Choreography, PBL, & the Empowerment of Student Identity

Choreography, Project-based Learning, & the Empowerment of Student Identity:

Investigating the ways in which authentic learning environments can foster individual student creativity and self-realization

Kyle Georgina Marsh, EdM Candidate 08:207:510 Introduction to Research in Dance Education Professor Barbara Bashaw, EdD, CMA 2013

Choreography, PBL, & the Empowerment of Student Identity

Introduction
As a student who has taken a somewhat unorthodox path through education, and as a person who has always allowed her creative interests to be a source of motivation and curiosity in life, Im discovering that my fascination with the nature of identity is only natural. In setting out to conduct the literature review presented in the following pages, I must first acknowledge that my source and inspiration for the questions that have prompted this research are derived from a number of dormant interests that were founded long before my decision to pursue a masters degree. Looking back over sources I rediscovered through this process, specifically the work of my previous professor Dr. Carol Press, I was left to reflect on how charming it is that my interests in choreography, creativity, and identity seem to be so crucial and innate in the construction of my identity as not only an artist and educator, but also as a researcher. As someone who very much feels as though I am is still grappling with the understanding of myself and my roles as a teacher, an artist, and similarly a teaching artist my questions about identity and empowerment via engagement in a creative process that is authentic and meaningful is key.

Statement of the Problem

There is currently an abundance of educational literature that aims to address the current achievement-gap which is prevalent within our contemporary system of public education. Specifically literature published by the Harvard Graduate School of Educations, Pathways to Prosperity Project: Meeting the Challenge of Preparing Young

Americans for the 21st Century (2011) and The Partnership for 21st Century Skills (2011)

Choreography, PBL, & the Empowerment of Student Identity attempts to address this idea that students in the modern world need to be educated

differently in order to better equip themselves with the skills necessary to be successful in a global economy. The accusation being, that many schools fail to implement learning methods, which adequately foster a sense of creativity, individuality, and selfempowerment in students that would ideally support them in understanding, how skills developed in the classroom are transferable to life and the world outside of school. At the heart of my research lies the question, how do we foster and empower student identity? The assumption that underlies this inquiry is that there is a need to support and empower the development of adolescent identity. This assumption is founded not only in my own experiences as a student and emerging adolescent, but also by authors such as John Bransford who writes that, Today students need to understand the current state of their knowledge and to build on it and improve it, in order to make decisions in the face of uncertainty (Bransford, 1999; 132). This notion alone suggests that a level of self-awareness and self-reflection needs to be acknowledged as a crucial element in our contemporary approach to education. The idea I am proposing is not that students would fail to develop a sense of their identity without the mentorship of elders, but rather that our validation, incorporation, and acknowledgement of adolescent identity as educators will only serve to further our students growth and long term success in the real world.

Argument a nd J ustificatio n
Given that educational philosopher John Dewey once questioned traditional pedagogy in his expression, can we find any reason that dose not ultimately come down to the belief that democratic social arrangements promote a better quality of human

Choreography, PBL, & the Empowerment of Student Identity

experience, the justification and advocacy for a project-based learning environment that empowers the experience and identity of individual students seems necessary and inevitable for pedagogical progress (Dewey, 1938; 34). As described above our current system of education has been identified as problematic and is therefore in need of a more comprehensive way to address learning that will ideally foster and support the development of creativity in individuals; encouraging them to feel empowered in their ability to actively participate in, and affect their communities. Similarly the application of a project-based learning curriculum within the context of a dance classroom, and more specifically the choreography classroom lends itself to the benefits of bridging the psychological gap between core subject classroom practices and dance classroom practices. Often it seems there is a stigma amongst dance educators about the effectiveness of adopting regular classroom practices into our own environments. However I believe that through engaging in a choreography curriculum that takes on the initiative of assuming the identity of its individual students as its center for creating and teacher, that the resulting depth of process and creativity will be significantly deeper. Additionally by allowing students to engage in a choreography curriculum that empowers the voice of its students experiences and understandings of the world, I believe that the transference of information from classroom into life will be much more meaningful and effective.

Claims
Through my own experiences as an adolescent and emerging artist, the nature of identity and artistic individuality has always been an underlying concern of mine.

Choreography, PBL, & the Empowerment of Student Identity Therefore going into my observation fieldwork it feels only natural that this became a topic of research interest. The following statements are claims I am making, which will serve as a guide for the remaining outline of this review: 1) Through the use of PBL in the choreography classroom students will feel empowered to view themselves as researchers, artists, and historians. 2) Empowering students in the choreography classroom to view themselves as valid researchers, artists, and historians will foster a more meaningful and easily transferable sense of identity and understanding in each student, when they move from the choreography classroom and out into the real world 3) Students who engage in a PBL choreography classroom that utilizes oral history methodologies as a lens for their choreographic process will develop a stronger

sense of validated self-realization, which will lead to students feeling empowered in understanding the importance of their own voice and experiences within the context of contemporary history.

