplina de Teatro, partiu-se da hipótese de que os entrelaçamentos conceituais e epistemológicos entre os distintos campos de conhecimento poderiam contemplar o desejo de que os estudantes realizassem aprendizagens significativas no espaço escolar. Sob o aporte das teorias do currículo, da epistemologia e da pedagogia do teatro, e tendo como metodologia o estudo de caso, analisou-se o ensino de Teatro desenvolvido no referido projeto a partir de diversas fontes, tais como, documentos, relatos de experiências de docentes e estudantes, planos e relatórios de ensino e de aprendizagem, dentre outras. Nessa perspectiva, foi possível identificar que o Projeto Amora possibilitou a transformação das relações interpessoais e da gestão escolar, ao adotar em suas práticas a concepção de conhecimento interacionista, na qual o desenvolvimento moral e o protagonismo dos estudantes se refletem no uso dos tempos e espaços institucionais. Foi possível ainda: reconhecer que a pedagogia relacional e suas concepções nortearam a ressignificação das disciplinas, das experiências de ensino e aprendizagem e dos processos avaliativos; e constatar que o reconhecimento do Teatro como área de estudo, na forma proposta pelo Projeto Amora, oferece um processo contínuo de estruturação de esquemas e conteúdos que possibilita aos estudantes realizar operações cognitivas de identificação (o que é só do Teatro), de comparação (o que não é só do Teatro) e de relação (o que é do Teatro e de outras disciplinas), permitindo formular generalizações acerca do ato teatral. Dessa forma, consolidou-se a ideia de que a transdisciplinaridade não pode prescindir do mergulho necessário nas especificidades da mathema Teatro. / This paper aims at discussing the presence of transdisciplinary activities in the teaching and learning of Drama in elementary school. The investigation focuses in the experience at a Pedagogical project called Amora at Colégio de Aplicação da UFRGS (CAP/UFRGS), between 1996 and 2011. The author’s identification with the project’s purpose -- which aims at building learnig experiences through the articulation of the different subjects and allow the learner to develop an open and interactional view of reality, caring for their cognition and affection -- motivated the research due to her work as a Drama teacher. Intending to comprehend such purposes, and relating them to the building of Drama knowledge, we hypothesized that the epistemological and conceptual interrelations among the different fields of study could contemplate the student’s wishes to accomplish meaningful learning in the school. Based on epistemology, Drama pedagogy and curriculum theories, and the case study methodology, the teaching of Drama in such project was analyzed from several sources such as documents, reports from teachers and students, teaching plans and reports, and others. It was possible to identify that the Amora Pedagogical Project allowed changes in interpersonal relations and school management, by adopting the project’s interactionist concepts and knowledge, in which the moral development and the students’ protagonism reflects in the institutional time and space. It was also possible: to recognize that the relational pedagogy and its conceptions guided the subjects’ resignificance, the teaching and learning experiences, and the assessment processes; to find out that the recognition of Drama as a Field of study, in the way proposed by the project, allows a continuous process of scheme organization and contents that enables the students to accomplish identification cognitive operations (which belongs to the Drama field), comparison (which does not belong only to Drama) and connection (which belongs to Drama and other subjects), allowing them to formulate generalizations about the dramatic acting. Thus consolidating that the transdisciplinarity idea cannot be subtracted from the specificities of the Drama mathema.

