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CREATIVE COURSE DESIGN: REFLECTIONS ON A
TRAINERS’ WORKSHOP
Andy Martin, Massey University, Palmerston North, New
Zealand
Bill Krouwel, dare2, Shepton Mallet, England
The Background
It’s a long way from the work of the Czech educator John Amos
Comenius (1592-1670), to the Forest of Dean in the early 21st
Century – and yet a connection now exists.
Perhaps an explanation is called for.
Commenius, - the ‘Teacher of
Nations’ - believed in educating the whole person and recognised the
importance of learning through experiences achieved by one’s own
senses. He foreshadowed much experiential theory and practice by
asserting that teaching and learning must be interconnected with
experience in nature and must prepare for life itself. His ideas
remain influential in the Czech Republic, and are part of the
foundations of a uniquely Czech and Slovak method of
experiential
learning.
This unique approach to programme design has had proponents in
Britain and the English- speaking world for some time: In the early
1990’s, Richard Alexander started the ball rolling by initiating
contact with Prazdninova Skola Lipnice, the nascent Czech
Outward Bound. Bill Krouwel, one of the co-authors of this article
was an early convert following successful attendance by his son on a
Czech programme. Bill’s enthusiasm was noted by Andy Martin, who
became much more closely involved with the Czechs, earning a PhD
through study of the process, and co-writing Outdoor and
Experiential Learning, published by Gower in 2004.
The interest generated by the book was enough for the outdoor-based
charity dare2, to organise and host a trainers’ programme in
Britain. We hoped that with luck we might get ten or so trainers to
attend. As it turned out, demand was much greater, and thirty people
eventually signed-up. So it was that in November 2005 a group of
British trainers gathered at Viney Hill Outdoor Centre in the Forest
of Dean for a three-day train-the-trainer programme. Thus also was
the link between Comenius and the Forest of Dean completed.
The Theory
This particular approach to
experiential learning tends to revolve
round the idea of Dramaturgy. This term, borrowed from theatre,
describes a process involving elements of psychology, role play and
theatre that concentrates, blends and weaves a web of physical,
social, creative and reflective/emotional activities, addressing a
wider range of aptitudes than is usually possible if only physical
(or only social, or only creative, or only reflective) activities
are used.
Dramaturgy thus aims to create a
holistic experience, and to promote planning and activities that
support social and developmental goals. This was reflected in the
course design at Viney Hill, where participants found themselves
moving from exercises involving the creation of large-scale works of
art to ones in which teamwork and orienteering skills were required;
to quiet contemplation in the forest; to interdependence through
trust; to teamwork in movie-making, and so on. The range of
activities was sequenced in a ‘dramaturgy wave’ (Martin, 2001 - see
below) to maintain a balance of intensity and rhythm.
‘The dramaturgy wave’ - intertwining social, physical, creative, and
reflection waves
Reflection
Reflection is vital to effective
experiential learning, and it’s
incorporated as one of the “waves” in course dramaturgy. This is
particularly important as dramaturgical courses don’t have
externally-set and pre-planned learning objectives - no frontloading
here! Instead, what is learned is emergent and highly personal,
differing from one individual to another. On the programme at Viney
Hill, some engaged in quite fundamental reflection about their work,
whilst others engaged at another level, perhaps just gaining lots of
ideas for more creative approaches to their existing activities.
One of the aims of dramaturgy is to push comfort zones in an
atmosphere of physical, social and emotional safety. This pushing of
comfort zones is related to the individual’s perceived risk of any
activity. Each individual’s perception of risk is different and may
be situated in the physical, social, psychological or spiritual
realms. This was certainly reflected in the programme, with
different individuals coming forward at different times and in
different circumstances – and gaining different things from
different tasks.
