This study uses a grounded theory approach (Charmaz, 2006) in a small case study to examine if drama as praxis influences long-term care residents when presented as a recreational activity. When used as “praxis” (Taylor, 2000), drama focuses solely on the learning and personal growth of the participants. The growth of long-term care underscores the value of recreational programming for quality of life in these institutions; drama as praxis has not been widely used in this context.
Elements of the literature review were used to identify areas where dramatic activities have demonstrated influence in educational contexts:
• Engagement / Participation
• Self-Confidence / Sense of Efficacy
• Social Skills / Empathy
• Creativity / Imagination
• Cognitive Skill Development / Understanding
These became sensitizing concepts for the creation of “drama as praxis” activities, presented in six sessions to a small group of residents at a long-term care residence in the Toronto area. Data collection was based on the researcher’s observations and participant interviews.
Drama was found to have a recreational benefit impacting quality of life, with Engagement, Social Skills,, and Self-Confidence, the predominant benefits observed. Creativity and Cognitive Skill Development were less frequent.
A Theory of the Recreational Benefit of Drama as Praxis was then developed to help the researcher understand why these benefits might be caused by drama. Based on theoretical sampling from recent research in gerontology and brain science, the theory highlights four beneficial components of drama as praxis:
1. Kinesthetics – Fosters engagement and memory retrieval
2. Play and Endorphinal Release – Triggers cognitive work without fear or fatigue
3. Imagination and Perspective-taking – Helps individuals retrieve emotional memories, develop different perspectives, and joyfully create
4. Narrative - Helps participants access and process events in their lives, past and present
The study ends with a discussion of possible implications for the use of drama in long-term care but emphasizes that, due to the size of the sample, the results of the research cannot necessarily be assumed to apply in other contexts. Suggestions for further research are made that might address this and help to clarify the findings of the study.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:OTU.1807/26417 |
| Date | 28 February 2011 |
| Creators | Dixon, Edmond |
| Contributors | Cameron, Linda |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | en_ca |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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