Bringing the personal to the professional: Pre-service teaching students explore conflict through an applied drama approach

This article explores the use of applied drama as a learning medium for trainee teachers who had not previously experienced the use of drama as a pedagogic approach, in an effort to develop professional relational skills, including conflict management. A quality content analysis approach was used, based on the responses of 64 participants to a questionnaire completed immediately following a drama workshop experience. One main theme – ‘the nature of learning through the medium of drama’ – and three other categories – ‘bridging theory and practice in teacher education’, ‘fostering courage and self-esteem’ and ‘cognitive engagement, shifts in perspectives and empathy’ – emerged from the analysis of the data. Such analysis indicates that applied drama could provide an effective teaching strategy for developing professionalism.