Drama and arts-based professional learning: exploring face-to-face, online and transmedia models

Abstract

Australian and international research has identified that many generalist teachers have limited confidence and experience in teaching the Arts in the early years of schooling and education. There is also a significant gap in the provision of quality professional learning programs for teachers. Research has identified that appropriate training and professional learning programs need to provide teachers with practical experiences, informed by sound pedagogical theory and some form of ongoing support and potential for collaboration and shared learning. This article reports on the development of a professional learning programme which sought to support arts-focussed professional development of early years teachers. The project, known as The Open Storybox, lead to the development of a model which could be called a ‘transmedia’ learning model, as it utilises different media, and flows of content across digital platforms and technologies as well as the embodied and material.

Keywords:

• Teacher professional learning
• drama and arts-based learning
• early childhood education
• blended learning
• transmedia learning

Acknowledgements

Thank you to those who contributed to the development of this project over two iterations: John Saunders and Hannah Brown for Sydney Theatre Company, Kathryn Murray and Kathryn Dolan from Central Queensland University, Dave Brown for Patch Theatre and those teachers and other participants and supporters