Definition of Terms
For the purposes of this paper I have chosen to adopt Dr. Carol Presss definition of the dancing self as my primary base for approaching the construction of the word identity. Press describes the dancing self as, a metaphor for an individual who feels vitally alive and creatively engaged in the world. The dancing self symbolizes the creative individual, supported by society and its educational enterprises, finding and expressing significant meaningthat is what makes creativity so exhilarating and so revealing of who we are (Press, 2002; 15). Comparatively in an effort to clearly define

Choreography, PBL, & the Empowerment of Student Identity my use of the term project-based learning and authentic teaching methods I will be referring to Angela Dyes description, which states that, the method of project-based learning (or PBL) is based on students learning important subject matter by engaging in self-directed projects. It is about allowing students to use their interest and their experiences to construct knowledge (Dye, 22). Similarly, for the purposes of this paper when I refer to students I will be addressing specifically the adolescent age group.

Circumsta nces
In the process of making some initial fieldwork observations of the Middlesex County Technological and Vocational High School (MCTVS), where I will be doing my teaching internship next fall, I observed within the dance classroom a very diverse student body. The demographic that composes the dance program at MCTVS is unique in that it brings together ethnic and socioeconomic groupings of dance students, who many not usually have the opportunity to interact with one another. During my observation of the students and their interactions with one another I noticed that there was often a cultural divide between the ways in which specific ethnic groupings of students were able to communicate with one another. In speaking with my cooperating teacher we had a conversation about the importance of multicultural education, and the challenge she faces in trying to appropriately facilitate conversation, understanding, and a sense of validation amongst the students in her class. As a result my observation of this population and the phenomena's it produced lead me to question the ways in which a students sense of identity and artistry can be incorporated more directly into their processes, as a means of

Choreography, PBL, & the Empowerment of Student Identity facilitating larger classroom discussions that would result in deeper levels of cultural understanding. Parallel to this experience I was in the midst of reading about project-based learning (PBL) pedagogy in urban classrooms, and was curious about its possible implications in a dance setting. Additionally, during this time I was simultaneously engaged with an independent study in oral history and performance, which lead me into thinking about its possible applications within the context of a dance classroom and its potential to be used as a lens for implementing a project-based learning curriculum in choreography.

Significance
There are many factors to consider in advocating for the significance of this type of research, the primary one being that it simply has not been conducted yet. In setting out to gather my literature I was faced with the challenge of knitting together different areas of dance research and academia that simply havent been provided with the opportunity to talk to one another yet. For example in looking at the NDEO DELRdi grid matrix it was difficult to categorize my topic and areas of interest. The challenge of which, became a strong indication of the gaps that still exist within our field. Although there does appear to be a significant amount of research within the grid matrix groupings of Creative Process and Creating Dance, these areas of interest alone are not comprehensive enough to incorporate all of the factors I propose to consider within my research. Similarly, it is possible that my research could be categorized under the following areas of: Performance, Cognitive Development, Multicultural Education,

Choreography, PBL, & the Empowerment of Student Identity Historical Cultural Context, Pedagogy, and Research. However, the number of studies indicated in each of these fields is low to zero! Additionally I might suggest that the challenge of categorizing these areas of study might also be due to the fact that the

DELRdi was published in 2002, and subsequently should be updated and possibly edited to include more areas of interest and study. In gathering my resources to conduct this research I primarily used the Rutgers online library database to search for books, articles, and dissertations. In this process I was directed to Searchlight and ERIC through which I collected the articles I have used. In searching for the books I discovered through the Rutgers online library I spent a lot of time refining key-term searches for: project-based learning, oral history, dance pedagogy, choreography, choreography curricula, authentic learning, creativity + dance, dance + identity, adolescent identity, and adolescent choreography. In reading all of the literature I was able to gather, it became clear that my job was to simply find the ways in which each aspect of my research, creativity, project-based learning, choreography, and identity could begin to talk to one another. My tactic was to try and build an argument based on the literature I collected as a means to advocate for my claim that this is an area of research that needs to be addressed. Additionally the significance of this research lies in its potential to directly and indirectly addresses educational conversations and understandings about multiculturalism, racism, and identity within the dance classroom. In addition to our need for the expansion of understanding how students level of potential for empowerment can be better supported by educators, we also need to concern ourselves with the ways in which students can be encouraged to better support and understand one another.

