Applied Shakespeare: Developing New Educational Models for Transversal Competences and Life-skills
ProjectThe research on Applied Shakespeare aims to fill a gap in the present body of studies in Italy about the potential impact of
Shakespearean theatre on society, with a particular focus on socio-emotional competences and educational models in 3 areas of
investigation: secondary schools, juvenile detention centres and healthcare contexts. More importantly, our project springs from the
need to align the national research in this field to European policies as they are recommended in several official documents.
To this end, the research aims to create regular interdisciplinary seminars among scholars, practitioners, and stakeholders, where
new methodologies will be formulated for a series of workshops addressed to the target groups and intended as sites of observation
of the kind of impact theatre-making (and theatre-going) can have on societal changes in the 3 areas of application. Supporting the
traditional deductive approach with abductive reasoning, the workshops will allow us to test the methodologies as well as collect
qualitative and quantitative data which will integrate both existing and new knowledge with work-field observations. The research,
therefore, will be enhanced by strong networks bringing together academic institutions, acknowledged research centres and public
and private stakeholders. Based on recent studies on language as the site of circulation of empathic energies, the research aims to profit from and further expand the knowledge in the field of ‘theatre and emotions’ with a specific reference to Shakespeare, which is pivotal in the three areas where each unit has gained a research expertise and has already developed good practices: Roma Tre in the area of secondary school education; University of Milan in the sector of juvenile detention centres; University of Bari in the field of healthcare and medical humanities. We expect the project to have an impact at various levels by moving forward existing knowledge and the current state of the art. The whole project’s main scientific and social impact relies on applying Shakespeare’s theatre or adaptations of his plays to create new educational models, based on on-your-feet drama workshops in English or in translation/adaptation to be held not only in the traditional classroom but also in other settings (theatres, radio studios, community centres, IPMS, healthcare contexts), which have an important social impact by supporting and developing transversal life-skills and key competences as recommended by EU documents. Such models will include appropriate tools for assessment and evaluation to be applied in the curricula of the institutions we are considering: namely secondary schools, university courses for healthcare providers and high schools within juvenile detention centres.
Shakespearean theatre on society, with a particular focus on socio-emotional competences and educational models in 3 areas of
investigation: secondary schools, juvenile detention centres and healthcare contexts. More importantly, our project springs from the
need to align the national research in this field to European policies as they are recommended in several official documents.
To this end, the research aims to create regular interdisciplinary seminars among scholars, practitioners, and stakeholders, where
new methodologies will be formulated for a series of workshops addressed to the target groups and intended as sites of observation
of the kind of impact theatre-making (and theatre-going) can have on societal changes in the 3 areas of application. Supporting the
traditional deductive approach with abductive reasoning, the workshops will allow us to test the methodologies as well as collect
qualitative and quantitative data which will integrate both existing and new knowledge with work-field observations. The research,
therefore, will be enhanced by strong networks bringing together academic institutions, acknowledged research centres and public
and private stakeholders. Based on recent studies on language as the site of circulation of empathic energies, the research aims to profit from and further expand the knowledge in the field of ‘theatre and emotions’ with a specific reference to Shakespeare, which is pivotal in the three areas where each unit has gained a research expertise and has already developed good practices: Roma Tre in the area of secondary school education; University of Milan in the sector of juvenile detention centres; University of Bari in the field of healthcare and medical humanities. We expect the project to have an impact at various levels by moving forward existing knowledge and the current state of the art. The whole project’s main scientific and social impact relies on applying Shakespeare’s theatre or adaptations of his plays to create new educational models, based on on-your-feet drama workshops in English or in translation/adaptation to be held not only in the traditional classroom but also in other settings (theatres, radio studios, community centres, IPMS, healthcare contexts), which have an important social impact by supporting and developing transversal life-skills and key competences as recommended by EU documents. Such models will include appropriate tools for assessment and evaluation to be applied in the curricula of the institutions we are considering: namely secondary schools, university courses for healthcare providers and high schools within juvenile detention centres.