What happened…
The workshop illustrated the
development of dramaturgy waves with a range of social, physical,
creative and reflective activities integrated and linked throughout
the first two days. The first day focused on creativity. Activities
included conversations carried on between pairs using only paper and
pen to draw pictures (no words allowed). The group also painted an
abstract mural without brushes, participated in role play and dance,
recreated impressionist masterpieces by painting with only noses and
toes. At the end of the day, the group room had been transformed
into a “gallery”.
The second day revolved around an environmental theme, with
participants in groups making their own environmental videos,
reflecting alone in the forest using land art, playing an
environmentally-based orienteering activity, and enjoyed an award
evening.
On the final day participants created four new games, experienced
playing them and then applied the dramaturgical approach in planning
their own programmes in a variety of contexts and settings (for
example, local education authorities and schools; programmes for
corporate clients and marginalised youth).
What did People Learn?
As might be expected, what was learned was as varied as the
personalities of those attending. We incorporate a small selection
in the text below.
Some learned what we set out to teach: “…The value of creative,
spiritual and social activities within an outdoor programme … not
just time fillers”, thus widening their approach to experiential
learning. Similarly others learned to “bring…creativity into the
outdoors”.
Others took a more fundamental view of what was learned and we
confess to delight at the participant who wished to return home and
“take the rule book and throw it out of the window”. Others
expressed similar thoughts in less fundamental language: “…Don’t be
afraid to be creative and questioning” and another wished to go back
to work and “… explore new ways of how NOT to be a “typical
instructor”
Some had detailed thoughts - for example that “facilitation doesn’t
equal domination” while others were comforted by the fact that
discussion had revealed that, as far as the big picture is concerned
“…My own thoughts on how outdoor ed needs to change in the UK beyond
activities is shared by others – particularly practitioners in the
UK…”
For others, there was a process of rediscovery – “…I learned that I
have let go much of the good experiential (but non-mainstream) stuff
that I used to do with groups and I need to re-engage with it”
As to long-term uptake, we’re already receiving reports of
particular exercises being successfully incorporated into
programmes. Indeed, the course has spawned its own internet
discussion group – which has been built by participants, without
undue pressure from the organisers…..
Watch this space for further opportunities to learn about
dramaturgy.
Selected bibliography
Leberman, S. I., & Martin, A. J. (2002). Does pushing comfort zones
produce the most learning? Australian Journal of Outdoor Education,
7(1), 71-81.
Leberman, S. I., & Martin, A. J. (2005). Applying Dramaturgy to
Management Education. Journal of Management Education, 29(2),
319-332.
Martin, A. J. (2001). The Dramaturgy Wave. Horizons,15,, 26-29
Martin, A. J., Franc, D., & Zounková, D. (2004). Outdoor and
Experiential Learning. Aldershot, UK: Gower.
Neuman, J. (2004). Education and learning through outdoor
activities. Prague: DUHA.
Andy Martin, PhD is a Senior
Lecturer at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand. His
doctoral thesis ‘Towards the next generation of experiential
education programmes’ and book ‘Outdoor and Experiential Learning’
(Gower, 2004) focused on the outcomes and educational process of
Vacation School Lipnice in the Czech Republic. Andy has worked with
a variety of organisations developing experiential programmes. Email
a.j.martin@massey.ac.nz
Bill Krouwel is Resources
Development Manager for dare2 (www.dare2.org), and has been in
development training since 1981. After very early experience with
Czech methods, his writing led others (including Andy) to explore
the “Czech Way”. His M.A. dissertation contrasted dramaturgical
processes with current approaches to outdoor management development.
Bill is co-author (with Steve Goodwill) of “Management Development
Outdoors” (Kogan Page, 1994) and author of “A Critical Guide to
Outdoor Management Development” (ITOL, 2002). He has wide-ranging
experience as a Development Trainer. Email:
will@dare2.org
dare2 is an independent charity
working in outdoor education. Among its objectives is the promotion
of good practice in the field, to which end it runs occasional
not-for-profit practitioner development programmes. Contact Bill for
details or to be added to the mailing list.
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