Choreography, PBL, & the Empowerment of Student Identity

Individual and cultural diversity is an emerging and often unaddressed issue in education, both urban and otherwise. Together students and teachers need to work towards the facilitation of stronger more meaningful conversations about issues like: race, identity, gender, ethnicity, culture, and sexuality the ideal result of these conversations being a deeper sense of understanding and validated individual identity. During my research the majority of PBL literature I read was focused primarily on its implications for urban schools. Comparatively I am interested in the implications of PBL curricula and its effectiveness in various schooling environments. .

Research Question
Through the use of a choreography curriculum that is situated within the context of a project-based learning (PBL) environment, how can the development of adolescent identity be fostered and empowered?

Outline of Ca tegories
For the purposes of my research I shall be presenting the outline of my findings within the following categories: Creativity, Project-based Learning (PBL), Choreography & Student Identity. My focus on creativity will aim to outline the various ways in which cognitive and pedagogical research support the implications of a PBL environment. Whereas my review of PBL literature will provide a somewhat more tangible indication of how these methodologies can be implemented. In my final presentation of literature that addresses Choreography and Student Identity I attempt to address choreography

Choreography, PBL, & the Empowerment of Student Identity 10 pedagogy and suggested some literature based in performance studies that indicates the ways in which an oral history project in choreography could serve as a means to support the development of student identity.

Range of Literature Acknowledge d

In examining the range of literature used to compose this text I realize that it is heavily weighted in books that are primary sources. In my presentation I reference one dissertation and no grey literature. I use two journal articles; one that provides a personal account in oral history pedagogy and another that serves as an anthropological survey of dance, crime culture, and identity in Brazil. The majority of books I have used address either a contemporary context of the issues I am attempting to tie together, or serve as an outline for theoretical underpinnings of concepts I propose. I have used no journal articles that were specific to dance or dance education as I was not able to find any that related well enough to my topic. I present an equal number of secondary sources to primary sources.

Review of Literature

Creativity
John Bransford, author of How People Learn: Brain Mind, Experience, and

School (1999) addresses in his chapter, The Design of Learning Environments this idea
that we need to reconsider how we approach students, learning, and the classroom. Stated plainly in his own language Bransford explains that, everyone expects more from

Choreography, PBL, & the Empowerment of Student Identity 11 todays schools than was expected 100 years ago. A fundamental tenet of modern learning theory is that different kinds of learning goals require different approaches to instruction (Bransford, 1999; 131). In this same vein Bransfords chapter Effective Teaching: Examples in History, Mathematics, and Science begins to unpack examples of how teachers in the modern age can work towards developing more effective teaching strategies and outcomes. In speaking about this Bransford references the importance of students needing to understand what it is that they know, and describes that: A key strategy is to prompt children to explain and develop their knowledge structures by asking them to make predictions about various situations and explain the reasons for their predictions. By selecting critical tasks that embody known misconceptions, teachers can help students test their thinking and see how and why various ideas might need to change. This model is one of engaging students in cognitive conflict and then having discussions about conflicting viewpoints (Bransford, 1999; 134). In this way although it is not specifically identified as such, Bransford is referencing metacognative methodology that is seen as a key component in the construction of PBL teaching practices. Similarly within this text Bransford is presenting the suggestion that as educators we should allow for our students to be understood as the center of our constructed curriculums. This in its own right has many potential indications for the support and development of student identity and creativity. Although Bransfords text is not speaking specifically to dance or choreography it does provide implications for the fostering of student identity and the potential effectiveness of PBL practices that support creativity. Sharyn Fisher in her dissertation, Developing Creativity From School and Home

Experiences presents a 10 month long qualitative study, investigating the nature of

Choreography, PBL, & the Empowerment of Student Identity 12 creativity and what it takes to foster a creative environment that links home to the elementary school classroom (2013). Although Fisher is looking at this specifically within the context of developing literacy skills for children, the primary purpose of her study was to determine what teachers, administrators, and families know about creativity and how it is that these conceptions shape our rearing and teaching practices. Along these lines Fisher states: Vygotsky believed that the imaginativeness of a childs play is linked to their understanding of daily social events; human learning presupposes a specific social nature and a process by which children grow into the intellectual life of those around them therefore, literacy curricula becomes less about teaching literacy skills and more about scaffolding opportunities to learn forms of language that give children equal access to status (Fisher, 2013; 179). While this text does not speak directly to dance, PBL, choreography, adolescents, or student identity it is does support the idea that experiences and meaning making through active participation and socialization is a large part of learning. Similarly the acknowledgement that community can be a large part of how students construct their environments and understandings is useful to us as educators, because it serves to further the idea that even within a classroom each students experience is different and individual. Knowing this could potentially assist in any attempt at creative construction in curricula, such as the project I have proposed. Dr. Carol Presss book, The Dancing Self: Creativity, Modern Dance, Self-

