Ward, Geoff (2005) Feeding the imagination : using drama and other means to strengthen the imagination. In: UNSPECIFIED. From: 3rd International Conference on Imagination and Education, 13-16 July 2005, Vancouver.

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Abstract

We learn wonderfully through the use of imagination. But the imagination may just generate wild ideas unless we feed it useful stuff. Sometimes learners don't know what they don't know. Drama and other activities can provide grist to the mill for the imagination.

This workshop, with its accompanying paper, will explore ways in which teachers at a variety of levels can enable students to apply their imaginations in more productive ways. It will not only look at a variety of instructional strategies, but explore ways of sequencing them more effectively.

Some of the workshop will examine an approach to questioning and using drama that have been used within the last few months with University education students and elementary school children in Australia, teachers in regular and drop-out prevention programs in Florida, and inner-city high school students in Texas so that their versatility and transferability can be demonstrated.

There are many valuable instructional strategies available to teachers, but often they are far less productive than they should be because they don't lead anywhere. As a simple example, the imagination can be turned loose to brainstorm and create a list of possibilities. But unless some kind of further use is made of that list, it may not even develop greater vocabulary. In addition, it is common for students to do activities that don't build their understanding and knowledge base. This session will stimulate use of information in learning and ways of extending independence and transfer. Strategies and sequences of strategies will be demonstrated and explored to expand our repertoires of effective ways of working with students of a wide range of ages. The workshop will be interactive and will incorporate drama, art, music, talk and writing and a variety of genres.

Item ID:	538
Item Type:	Conference Item (UNSPECIFIED)
Keywords:	Imagination, Learning
Date Deposited:	28 Sep 2006
FoR Codes:	13 EDUCATION > 1302 Curriculum and Pedagogy > 130202 Curriculum and Pedagogy Theory and Development @ 0% 13 EDUCATION > 1303 Specialist Studies in Education @ 0%
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