Browsing by Author "Koskinen, Nelli"

The purpose of this research was to investigate children`s involvement in drama-activity. This research consists of three research questions. The researh questions were: how do children aged 4 to 6 years old get involved with dramaclublessons, how do their involvement values change during three months, and which kind of drama-activity involves children. The theory of the research is based on dramaeducation`s theory, theory of play, and Ferre Laever`s theory of involvement. Previous researchs have shown that dramaeducation is meaningful for chidren`s learning. Previous researchs have also shown dramaeducations meaning for children`s holistic development. The study is a qualitative case study. The data is collected during spring 2016 from a drama club activity. The data is collected using videography method. Eight consecutive drama lessons were filmed for this study. In the dramaclub, there were six children, and this study is about five of them. Children in the club were from 4 to 6 years old. The data is collected using two video cameras. Each lesson lasted approximately 40 minutes. The data has been analysed using Ferre Laevers LIS-YC, the Leuven Involvement Scale for Young Children. The data was analysed using time-intervall method. The analyses was done using both qualitative and quantitative methods. The study results indicate that the children who participated in the drama lessons were involved at a high level in average. All the children’s average value was over the value of four or three. Value four means high involvement. The analysis for the answers on the second research question indicates that there was no significant increase or decrease in the level of involvement within the time period of three months. The analysis of the last research question indicates that children's engagement levels are higher during drama lessons that involve process-drama and also lessons that enable children to act as active participants during the lesson. Activities where children were for example spectators were not as involving, as activities where they were acting themselves in a role. Conclusion for this study is that drama is an involving method for children from age 4 to 6, when they get to be active participants.