Psychology, and Transformative Education, serves as an excellent source to connect

some of my initial questions about creativity and choreography (2002). In her research Press specifically expresses that Education, at its best engages and enriches our talents, skills, and knowledge to actively problem solve in a meaningful manner (Press, 2002;

Choreography, PBL, & the Empowerment of Student Identity 13 4). Additionally Press goes on to identify that transformative education ideally should not only seek to build on our individual capacities to actively problem solve but similarly result in a significant transform of ourselves in relationship to our surrounding environment and others (Press, 2002; 4). In this way Press starts to build a justification for the transformative nature of the creative process and choreography by stating that, art-making is an intrinsic human capacity that has psychological foundations. Through such creative endeavors people experience, express, and elaborate their common interests in finding meaning and competence in their lives. Creative engagement, on all levels of subjectivity, unites us to our actions and our ideals (Press, 2002; 3). In this way we can begin to understand Presss claim that creativity in its own right is transformative, and therefore subsequently that the nature of a transformative education should be one that is based upon the active engagement of creative processes (Press, 2002; 8). Although Presss literature fails to specifically address adolescents, her ideas about transformative education and the nature of the relationship between creativity, dance, and identity serve as strong theoretical foundations for the development of the understandings I have evolved within the investigation of my topic. Similarly Presss description of transformation though education and engagement in the creative process, serves as a clear starting point for my proposals in PBL, choreography, oral history, and student identity.

Project-based Learning
John Deweys philosophical text Experience & Education presents a grounded understanding of a progressive education that seeks to democratically acknowledge the student as an individual (1938). In this text Dewey writes that, the fundamental unity of

Choreography, PBL, & the Empowerment of Student Identity 14 the newer philosophy is founded on the idea that there is an intimate and necessary relation between the process of actual experience and education (Dewey, 1938; 20). Although this text may not speak specifically to the areas of dance, choreography, or project-based learning it does suggest the foundation from which the justification for project-based learning later emerges. Similarly in discussing the quality of experience Dewey writes that, the belief that all genuine education comes about through experience does not mean that all experiences are genuinely or equally educative (Dewey, 1938; 25). In reading this I was prompted to consider the ways in which project-based learning must be deliberate and conscious in order to be affective. Similarly Deweys suggestion that experience has a direct relationship to education encouraged me to examine the idea that students sense of identity is intrinsically linked to their understanding of the relationship between experience and education; which would have great implications in the execution of my research in that is suggests the necessity of consciously developing this foundational understanding with students. Brian Schultz book, Spectacular Things Happen Along the Way: Lessons from an

Urban Classroom was the initial text I read two years ago that sparked my interest in the
idea of project-based learning and its methodologies (2008). In this book Schultz describes his experiences working as a public school teacher in Cabrini Green, an impoverished ghetto side of Chicago in which the majority of his students were African American. Schultz discusses the challenges of teaching in an impoverished urban neighborhood and describes the progressive project-based curriculum that he generated together with his students, as a means of addressing all of the things that they saw as challenges within their community. Most importantly in this book Schultz begs the

Choreography, PBL, & the Empowerment of Student Identity 15 question, whats worth knowing? In his presentation of this information Schultz describes: [My] duel identity as both teacher and a student opened a new window of opportunity into my classroom role as an educator. In schools today, it seems that everything revolves around standards, accountability, and measurement standards do not take particular schools into account and, thus, are often misinterpreted and misused in curriculum development they do not reflect a comprehensive understanding of individualized needs and certainly do not account for what happens in classrooms as children problem-solve and interact with their learning (Schultz, 2008; 11). Additionally Schultz explains that: The role of the teacher is to provide opportunity and space to students. The teacher ultimately must embrace intelligence, allowing students to leverage what they know and what they can successfully accomplish. As the students develop this essential opportunity, their imagination, interest, and creativity allow them to create love for their learning that may endure the travesties and injustices they face both in and out of the classroom (Schultz, 2008; 4). With both these statements, Schultz is addressing Deweys earlier claims about the relationship between experience and education by suggesting that the role of the teacher is to simply provide the opportunity for students to have meaningful experiences within the classroom that will help them interact with their learning. Similarly, Schultz presents an attentiveness to the individualized needs of his students and an understanding of how this is directly related to a students sense of self within his or her own process of education. This text may not speak specifically to dance, choreography, or oral history, but is does start to lay down crucial foundational information that justifies the use of project-based learning within my research. Angela Dyes book, Empowerment Starts here: Seven Principles to Empowering

Urban Youth also discusses and defines the principles that ideally guide a project-based