O trabalho propõe-se a discutir a presença de atividades de caráter transdisciplinar no ensino e aprendizagem de teatro na Educação Básica. O foco da investigação é a experiência pedagógica do Projeto Amora do Colégio de Aplicação da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (CAP/UFRGS), no período compreendido entre 1996 e 2011. A escolha desse campo investigativo decorre, dentre outros aspectos, da identificação da autora (professora da disciplina de Teatro do CAP) aos propósitos do Projeto Amora, que objetiva “oportunizar a construção do conhecimento a partir da articulação entre as múltiplas facetas das diferentes disciplinas e propiciar ao sujeito da aprendizagem uma visão ampla e interacional da realidade, sem descuidar do binômio afeto-cognição”. Na intenção de compreender tais propósitos, relacionando-os à construção de conhecimento na disciplina de Teatro, partiu-se da hipótese de que os entrelaçamentos conceituais e epistemológicos entre os distintos campos de conhecimento poderiam contemplar o desejo de que os estudantes realizassem aprendizagens significativas no espaço escolar. Sob o aporte das teorias do currículo, da epistemologia e da pedagogia do teatro, e tendo como metodologia o estudo de caso, analisou-se o ensino de Teatro desenvolvido no referido projeto a partir de diversas fontes, tais como, documentos, relatos de experiências de docentes e estudantes, planos e relatórios de ensino e de aprendizagem, dentre outras. Nessa perspectiva, foi possível identificar que o Projeto Amora possibilitou a transformação das relações interpessoais e da gestão escolar, ao adotar em suas práticas a concepção de conhecimento interacionista, na qual o desenvolvimento moral e o protagonismo dos estudantes se refletem no uso dos tempos e espaços institucionais. Foi possível ainda: reconhecer que a pedagogia relacional e suas concepções nortearam a ressignificação das disciplinas, das experiências de ensino e aprendizagem e dos processos avaliativos; e constatar que o reconhecimento do Teatro como área de estudo, na forma proposta pelo Projeto Amora, oferece um processo contínuo de estruturação de esquemas e conteúdos que possibilita aos estudantes realizar operações cognitivas de identificação (o que é só do Teatro), de comparação (o que não é só do Teatro) e de relação (o que é do Teatro e de outras disciplinas), permitindo formular generalizações acerca do ato teatral. Dessa forma, consolidou-se a ideia de que a transdisciplinaridade não pode prescindir do mergulho necessário nas especificidades da mathema Teatro. / This paper aims at discussing the presence of transdisciplinary activities in the teaching and learning of Drama in elementary school. The investigation focuses in the experience at a Pedagogical project called Amora at Colégio de Aplicação da UFRGS (CAP/UFRGS), between 1996 and 2011. The author’s identification with the project’s purpose -- which aims at building learnig experiences through the articulation of the different subjects and allow the learner to develop an open and interactional view of reality, caring for their cognition and affection -- motivated the research due to her work as a Drama teacher. Intending to comprehend such purposes, and relating them to the building of Drama knowledge, we hypothesized that the epistemological and conceptual interrelations among the different fields of study could contemplate the student’s wishes to accomplish meaningful learning in the school. Based on epistemology, Drama pedagogy and curriculum theories, and the case study methodology, the teaching of Drama in such project was analyzed from several sources such as documents, reports from teachers and students, teaching plans and reports, and others. It was possible to identify that the Amora Pedagogical Project allowed changes in interpersonal relations and school management, by adopting the project’s interactionist concepts and knowledge, in which the moral development and the students’ protagonism reflects in the institutional time and space. It was also possible: to recognize that the relational pedagogy and its conceptions guided the subjects’ resignificance, the teaching and learning experiences, and the assessment processes; to find out that the recognition of Drama as a Field of study, in the way proposed by the project, allows a continuous process of scheme organization and contents that enables the students to accomplish identification cognitive operations (which belongs to the Drama field), comparison (which does not belong only to Drama) and connection (which belongs to Drama and other subjects), allowing them to formulate generalizations about the dramatic acting. Thus consolidating that the transdisciplinarity idea cannot be subtracted from the specificities of the Drama mathema.

The aim of this thesis is to understand within the field of IMER the importance that cultural workers at Dramalogen suggest that the use of aestethic culture – and drama – may have for the inclusion of cultural and ethnic groups, which run the risk of becoming marginalized in society. The research question focuses on the use of drama to highlight social problems concerning particular groups in local society. The methods employed were qualitative interviews, three participant observations and collection of documents. The empirical result shows that Dramalogen identify social changes and problems, from the standpoint of inclusive and democratic values, and use aesthetic culture and drama as a tool in an attempt to include cultural and ethnic groups, which risk to become marginalized. The analytical concept social exclusion and the dramaturgical theory of Goffman, were used to analyse the empirical material. The analysis suggests that their use of drama works as a mirror that reflects social problems, and - based on values of inclusion and democracy - also triggers a change in the public, although it is not possible to affirm within the study that this actually happens. The study also evaluate whether Dramalogens way of using aesthetic culture – and drama pedagogy – can be seen as a social innovation, and address the relevance for questions of revitalizing democracy.

Magister Commercii - MCom / This thesis reports on my investigation into undergraduate students' knowledge of financial literacy (FL) and explores ways of improving their FL by using and experimenting with alternative Financial Literacy Education (FLE) methods and techniques. In attempting this, I report on the educational interventions that I attempted. These are critical literacy approaches that included drama teaching techniques that formed part of a praxis approach to FLE. Low levels of financial literacy are of great concern in South Africa because South Africans have high rates of debt which the researcher asserts are an indication of misconceptions, misunderstanding, and also a lack of financial literacy. South Africa needs to have undergraduate students that are financially literate who apply critical reasoning to make critical financial decisions.