Virtual Forum Theater: Creating and Sharing Drama to Resolve Conflicts Interdisciplinary PhD in Child Development, Computer Science, and Drama Tufts University Advisors: Alva Couch, Downing Cless, Marina Bers and Edith Ackermann. Digital Media and Learning Conference 2010

Order of presentation Virtual Forum Theater Virtual Forum Theater Theoretical Background Theoretical Background Activities Activities Findings Findings Conclusion Conclusion VFT & New Media Literacy Skills VFT & New Media Literacy Skills Digital Media and Learning Conference 2010

Virtual Forum Theater VFT is a computer-based learning experience that supports face-to-face, computer, and multimedia-based drama. VFT is a computer-based learning experience that supports face-to-face, computer, and multimedia-based drama. The VFT toolset The VFT toolset The VFT process The VFT process A VFT performance A VFT performance Digital Media and Learning Conference 2010

The VFT toolset

The VFT process The VFT process includes:  Dramatic exercises  Improvisations  Using VFT toolset  Within-group discussions  Group-to-group interactions Digital Media and Learning Conference 2010

A VFT performance The VFT play: Depicts situations of oppression or injustice meaningful to the participants. Depicts situations of oppression or injustice meaningful to the participants. Provides a starting point for resolving conflicted situations. Provides a starting point for resolving conflicted situations. Suggests frames where audience should propose alternatives (“virtual joker”). Suggests frames where audience should propose alternatives (“virtual joker”). Digital Media and Learning Conference 2010

Inspirations for VFT Research shows that disadvantaged children and youth seem to have difficulties expressing themselves and arguing for their points of view. Research shows that disadvantaged children and youth seem to have difficulties expressing themselves and arguing for their points of view. Drama-in-Education (DIE), Theater-in-Education (TIE) and Creative Drama (CD) help children develop expression abilities. Drama-in-Education (DIE), Theater-in-Education (TIE) and Creative Drama (CD) help children develop expression abilities. Theater of the Oppressed (TO) is used with adults to rehearse reactions to oppressive situations. Theater of the Oppressed (TO) is used with adults to rehearse reactions to oppressive situations. VFT combines DIE, TIE, CD, TO and technology to create an experience that enhances expressive fluency. VFT combines DIE, TIE, CD, TO and technology to create an experience that enhances expressive fluency.

Theoretical Background Virtual Forum Theater Brecht’s Epic Theater (1964) Boal’s Theater of the Oppressed (1974) Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed (1972) Papert’s Constructionism (1990) Piaget, Vygostky, Brunner, Lave &Wenger, Koschman, Dorothy Heathcote

VFT Activities Script improvisations Script improvisations Group discussions Group discussions Photo taking Photo taking Recording character lines (VFT toolset) Recording character lines (VFT toolset) Creating the animation (VFT toolset) Creating the animation (VFT toolset) Creating intervention frames Creating intervention frames Watching virtual plays Watching virtual plays Rehearsing or discussing responses to virtual plays Rehearsing or discussing responses to virtual plays On-line chatting On-line chatting Video taping the sessions Video taping the sessions Watching clips of videotaped sessions Watching clips of videotaped sessions Groups meeting at my house Groups meeting at my house

VFT Activities N-Noelia L-Luana M-Matheus D-Daniel T-Tania

VFT Activities (1) A-Adroaldo L- Lillian R-Rebeca Res-Researcher T-Tadeu

Collaborative interactions A “virtual joker” frame suggests the audience to intervene and propose alternatives. A “virtual joker” frame suggests the audience to intervene and propose alternatives.

