Is drama the key to change?

Given the pressing challenge of climate change, education is increasingly seen as key to adapting transformatively to a changing environment. A joint study by the Leibniz Center for Agricultural and Landscape Research (ZALF) and the University of Victoria (Canada) takes a closer look at an innovative approach to using theater in climate change education.

This research Adult and Continuing Education Journalexplores the potential of dramatic expression as a tool to promote creative problem solving and social change in the context of climate change. The team of researchers evaluated the methodological framework in workshops where participants explored flood and drought challenges through theatrical productions and developed adaptation scenarios.

“Our research highlights the importance of dramaturgy as an effective teaching method to convey not only the scientific aspects of climate change, but also the social, emotional and psychological aspects.” Giuliano Borba, lead author of the study and a researcher at ZALF, explains.

The research findings not only provide insight into the effectiveness of dramatic approaches in climate adaptation education, but also provide a pedagogical framework and rationale for teachers, educators, and institutions wishing to improve their approaches to climate education. This is what we provide.

This study highlights the urgency of new educational approaches in the face of increasing risks of climate change, raising awareness, promoting positive attitudes to the future, and providing concrete strategies to adapt to climate change. It shows how dramaturgy can be used as a methodology for development. This is part of a series of studies on art-based methods for innovative research, a collaboration between the Leibniz Center for Agricultural and Landscape Research (ZALF) and the University of Victoria (Canada).