Investigating Pre-Service Teachers’ Satisfaction of Integrating Drama-Based Activities into Practical Science Teaching

Abstract

This study explored the views of 63 Taiwanese pre-service teachers who had participated in a workshop about the value of integrating drama-based approaches in their practical science learning. It was primarily designed to investigate the pedagogical approach of Heathcote and other founders of process drama. In addition, it examined specific claims that it immerses learners in an enjoyable and social learning environment (Poston-Anderson, 2008; Lin, 2017) and that learners can practice core scientific skills such as making predictions, observing, and then validating their predictions (Weisberg et al., 2016). Following the workshop, participants completed an anonymized online questionnaire. Descriptive data analysis indicated that most participants (75%) strongly agreed that integrating drama-based approaches into practical science teaching was satisfying. Of the remainder, 20.7% agreed, 2.1% neither agreed nor disagreed, 2.2% disagreed, and none strongly disagreed with this statement. Moreover, 34.9% of the participants lacked opportunities to experience improvisation and integration of drama-based teaching in practical science. The study indicated that a drama-based approach can be a highly effective strategy for enhancing practical science teaching among pre-service teachers. Furthermore, the findings provide valuable insights into the factors influencing drama-based teaching in practical science. They suggest it could be an excellent strategy to stimulate learners’ interest in science and interdisciplinary science-related subjects and improve their science skills. Teachers could thus provide young children with similar drama-based teaching in practical science activities to promote their learning of science. Finally, the study offers a set of important recommendations for future pedagogical policymaking and further research by drama-based practitioners.