Choreography, PBL, & the Empowerment of Student Identity 16 learning environment. However, in comparison to Schultz book Dye goes one step further to provide specific PBL criteria that aims to address the empowerment of student identity. This criteria as suggested by Dye is defined as the Empowerment Connection. In breaking down the components of the Empowerment Connection Dye identifies five primary aspects: Innate Power, Global Efficiency, Individual Responsibility, Sense of Self, and Shared Accountability. In commenting on the ways in which these five aspects can help further student development Dye states that, in empowerment, teaching is about giving power to students to produce, prosper, and promote growth. When we used project-based learning, students took their experiences, their passions, and their interests to produce global solutions that would advance humanity (Dye, 2012; 22). In reading this my thought process was steered back to considering the benefits of project-based learning within the context of oral history pedagogy. In reading Dyes reflections about the ways in which students individual interests and passions could become the center of their learning I felt inspired to discover the ways in which this thought process might apply specifically to the choreography classroom. Although Dye, similar to Schultz, does not address anything specifically in relationship to dance pedagogy or choreography she is speaking articulately about the empowerment of student identity and the ways in which it can serve to enhance student creativity within the construct of a project-based learning environment. Elisabeth Nehrings chapter, The Students Have to Come First from the book,

Knowledge in Motion: Perspectives of Artistic and Scientific Research in Dance serves as

a nice indication of the ways in which project-based learning principles can potentially be applicable to the dance classroom (2007). Within this chapter Nehring interviews dance

Choreography, PBL, & the Empowerment of Student Identity 17 artists Jo Parkes and Hana Hegenscheidt about their experiences teaching as dance artists in Englands public schools. Together Parkes and Hegenscheidt explain the evolution of their identity and understanding of what it means to be a teaching artist, versus just an artist. At one point in the interview Parkes comments: Ive always been fascinated by people and their stories. Im interested in working with people from all walks of life and in how art, and dance in particular, can make a difference in society and in peoples lives. My projects always have two goals: the first is artistic, i.e. telling a story or exploring a topic. The second has to do with the people involved: its important to me that they gain something from our working together, that they take something with them. Thats equally true of our work in schools. Each student is at a different stage of development, and I find it very exciting to find out where each individual stands and how we can help them grow (Husemann, 2007; 317). Within this expression Parkes is acknowledging a range of ideas previously realized by the authors presented above by suggesting that each student be seen as an individual. Related to this observation Hegenscheidt later goes on to acknowledge the social nature of dance by expressing: When I go into a classroom, I do so as an artist, not as a social worker but at the same time of course, what I do is social work, absolutely. It may not be my goal to do social work, yet the students must always be my primary concern. When I go to class, I always remind myself that while I may be an expert at what I do, theyre the experts when it comes to their lives (Husemann, 2007; 320). In this way Hegenscheidt is acknowledging the social components of project-based learning and identity construction within the dance classroom. Although she is not identifying them specifically as such the ideas she it suggesting are in accordance with Dewey, Schultz, and Dyes understandings of what should compose the basis of an effective project-based learning environment. Similarly in reading Parkes comments

Choreography, PBL, & the Empowerment of Student Identity 18 about the nature of his artistic process and the ways in which he has a desire for people to share and connect, I was lead into thinking more deeply about the social potential of creativity within the context of a dance classroom; specifically, the potential within the constructs of a project-based learning choreography curriculum to facilitate larger conversation and individual investigation.

Choreography & Student Identity

Larry Lavender and Jennifer Predock-Linnells chapter, Standing Aside and Making Space: Mentoring Student Choreographers, from the book, Teaching Dance

Studies, provided me with a base for conceptualizing the ways in which I might
specifically begin to address project-based learning outcomes within a choreography classroom (2005). In this chapter Lavender and Predock-Linnell provide commentary on the ways in which they view mentoring student choreographers to be both an active and reflective process for the teacher. In speaking about this specifically they state that: In working with student choreographers, mentor-teachers constantly encounter new educational, artistic, and personal challenges. They must continually decide when, how, and to what degree to involve themselves in their students creative efforts. Too much help is overpowering or is causing the protg to feel burned by the relationship. At this point the mentor must be willing to step back a little and give the student some space (Chazin-Bennahum, 2005; 165). In this way Lavender and Predock-Linnell are equally questioning the nature of mentorship. The suggestion they offer is that mentorship be seen more along the lines of caretaking or guiding, the idea being that a students product is not always as important as their process. However, in this vein of thought Lavender and PredockLinnell also identify what they believe to be the three primary misconceptions often held