The studies Teachers or vice-principals selected the participants Teachers or vice-principals selected the participants Somerville, Ma (USA) 1 st Study: 1 st Study: Somerville Youth Community Center (SYCC), 8 participants; year old girls; 6 returned surveys Somerville Youth Community Center (SYCC), 8 participants; year old girls; 6 returned surveys Salvador, Bahia (Brazil): Public Schools 2 nd Study: 2 nd Study: Landulfo Alves School 6 participants; years old; 5 returned surveys Landulfo Alves School 6 participants; years old; 5 returned surveys 3 rd Study: 3 rd Study: Kabum School of Arts and Technology 6 participants; 11 years old; 5 returned surveys Kabum School of Arts and Technology 6 participants; 11 years old; 5 returned surveys Rotary High School 8 participants; yrs old; 3 dropped out mid study Rotary High School 8 participants; yrs old; 3 dropped out mid study Aplicacao Anisio Teixera School 8 participants; yrs old; 6 returned surveys Aplicacao Anisio Teixera School 8 participants; yrs old; 6 returned surveys

Evaluating VFT I studied how VFT extends and augments: face-to-face dramatic activities for improving argumentation skills/style, face-to-face dramatic activities for improving argumentation skills/style, expressive fluency, expressive fluency, social consciousness and awareness, social consciousness and awareness, conflict resolution skills in disenfranchised youth. conflict resolution skills in disenfranchised youth.

Findings Importance Importance Fun and engagement Fun and engagement Argumentation skills/style Argumentation skills/style Expressive Fluency Expressive Fluency Conflict Resolution Conflict Resolution Dramatic expression Dramatic expression Social Awareness Social Awareness Facilitator’s role Facilitator’s role

Other Findings The facilitator seems crucial in enabling use of technology and in deepening arguments and discussions The facilitator seems crucial in enabling use of technology and in deepening arguments and discussions VFT toolset augments face-to-face interactions and serves as catalyst of discussion VFT toolset augments face-to-face interactions and serves as catalyst of discussion VFT toolset is not a director, but an object “to think with” (Papert), “to argue about”, and “to enact with” VFT toolset is not a director, but an object “to think with” (Papert), “to argue about”, and “to enact with”

Conclusions VFT improved social awareness, argumentation style, and expressive fluency. VFT improved social awareness, argumentation style, and expressive fluency. Role of facilitator could not be separated from the other parts of the intervention. Role of facilitator could not be separated from the other parts of the intervention. Digital Media and Learning Conference 2010

NML Skills – Henry Jenkins Play- the capacity to experiment with the surroundings as a form of problem solving. Play- the capacity to experiment with the surroundings as a form of problem solving. Appropriation- the ability to meaningfully sample and remix media content. Appropriation- the ability to meaningfully sample and remix media content. Judgment- the ability to evaluate the reliability and credibility of multiple sources Judgment- the ability to evaluate the reliability and credibility of multiple sources

Negotiation- the ability to travel across diverse communities, discerning and respecting multiple perspectives, and grasping and following alternative norms Negotiation- the ability to travel across diverse communities, discerning and respecting multiple perspectives, and grasping and following alternative norms Networking- the ability to search for, synthesize and disseminate information. Networking- the ability to search for, synthesize and disseminate information. Collective Intelligence- the ability to pool knowledge and compare notes with others toward a common goal. Collective Intelligence- the ability to pool knowledge and compare notes with others toward a common goal.

VFT & NML Skills Play & Performance Play & Performance Script improvisations Script improvisations Photo taking Photo taking Recording character lines (VFT toolset), Recording character lines (VFT toolset), Creating the animation (VFT toolset) Creating the animation (VFT toolset) Creating intervention frame Creating intervention frame Negotiation & Judgment Negotiation & Judgment Key when interacting and proposing solutions for a VFT play Key when interacting and proposing solutions for a VFT play Digital Media and Learning Conference 2010

VFT & NML Skills Appropriation Appropriation Rehearsing or discussing responses to virtual plays Rehearsing or discussing responses to virtual plays Remixing VFT plays Remixing VFT plays Networking Networking Chatting and sharing VFT plays Chatting and sharing VFT plays Collective Intelligence Collective Intelligence Solving each other drama together, remixing VFT plays or creating new ones. Solving each other drama together, remixing VFT plays or creating new ones. Digital Media and Learning Conference 2010

Virtual Forum Theater: Creating and Sharing Drama to Resolve Conflicts Interdisciplinary PhD in Child Development, Computer Science, and Drama Tufts University Advisors: Alva Couch, Downing Cless, Marina Bers and Edith Ackermann. Digital Media and Learning Conference 2010