Whose Classroom Is It, Anyway? Improvisation as a Teaching Tool

Authors

  • Ronald A. Berk The Johns Hopkins University Author
  • Rosalind H. Trieber Towson University Author

Abstract

Improvisational techniques derived from the experiences in improvisational theatre can be adapted for the college classroom to leverage the characteristics of the Net Generation, their multiple intelligences and learning styles, and the variety of collaborative learning activities already in place in a learner-centered environment. When improvisation is reformatted as small-group collaborative learning exercises, it can be a powerful teaching tool to promote deep learning. The authors describe the key features of improvisation along with four generic, easy to execute exercises applied to real course content: "One Word at a Time/One Sentence at a Time," "Speech Tag," "Freeze Tag," and "Gibberish Expert Interview." An evaluation scale to measure the effectiveness of classroom applications is also included.

Published

2024-03-23