Choreography, PBL, & the Empowerment of Student Identity 19 by young choreography students in relationship to their work. In identifying these three misconceptions, Lavender and Predock-Linnell predispose an assumption of what defines good and bad dance that is slightly traditional. While this text does not specifically address project-based learning Lavender and Predock-Linnells suggestion about mentorship is in line with some of the principles presented earlier by Dewey, Schultz, and Dye. Similarly, Lavender and Predock-Linnells acknowledgement of the student as an individual who possess a process is promising and lends itself to the idea of developing independent artistic student identities. Sue Olivers book, Creative Dance for Adolescent, and their Social Wellbeing sets out to define what she sees as being conditions for creativity (2010). In describing her work Oliver identifies creativity as being, a persons ability to produce original ideas irrespective of the disciplinecreativity requires a confluence of six distinct but interrelated resources: intellectual abilities, knowledge, styles of thinking, personality, motivation, and environment. (Oliver, 2010; 32). In setting out to provide these definitions Oliver is addressing specifically the needs of adolescents and working to address the ways in which a creative dance curriculum can work to solidify teenagers personality and sense of self within their environment. Although Oliver may not specifically be addressing project-based learning or choreography within her text she is attempting to demonstrate the ways in which she feels a creatively based dance curriculum can work to support students in their development. Reflecting this idea Oliver states that: Overall, these studies demonstrate how self-understanding, identity and esteem are essential ingredients of a happy adolescence and identify factors, which contribute to these states. Trust and the

Choreography, PBL, & the Empowerment of Student Identity 20 feeling of acceptance were important, and by acquiring the cultural capital, which identified them as members of a group, their selfesteem was reinforced (Oliver, 2010; 64). Olivers comments about the relationship between self-esteem and self-understanding are important because similar to Lavender and Predock-Linnells text, it suggests a place for realization and acknowledgment of the student as an individual within the environment of the dance classroom. Additionally Olivers hint about the social aspect of dance for adolescents became significant in my constructing a deeper value for the ways in which students need to interact with one another in order to facilitate a cohesive and safe creative environment that would lend itself to supporting individual exploration within the context of a project-based learning curriculum. Rita de Cacia Oenning da Silva article, Reversing the Rite: Music, Dance, and

Rites of Passage among Street Children and Youth in Recife, Brazil became a significant
piece of literature in my process for research as it attempts to link the transformation of adolescent identity directly to experiences with dance (2006). Silvas article outlines the culture of violence that haunts street children in Recfie, Brazil and describes the processes through which students seeking an alternative way of life are able to reconstruct their identity within the community by participating in performative acts of dance, music, and poetry that provide social critiques of their environment and experiences. In describing the way in which art begins to serve as a tool for adolescents bodies and minds Silva explains that: Art and consciousness-raising both provide resources for the construction of a positive identity these second rights of passage depend on the idea that the boy or girl wants to move from one social condition to another, leaving behind the role of drug-dealer or consumer and assuming a new identity. The tool used to motivate this desire is the same thing that is

Choreography, PBL, & the Empowerment of Student Identity 21 more valued and most visible in the Northeast: art. In the case of these rights of passage, art is particularly powerful because it offers a way to understand and denounce the hypocrisy of exclusion and injustice in Brazil(Silva, 2006; 88). Sivas claims became pivotal within the context of my research because they served to justify my initial inkling about the use of a project-based learning environment founded in oral history methodologies for dance. After reading this text I found myself intentionally seeking out more information about performativity and narrative performance styles that could potentially lend themselves to the development of an individually acknowledged sense of identity. Again, although Silvas writing does not specifically address project-based learning or choreography it does address the idea that individual experience and interactions with dance have the potential to affect the construction, or reconstruction of adolescent identity. Nathan Stuckys article, Performing Oral History: Storytelling & Pedagogy, serves as a straightforward description of some of the benefits and methodologies surrounding his experiences in teaching oral history to college students (1995). In this article Stucky identifies that, oral histories and performance intersect at three sites: stage performances of oral histories, oral history embedded in tours or re-enactments, and oral histories performed for scholarly or pedagogical purposes (Stucky, 1995; 1). In speaking about the nature of oral histories that are performed for scholarly or pedagogical purposes Stucky explains the ways in which these performances have the ability to serve multiple educational goals. Stucky identifies these multiple learning goals as such: developing interpersonal skills, fostering new understandings across cultures, creating performancebased knowledge, and promoting dialogue between the academy and society-at-large (Stucky, 1995; 11). In listing these aspects, Stucky is not directly addressing adolescents,

Choreography, PBL, & the Empowerment of Student Identity 22 dance, choreography, or project-based learning. However he is identifying elements of an oral history curriculum that could work to serve a project-based learning environment and that would further the development of student identity and students understanding of themselves within the context of history. Reading this article I was lead to consider more deeply the learning potentials for incorporating a oral history based project into the fabric of a choreography classroom and the ways in which it could work to serve multiple student learning outcomes. Kristin M. Langellier and Eric E. Pettersons chapter, Shifting Contexts in

