The effect of educational theater on the cognitive achievement of students of the Department of Art Education

Abstract

The study aims at investigating the effect of using the
instructional theatre in teaching psychology in enhancing the
cognitive achievement for artistic Education department students.
To execute the aims of the study , a number of hypotheses have
been hypothesized.
The study deals with the related theoretical background; the
instructional theatre , the cognitive achievement , its importance in
the educational field , in addition to other studies that have effect in
enriching the study in the area of using the instructional theatre
through varied variables.
In reference to the procedures of the study , the experimental
method of perfect control has been used for it widely suits the
current study. This method is of two groups ; experimental and
control with two tests ; pre and post. The sample have been selected
from the first-stage students in the department of Artistic Education
in the college of Basic Education – Al-Mustansiriya University.
For the purpose of measuring the effect of variables , the
researcher built an achievement test of the material and an inadvanced-prepared instructional play which meets the material has
been used.
For data processing , the researcher used the suitable statistical
means of processing data like T-test of independent samples , T-test
of correlated samples , Q-square equation . Person coefficient
correlation , and percentage.
After statistical processing , the findings have been reviewed and
discussed which led to the following recommendations:
1. The use of instructional theatre has great effect on the
improvement of learners' cognitive achievement through motivating
the learner's cognitive competences that help him/her comprehend
the material and foster the acquired knowledge.
2. The use of instructional plays has greater effect on the cognitive
achievement than the traditional methods. This has been shown in
the findings of the experimental and control groups in which there
were significant statistical differences in between.
3. The instructional theatre has a positive effect not only on the
cognitive achievements but also on the encouraging the learner and
increasing his/her motivation. This was revealed through the
enthusiasm shown by experimental group during their watching and
reacting towards the instructional play which was reflected in their
achievement.
Consequently , the researcher recommends to use the instructional
theatre in the different educational institutions for it has the effect on
enhancing the cognitive achievement of the students.