Evaluation Report of Prospero’s Island: an Immersive Approach to Literacy at Key Stage 3 A joint venture between Punchdrunk Enrichment, Hackney Learning Trust and a secondary Academy Professor Teresa Cremin, Professor Joan Swann, Dr Angela Colvert, Dr Lucy Oliver (c) The Open University 1 Contents Acknowledgements 6 Executive Summary 7 Project rationale ................................................................................................................................................... 7 Project description ............................................................................................................................................... 7 Evaluating the project ........................................................................................................................................ 8 The Prospero’s Island experience ................................................................................................................... 8 The impact of Prospero’s Island ..................................................................................................................... 9 Impact on students’ attitudes to and engagement in English ................................................. 9 Impact on students’ writing ................................................................................................................. 9 Impact on teachers’ pedagogy .......................................................................................................... 10 Summary recommendations ..........................................................................................................................10 Chapter 1: Introduction 12 1.1 The development of the Prospero’s Island project ........................................................................12 1.2 Designing the evaluation of the project .............................................................................................14 1.3 Background information on the school setting ..............................................................................16 1.4 The structure of this report .....................................................................................................................16 Chapter 2: Literature Review 18 2.1 Artistic partnerships ..................................................................................................................................18 2.1.1 Impact of artistic partnerships on student learning ..................................................... 19 2.1.2 Impact of artistic partnerships on pedagogy ................................................................... 19 2.2 Drama ...............................................................................................................................................................20 2.2.1 Immersive theatre ...................................................................................................................... 20 2.2.2 Drama in schools......................................................................................................................... 22 2.2.3 Drama and writing ..................................................................................................................... 23 2.3 Games ...............................................................................................................................................................24 2.3.1 Immersive gaming ...................................................................................................................... 25 2.3.2 Games in schools ......................................................................................................................... 26 2.3.3 Immersive games and writing ............................................................................................... 27 Chapter 3 Methodology for the evaluation 28 3.1 Objectives and research design .............................................................................................................28 3.2 Data collection ..............................................................................................................................................29 3.2.1 Identifying participants to contribute to the evaluation ............................................. 29 3.2.2 Data sets ......................................................................................................................................... 30 (c) The Open University 2 3.3 Data analysis .................................................................................................................................................34 3.4 Ethical procedures ......................................................................................................................................35 3.4.1 Participant consent .................................................................................................................... 35 3.4.2 Participant anonymity and data protection ..................................................................... 36 Chapter 4: An account of Prospero’s Island 37 4.1 Phase I: Autumn term 2014 - The Punchdrunk Enrichment immersive theatre ..............37 4.1.1 The related scheme of work and introduction to The Tempest ................................ 37 4.1.2 Punchdrunk Enrichment’s immersive intentions and installations ....................... 38 4.1.3 Prospero’s Island: the immersive experience ................................................................... 42 4.2 Phase I: Autumn Term 2014 - Teachers’ and students’ return to the installation ..........46 4.3 Phase II: Spring Term 2015 - The teachers’ follow on work .....................................................49 Chapter 5: A commentary on Prospero’s Island 51 5.1 Phase I: Autumn term 2014 –The students ......................................................................................51 5.1.1 Entering an unknown world of surprises ......................................................................... 51 5.1.2 Multisensory and imaginative engagement ..................................................................... 52 5.1.3 Opportunity to work together ............................................................................................... 54 5.1.4 Knowledge about and interest in The Tempest ............................................................... 55 5.1.5 Game play and boundary crossing ....................................................................................... 56 5.2 Phase I: Autumn term 2014 - Teachers and other adults ..........................................................59 5.2.1 The teachers ................................................................................................................................. 59 5.2.2 The Games Master and his Assistants ................................................................................ 61 5.3 Phase I: Autumn Term 2014 - A commentary on the teachers’ return to the installation............................................................................................................................................................62 5.3.1 The students ................................................................................................................................. 62 5.3.2 The teachers ................................................................................................................................. 63 5.4 Summary and conclusions .......................................................................................................................65 Chapter 6: Impact on students’ attitudes and engagement 68 6.1 Year 7 students’ perspectives on attitudes and engagement ...................................................68 6.2 Case study students’ perspectives on attitudes and engagement ...........................................72 6.3 Teachers’ perspectives on attitudes and engagement .................................................................75 6.4 Summary and conclusions .......................................................................................................................77 Chapter 7: Impact on students’ writing 79 7.1 Writing assignments ..................................................................................................................................79 7.2 Case study students’ writing ...................................................................................................................83 7.3 Teachers’ perspectives on writing ........................................................................................................85 7.4 Case study students’ perspectives on writing ..................................................................................87 (c) The Open University 3 7.5 Summary and conclusions .......................................................................................................................88 Chapter 8: Impact on teachers’ pedagogical practice 90 8.1 Teachers’ understandings of immersive teaching and learning .............................................91 8.2 Teachers’ expectations of Prospero’s Island ....................................................................................92 8.2.1 Opportunities to use drama techniques ............................................................................ 92 8.2.2 Opportunities to learn through play ..................................................................................