Personal Narrative Performance was the last and most influential text I read during my
process of composing this initial review (2006). Together Langellier and Petterson question the nature of personal narrative and its potentials for furthering the development of an individuals sense of self and identity. In this chapter Langellier and Petterson claim that, we can view autoperformance as a strategy of identity formation, a way to get at a life that matters in a postmodern world (Hamera, 2006; 165). This notion seemed to speak directly to my developing interests in the use of oral history performance with teenagers in the choreography classroom. Similarly, later in their work Langellier and Petterson question, so, what kind of life are we getting by performing personal narrative? The answer is consequential it matters because in answering it we take from disciplinary experience and make it a story that will narrate the past and anticipate a future of who we are (Hamera, 2006; 167). In constructing this statement Langellier and Petterson are addressing what arose as being my initial concern in identifying the problem, which has lead me to conduct this research. In making this claim, Langellier and Petterson suggest that the performance of personal narrative will serve to help

Choreography, PBL, & the Empowerment of Student Identity 23 individuals understand not only themselves more deeply, but similarly the world in which they live, and as a result their sense of position or placement within that environment. This text may not speak specifically about adolescents, dance, choreography, or projectbased learning, however reading this excerpt helped me identify more specifically the aspects and outcomes of personal narrative and performative histories that I believe would be particularly effective for adolescents within the context of a project-based choreography classroom.

Summary
Based on the research I have collected so far, there are strong implications that the construction of a choreography curriculum rooted in project-based learning that utilized oral history methodologies, could significantly impact and contribute to the enrichment and development of adolescents artistic identity. In reflecting on the literature presented above it is clear that this is an unexplored area of research. Although many of the texts imply relationships to one another, there is not one source or presentation that identified all of the factors I expressed interest and concern with. This observation alone serves as a valid reason for furthering the pursuits of this investigation. Should this area of research continue to be pursued, I suspect that the results would be both transformative as well as informative.

Implica tions for Teaching and Lea rning

The implications of this research on teaching and learning suggest that as dance educators we should aim to incorporate more project-based learning opportunities within

Choreography, PBL, & the Empowerment of Student Identity 24 the context of the dance classroom. Similarly, this research serves to remind us that students should be acknowledged as possessors of experience and knowledge that is important and valid within the constructs of their own education and learning. This means that as teachers we should not always assume to be the ultimate knowers or possessors of authority. In working with adolescents this research also suggests that it is important to consider and facilitate the individual rites of passage, that may occasionally stress process over product and result in an adolescents deeper understanding of self and artistry. Additionally the underlying implications of this research suggest that the use of oral history and personal narrative performance studies may serve as a very effective means for developing with students a sense of understanding the contemporary world, and subsequently their place within it. In an attempt to address a curriculum design that would incorporate all of these preceding implications, I would suggest the use of a project-based learning environment situated in choreography studies that were built around the construction and collection of student own oral histories. If I were to continue this research I would like to investigate more literature that could discusses specifically the transformative nature of performance, performance studies, and oral history. Similarly I would like to provide more of a historical background on choreography and dance pedagogy, that could potentially serve as a justification for my call to revaluate the way in which we develop students and their artistic identity within the dance classroom.

Research Snapsho t

Choreography, PBL, & the Empowerment of Student Identity 25 Through the implementation of a project-based learning choreography curriculum that will utilize the collection of students oral historys as its primary source of inspiration for generating material, students will engage in a process that empowers them to participate as active researchers, creators, and scholars. This project and research will be action based and qualitative. It will require that I participate alongside students as both an active member in the classroom, as well as in the form of a researcher. The nature of this study will be qualitative in that I must work to measure and understand the various ways in which a project-based learning environment that assumes students as its center, can benefit the individual artistic development of students and their sense of self. The participants in this study will be seniors in high school who attend the Middlesex County Technological and Vocational High School, where I will be doing my teaching internship next fall. The criteria I used to select this group of students, was based on what I know about the trajectory of adolescent development and my assumption that seniors in high school will be further along in their process of developing a more solidified sense of themselves. The duration of this study will be five months long, which equivocates the length of one full semester at the Middlesex County. My methods for data collection will be structured around my participation as a member of the class. Prior to the beginning of the project I will be conducting interviews with students to collect data about their initial conceptions of themselves as artists and members of the community. As the semester progresses students will be asked to keep a journal of their experiences and observations, throughout the project. Similarly students will be provided with workshop time in class to discuss and unpack their findings and creative endeavors. I will be filming these workshop sessions with the permission of the students and their parents as a record of

Choreography, PBL, & the Empowerment of Student Identity 26 their progress. Finally students will participate in two more interviews throughout the course of the semester, once during midterms and than again after their completion of the project. During these additional interview sessions, students will be asked the same set of questions presented to them at the beginning of their process as a means of tracking any changes in perspective or transformation that may result from their experience participating in the project. My complete interview schedule and set of research questions are attached in the appendix of this text.

