Study of the effect of drama education on social interaction in high school students

Abstract

The primary purpose of this qualitative study is to examine high school students’ perceptions o f being involved in creative drama, and the effect o f this involvement on their social interactions. All data was collected, analyzed and interpreted using qualitative research techniques. Interviews and non-participant observations were used for data collection. Participants were selected via purposive sampling, and included two male students, four female students, and three teachers. Findings o f this study provide insights into common attitudes and behaviours in daily interpersonal relatedness among students who are involved in creative drama education. Overall, this study reveals that in many cases, drama education enhances social interaction. Thus, curricularists may be encouraged to integrate drama into a wide range of school subjects such as history, religion, health science, and family studies.