The Effects of Drama Education on Student Self-Concept in Senior Secondary Education

Abstract

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There is a significant amount of attention given to student self-concept in education today. It is known that low confidence can lead to a variety of issues such as intellectual underachievement, academic overachievement, drug addiction and aggressive behavior. Also, comprehensive educational reform movements such as multiculturalism and cooperative learning can to a certain extent improve student self-concept. The theoretical foundations of this study are linked to the theoretical work in cognitive development, psychomotor development and movement, self-concept, and perceived wellness. The key theorists include Jean Piaget, Moshe Feldenkrais, Rudolf Laban, and Albert Bandura. Drama is a performance which comes from a balanced body of facts and can successfully lead to lifelong value. The achievement comes from presentation, participation and the creation of drama. Thus drama education is a major contribution to a person’s well-being when it comes to the mind-body interaction; benefiting the individual emotionally, cognitively, and physically. This study explores the effectiveness of formalized drama education and training on student performance, particularly regarding the overall perceived wellness and self-concept of drama students in grade eleven. Drama, as an art form and formal guidance method, is an important resource that can give out a link to cognitive development, emotional growth and psychological health in adolescents, which is also associated with the academic performance of students. This study focuses on documenting the relationship between drama and its influences on the variables by comparing students who are both involved and not involved in drama programs. A significant difference is found between drama and non-drama for perceived wellness, self-concept, and cumulative marks. The evidence supports constructive contact on academic performance, but there is a need for involvement that addresses recovered views of wellness and self-concept among the drama population. Key Words -self-concept, drama education, cognitive, psychomotor, emotional, psychological, adolescence