A Thesis Submitted for the Degree of PhD at the University of Warwick Permanent WRAP URL: http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/131594 Copyright and reuse: This thesis is made available online and is protected by original copyright. Please scroll down to view the document itself. Please refer to the repository record for this item for information to help you to cite it. Our policy information is available from the repository home page. For more information, please contact the WRAP Team at: [email protected] warwick.ac.uk/lib-publications Learning to Teach Moral Education through Drama in a Chinese Primary School By Mengyu Feng A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor Philosophy Centre for Education Studies March 2019 Abstract This thesis explores the possibilities of introducing drama to facilitate primary children’s moral learning in the Chinese educational context. As she is an inexperienced teacher, the author also focuses on her own self-improvement in learning to teach through educational drama as well as examining drama’s potential to complement the moral education curriculum for primary aged children in China. The thesis begins with a literature review that explores the authority-oriented nature of the moral education curriculum in mainland China and points out that basic challenges still exist in the current course despite reforms that have been implemented since 1999 on a national scale. It then argues for the potential of story-based drama as an innovative pedagogy that may help students develop their autonomous moral thinking as a way to address some of the shortcomings that exist in the present moral curriculum. The key methodological approach is that of reflective practitioner case study, using mixed methods to assess the impact of the author’s teaching on the children’s moral thinking. The fieldwork itself was undertaken in May and June, 2016, with two groups of children in two different primary schools in Beijing, China. There were fifteen sessions taught to 31 children in total, including one preparatory workshop and three story-based schemes of work in each school. In terms of the main findings, on the one hand, the author offers practical suggestions for other learner teachers who might wish to create a playful, cooperative and ensemble-based drama classroom in the light of her own experience. On the other hand, it also reveals that the incorporation of story-based drama into the existing school curriculum is workable, and this new approach can be seen to some extent to assist pupils in aspects of their citizenship education, imaginative development and dialogic thinking capabilities. The evidence also suggests that educational drama can promote gifted children’s moral growth by developing their peer relationships and creative thinking abilities. The author recommends that a longitudinal study on a larger scale can be conducted by experienced teachers to stimulate more and deeper research on the use of story-based drama in similar contexts, that this may further extend the understanding of Chinese teachers of this resourceful new approach and begin to inform policy makers. i Acknowledgements First and foremost, I would like to thank my supervisor Professor Joe Winston. Though coming from different countries and cultures, we share similar research interests in drama, morality, tales and childhood education. Having the honor and opportunity to be Prof. Winston’s student is one of the best and luckiest things in my life. I could not have asked for a better supervisor. Besides being a professional drama practitioner, he is also an excellent moral educator in my eyes, who paid close attention to the educational problems raised in the present study to help those children in my country develop their ethical characters in a better way. Without his supervision, the completion of this thesis would have been impossible, and for that I am deeply indebted to him. My grateful thanks also go to Prof. Shen Liang in Shanghai Theatre Academy who introduced me to the interesting area of drama education, as well as Prof. Ma Liwen in Beijing Normal University who enthusiastically helped me in conducting the fieldwork. Moreover, I’d like to thank my beloved parents, Feng Lijian and Sun Xiling, who accompanied me through the ups and downs during this long and sometimes lonely journey. Without their support and encouragement, I would not be able to arrive at my destination. As well as my dear brother, Feng Shuang, whose understanding and care are always with me. I’d also like to thank my partner Wei Yi for encouraging me to pursue my interests and pushing me to walk out of my comfort zone; without him, I could not realize my potential. I’m also grateful for my friends Divya, Hani and Ina, who colored my