Doctoral Degrees (Drama)

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Browsing Doctoral Degrees (Drama) by Author "Inyang, Idaresit Ofonime"

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    Applying indigenous knowledge resources in children’s play-crafting in Southern Nigeria : practice-led research using Ibibio folk narratives
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2022-03) Inyang, Idaresit Ofonime; Pretorius, Mareli Hattingh; Kruger, Marie; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Drama.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of the study is to investigate the possibility to use play-crafting as a form of educational drama to renew the interest of Ibibio children in their Indigenous Knowledge Resources. The educational and moral function of these materials were eroded by colonialism and is further weakened by globalisation. The primary activity in this practice-led research is therefore an educational project carried out with a group of approximately 50 Ibibio children, aged between 9 and 12 who are pupils of selected primary schools in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Chapter two analyses the available indigenous knowledge resources, namely proverbs, folktales, storytelling, myths, folksongs, traditional games, riddles, and legends and the oral tradition in which these resources are embedded. Chapter three analyses constructivism, participatory learning and play as important components in this practice-led study, which employs play-crafting as a learning method. Constructivism with Dewey as important figure perceives learning as interactive and engaging as learners can be coconstructors in the process of knowledge making. Constructivism emphasizes collaboration, problem solving and the experiences of the learners. This school of thought challenges the formal or traditional educational philosophy that emphasizes the transfer of fixed body of knowledge from educators to learners in a highly formalized context involving a top-down release of knowledge by an educator to the educated. The cognitive constructivism theory of Bruner and Piaget, Vygotsky’s social constructivism and Von Glaserfeld’s radical constructivism theories are also relevant to this study. Participatory learning as voluntary and active involvement in learning as seen in the philosophy of Freire rests on the same principal. Play is important to this study as many Scholars advocate play as an important means of learning as it serves as an interactive space and a form of social enculturation, cultural practices and knowledge transmitter. Play is not only an enjoyable and spontaneous activity of young children, but it also contributes significantly to children’s learning and development. Play therefore forms the bases for play-crafting as an educational drama activity which combines constructivism and its related participatory learning. Chapter four looks at the three different approaches to education drama: Creative Drama and Playmaking, Drama-in-Education and the integrated approach, which combines these approaches. The objective of Creative Drama and Playmaking is to give each child an avenue of self-expression, guide the creative imagination and to provide a controlled emotional outlet. Drama-in-Education uses drama as a teaching and learning medium. The practice-led fieldwork as described in chapter five followed the combined approach by incorporating storytelling, improvisation and role-playing as creative tools in play-crafting. The findings in chapter six points to the effectiveness of adapting Ibibio indigenous knowledge resources by means of play-crafting in teaching traditional values and social skills to young children in selected schools in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Through various levels of investigation, a field experiment and extensive analysis, this study is able to establish that the application of indigenous resource could transform the learning experience for children with optimal benefit to the child and society.