Haki_Final Research Study Outline

1) Title of Research Study

The Impact of Applied Theatre within an Alternative High School Setting.

2) Statement of the Problem (3-4 rich sentences)

Students attending alternative high schools have exhausted their opportunities within regular
school settings. This could be due to behavior issues, low grades, and or attendance violations.
Students of these school environments are working towards adulthood, and building a future.
Using drama/applied theatre methodologies, and techniques that embrace valuable pedagogical
goals, may increase many of these youths opportunities for school, personal, and social success.

3) Primary Research Question (Clearly stated in one sentence)

How can applying theatre be an effective tool that impacts self-empowerment or motivation,
through high school students attending alternative education settings?

4) Research Sub-Questions (no more than 3 sub-questions)

How can applied theatre stimulate self-actualization through self-discovery, and develop
the desire for learning success?

What effects could drama produce within at-risk teenagers that would promote positive
social participation within their classrooms, and school interactions?

How can theatre be impactful on youth who engage in the art form to take responsibility
for their learning experience?
Haki_Final Research Study Outline

5) Research Design and Rationale (one paragraph for each)

Qualitative Research Design as an approach to study students attending, Oak Park Alternative
High School. The student participants are ages 16-19. The research will be designed and
implemented as a year-long project, starting in the fall 2017 Spring 2018. A non-experimental
design allows the students to be observed within their educational setting and or classrooms.
Using a qualitative design is a way of me understanding the phenomena within an alternative
school setting, and their students.

6) Research Methodology and Rationale (4-5 rich sentences)

Action research methodologies play a role in my research study design to interpret, plan,
identify, put my plan into action, and will provide my research with effective reflective
processes. It is vital to my research planning process to assure an effective project, designed with
all necessary components, tools, how to build community partnerships, and the implementations
of theatre methods. My data collection will consist of individual interviews, reflective
discussions, writing reflections, evaluations, recordings, and questionnaires. Findings will be
analyzed to provide information about the environment, contributing to the field of research in
theatre and theatre education.
 An overview of my observations

A.) List and describe strengths and challenges of sites.

The strengths of DOH/MOT(Michigan Opera House):

Office Teamwork: Everyone works together to assure quality services provided by

DOH/MOT.

Positive community partnerships: The DOH/MOT and its community partners maintain a
positive relationship through great communication and are both concern with youth in arts and
education. The community partnerships consist of multicultural communities and schools that
share an interest with youth learning in arts-infused programs.

Community Engagement: The DOH/MOT and professional Dance Companies

collaborate to offer free workshops to Michigan communities. Currently the American Dance
Ballet, has conducted a week workshop in Ann Arbor, and Alvin Ailey Dance Company, will be
conducted a community dance workshop this coming April, in Detroit.

The Challenges of DOH/MOT:

Studio Spaces: Some of the studio spaces are too small and unaccommodating. At any
given time, a music class and dance class may be assigned to the same studio, but if it is a dance
studio, it presents challenges for music students in this space.

Detroit Community Projects: Mrs. Scobie shared that she wishes that the DOH would
offer more Detroit area schools, and communities with the opportunity to create theatre from
opera, but most programs have been conducted in schools that are more privileged.

University of Liggett:

A.) List and describe strengths and challenges of sites.

The Strengths:

Community Classrooms: Students and teachers work together on its curriculums, using
art, to gain understanding of subject being studied. Classrooms are small so that teachers can
help all students. The desks are set-up in groups and each group helps one another on assigned
projects, and or assignments.
 Parent, Educator, Community Support: ULS has full support of all parents, educators, and
community businesses and leaders, that support the arts-infused curriculum based institution.
Everyone is invested in good education experiences, and are advocates of the arts, and the
success of their children.

Private School Institution: ULS has the advantage of how the curriculum is developed,
and facilitated. Dr. Phil Moss indicated that being a private institution excludes the intrusion of
the state and its standards. When attending a state funded school, the curriculum is dictated and
restricts true learning opportunities for all students. ULS educators, students, and artist develop
their curriculums based on its best avenue to assist all students learning experiences.

Challenges:

Student Differences: At times, the background of some students is more affluent than for
others. The challenges have been creating an environment where all students feel included and
that they belong. Dr. Moss mentioned that the school is not free of minor racial issues, class
status, and peer acceptance, but they assure that these situations are dealt upon notification of
their happenings.

Motor City Youth Theatre:

A.) List and describe strengths and challenges of sites.

Strengths:

All-Inclusive Theatre: Nancy created an environment where youth from different

backgrounds can learn and grow as actors, and personally. She believes that every child can learn
and has talent to be developed.

Affordable Tuition: MCYT makes it affordable for youth that are interested in theatre the
opportunity to participate. Her fees are low, but if a parent needs financial favor, the theatre
assist when possible.

Arts Education: Youth members of the theatre are learning more than how to act and or
perform, but concepts and theories that apply and coincide with each production.

Challenges:

Low Staffing: MCYT has two staff members, and a committee. Nancy along with one
other instructor/director, facilitates acting lessons, stage movement, produce plays, and design
the set, with some volunteers. There are times when this can cause some frustrations, and issues
to arise.
 Large Youth Membership: The theatre currently has 50 youth members. Nancys belief
of inclusion, offers each youth a role in every production. Some of the roles are doubled, to triple
cast, but she manages to make it successful.

Financial: The theatre tuition assist in paying for building up keeps, production needs,
and paying her staff member. Nancy does not receive any pay from her work as an artistic, and
co-founder of the theatre. Parents and community partners are there to help lighten the financial
burden when possible.

Fieldwork:

Hannan House Students (Focus is observing for the purpose of assessing and evaluating student
progress/growth and my Pedagogical Theatre practices in order to better facilitate, meeting
learning and teaching goals.)

Shakespeare in Prison (Focus is to observe how theatre, using Shakespeare, affects the inmates
cognitive Transformation)

Questions:

1.) What would be an excellent approach to assessing both my students learning process and my
practice approaches in order to satisfy their learning goals and my teaching goals?

2.) While qualitative research will serve me best working with the women in the prison arts
program, what would be a respectable approach in collecting data that would reveal any
cognitive transformations from their theatre experience?

3.) Other than cogitive improvement, what other human developments should be observed in
order to collect data that would reveal how the arts can play a vital role and promote self-
empowerment?

Being that my Master's Essay will discuss human development, concentrating in theatre arts, I
want to begin studying and observing for research purposes in the foremention areas.