life with laughter and enjoyment during these years. Special thanks go to the Chinese government and University of Warwick for offering me a joint scholarship to fund and support my research project. Last but not least, I’d like to dedicate this thesis to the memory of my grandmother, Feng Guoying, who went to heaven during my third year of studying abroad; and she used to be a brilliant primary teacher. ii Declaration This thesis has been submitted to the University of Warwick in support for my application for the degree of Doctor of philosophy. This is a confirmation that the work presented in this thesis is original and my own work, which has not been previously submitted for any other degree. Mengyu Feng March 2019 iii Contents Chapter One Introduction ................................................................... 1 1.1 Motivations for the Research ..................................................... 1 1.2 Research Questions of the Study ............................................... 5 1.3 Structure of the Thesis ............................................................... 7 Chapter Two Literature Review Part One…………………….....……...10 2.1 Moral Education in Mainland China from 1949 to the present…..10 2.1.1 The First Period (1949-1966) ............................................. 11 2.1.2 The Second Period (1966-1976) ........................................ 13 2.1.3 The Third Period (1976-present) ........................................ 15 2.2 Influences from Confucianism and its Revival in China…….…...20 2.2.1 The Ingrained Cultural Values of Confucianism….……..…..20 2.2.2 The Revival of Confucianism in Contemporary China.…..…25 2.3 Critical Voices of Moral Education in Primary Schools….….…….29 2.3.1 Early Critical Voices…………………………………………....29 2.3.2 The Nationwide Reform of Moral Education Curriculum……31 2.4 Conclusion…………..……………………………….….…….……...38 Chapter Three Literature Review Part Two……….……………………. 39 3.1 Social Constructivist Perspectives on Learning…………………...39 3.2 Research on Drama and Moral Education for Children…………..42 3.2.1 Jonathan Neelands…………………………………………….43 3.2.2 Brian Edmiston…………………………………………………46 3.2.3 Joe Winston…………………………………………………….49 3.3 How the Three Drama Researchers Inform My Study ................ 51 3.4 Conclusion…………………………………………………………….54 Chapter Four Methodologies and Research Methods…………..…... 55 4.1 Methodology One – Reflective Practitioner Research…….……...55 4.1.1 Rationale for Choosing Reflective Practitioner Research….55 4.1.2 Concepts of Reflection and Reflexivity………………………56 iii 4.1.3 Reflective Practitioner Research……………………………..61 4.1.4 Reflective Practitioner Research in Drama Education……..64 4.2 Methodology Two – Case Study Research………………………...67 4.2.1 Definitions of Case Studies……..…………………………….68 4.2.2 Types of Case Studies……. ..…………………………………70 4.2.3 Designing and Structuring Case Studies…………………….72 4.2.4 Strengths and Weaknesses of Case Studies……………….74 4.3 Research Methods…………………………………………...………77 4.3.1 The Process and General Timeline of Gathering Data…….77 4.3.2 Research Methods in the Study………………………………81 4.3.3 Triangulation of the Data………………………………………94 4.4 Ethical Considerations……………………………………………….96 4.5 Conclusion ……………………………………………………..……..98 Chapter Five Data Analysis of the Study……………………………... ..99 5.1 Introduction……………………………………………. ………….....99 5.2 Schools and Participants…………………………………………....99 5.3 Rational for Using Critical Incident Theory in Analyzing Data….101 5.4 Presenting the Data…………………………………………………103 5.4.1 Case Study One: Preparatory Workshop followed by Story-based Workshop One………………..………………………103 5.4.2 Case Study Two: Story-based Workshop Two……….……135 5.4.3 Case Study Three: Story-based Workshop Three ………..156 5.4.4 Case Study Four: A Separate Case Study of Boy KTV……178 5.5 Conclusion …………………………………………………….…….192 Chapter Six Discussion…………………..……………………….……... 193 6.1 Introduction……………………………………………. …………...193 6.2 Part One: Learning to Teach Morality as Learner Drama Teacher………………………………………………...…………….193 6.2.1 Loosing Ethical Constraints through Drama’s Playful Elements……………………………………………………………..193 6.2.2 Balancing the Cooperative and Competitive Aspects of Drama Games………………………………………………………………..195 iv 6.2.3 Being Aware of Power Relations in Promoting Ensemble-based Learning……………………………….………...196 6.3 The Ways Drama May Contribute to the Moral Education in China ……...…………………………………………………………………198 6.3.1 Drama and Citizenship Education……………………….….198 6.3.2 Drama and Imagination………………………………………208 6.3.3 Drama and Dialogic Thinking………………………………..220 6.3.4 Drama and Gifted Child………………………………………227 6.4 Conclusion ………..…………………………………………………236 Chapter Seven Conclusion ………………………………………………237 7.1 Presentation of the Main Findings…………………………………237 7.1.1 Teacher’s Role in Facilitating Children’s