Theatre Arts Technology in the Scottish Primary Drama Classroom: The Sum of Unequal P‘arts’

William Barlow; Nikki Doig; Michael Robert Kimm

doi:10.64741/249969bxyngz

Theatre Arts Technology in the Scottish Primary Drama Classroom: The Sum of Unequal P‘arts’

William Barlow
, Nikki Doig
, Michael Robert Kimm

University of Dundee

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

While the Expressive Arts curriculum aims for a holistic approach to drama, the weight given to its individual components is skewed. Since the implementation of the Scottish Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) this research is the first to focus on primary teachers’ perspectives on theatre arts technology (lighting, set, sound, props, make-up and hair, and costume), as both a pedagogic tool and component of performance. Exploring the unequal p‘arts’ of the drama curriculum, the study identifies a significant curricular imbalance: the single mention of theatre arts technology in the primary level drama descriptors stands in direct contrast to the nine collective mentions of performance-based skills (voice, movement, and role play). Drawing from a larger mixed-methods study the research surveyed 83 teachers across diverse primary demographics using a 32-item questionnaire which was analysed via descriptive statistics and inductive content analysis.

Original language	English
Article number	7
Pages (from-to)	1-27
Number of pages	27
Journal	Drama Research: international journal of drama in education
Volume	17
Issue number	1
Early online date	12 Mar 2026
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.64741/249969bxyngz
Publication status	Published - 1 Apr 2026

Bibliographical note

‘This article was first published in Drama Research: international journal of
drama in education Volume 17, April 2026 at:
https://www.nationaldrama.org.uk/drama-research/
It is one of a wide range of articles on drama/theatre in education available
by subscription to the journal at:
https://www.nationaldrama.org.uk/subscribe-to-drama-research/
Access to the journal is free to members of National Drama. Join National
Drama at https://www.nationaldrama.org.uk/subscribe/

Keywords

primary drama education
expressive arts
theatre arts technology

Access to Document

10.64741/249969bxyngzLicence: Unspecified

Theatre Arts Technology in the Scottish Primary Drama ClassroomFinal published version, 763 KBLicence: Unspecified

Cite this

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abstract = "While the Expressive Arts curriculum aims for a holistic approach to drama, the weight given to its individual components is skewed. Since the implementation of the Scottish Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) this research is the first to focus on primary teachers{\textquoteright} perspectives on theatre arts technology (lighting, set, sound, props, make-up and hair, and costume), as both a pedagogic tool and component of performance. Exploring the unequal p{\textquoteleft}arts{\textquoteright} of the drama curriculum, the study identifies a significant curricular imbalance: the single mention of theatre arts technology in the primary level drama descriptors stands in direct contrast to the nine collective mentions of performance-based skills (voice, movement, and role play). Drawing from a larger mixed-methods study the research surveyed 83 teachers across diverse primary demographics using a 32-item questionnaire which was analysed via descriptive statistics and inductive content analysis.",

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Theatre Arts Technology in the Scottish Primary Drama Classroom: The Sum of Unequal P‘arts’

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

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Cite this