Learning Reflections
In attempting to compare what it is that I feel I know now, to what I thought I knew at the beginning of this semester it is almost amusing. At the beginning of this process I had no idea that the areas of research I was interested in would be so disconnected in their own way, and as a result challenging to knit together. I believe that I assumed a lot about the types of resources I expected to find, which left me surprised when they went undiscovered. The process of going through this research has been satisfying in that it has reiterated for me the diverse range of topics that I am interested in. Similarly, it has been encouraging to seek out the information I needed to build my case and as a result inadvertently stumble into the middle of a scholarly dialogue. In reading I have found myself caught between the ongoing conversations about the progress and future of education, which is a topic I feel very passionately about. In reading Dewey, Schultz, Dye, Bransford, and Dr. Press I realized that I see my role within this dialogue as being proactive. The more I learn the more I choose to see myself as someone who would like to further and contribute to the field. Similarly, in reading about oral history and

Choreography, PBL, & the Empowerment of Student Identity 27 performance studies I have been left to question and consider more deeply the relationship between scholarship and artistry. This is an inquiry I would like to save and investigate further later. In terms of my strength as a researcher I believe that in the construction of this presentation I have demonstrated my ability to scotch-tape related ideas and fields together. I hope that this will serve me later as I attempt to forge my own philosophies and theories in our field. Moving forward my manifestations for areas of improvement would include more patients and a better understanding of the writing format and punctuations expected in the presentation of research. Moving forward I believe that my biggest personal goal is to continue reading more in depth about my topic in order to refine my claims and interests in a way that might actually service me in the eventual conduction of some field research with students.

Choreography, PBL, & the Empowerment of Student Identity 28

Choreography, PBL, & the Empowerment of Student Identity 29

References
1.Bransford, J. D., Brown, A. L., Cocking, R. R., & National Academy of Sciences -

National,Research Council. (1999). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience, and school
2.Dewey, J. (1938). In Touchstone Rockefeller Center (Ed.), Experience & education.

New York: Simon & Schuster.

3.Dye, A. (2012). Empowerment starts here : Seven principles to empowering urban

youth. Lanham, Md: Rowman & Littlefield Education.

4.Fisher, S. (2013). Developing Creativity from School and Home Experiences. (Ed.D.,

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey). Graduate School of Education Electronic Theses and Dissertations
5.Gehm, S., Husemann, P., von Wilcke, K., & Tanzkongress Deutschland. (2007).

Knowledge in motion : Perspectives of artistic and scientific research in dance. Bielefeld: Transcript.
6.Lanellier, Kristin M. & Petterson, Eric E. (2006). Shifting contexts in personal

narrative performance. In Madison, D. Soyini & Hamera, Judith (Ed.), The SAGE handbook of performance studies (pp. 151). Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications Inc.
7.Lavender, Larry & Predock-lInnell, Jennifer. (2005). Standing aside and making space:

Mentoring student choreographers. In J. Chazin-Bennahum (Ed.), Teaching dance studies (1st ed., pp. 149). New York: Routledge.
8.Oenning da Silva, Rita,de Cacia. (2006). Reversing the rite: Music, dance, and rites of

passage among street children and youth in recife, brazil. World of Music, 48(1), 83-97.

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9.Oliver, S. (2010). Creative dance for adolescents, and their social wellbeing : A

community-based study set in Scotland. Saarbren: VDM Verlag Dr. Mr.

10. Press, C. (2002). The dancing self: Creativity, modern dance, self psychology, and

transformative education (1st ed.). Cresskill, NJ: Hampton Press.

11. Schultz, B. D. (2008). Spectacular things happen along the way: Lessons from an

urban classroom. New York: Teachers College, Columbia University. STUCKY, N. (1995). Performing oral-history - storytelling and pedagogy. Communication Education, 44(1), 1-14.

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Appendix
Proposed Interview Schedule: 1st Interview Beginning of the Fall 2013 Semester, prior to the their choreographic process/investigation and participation in the oral history project 2nd InterviewMidterms/MiddleoftheFall2013Semester,in the midst of their choreographic process/investigation and participation in the oral history project 3rd Interview Finals/End of the Fall 2013 Semester, after they have completed their choreographic process/investigation and are finished with the oral history project

2. Original Questions: 1. Where do you currently see yourself in relationship to the choreographic process? 2. From an artistic standpoint what is most important or significant to you right now? 3. What place do you feel choreography currently holds in your life? 4. What do you think the purpose of choreography is? 5. If you were asked to define yourself as an artist, how would you describe yourself? Revised Questions: Do you consider yourself a choreographer, why or why not? What do you believe the choreographic process should look? Can you describe what your process of making a dance looks like? How do you decide what to make dance about? What do you believe makes a good dance? What do you believe makes a bad dance? Who do you believe should make dances, why or why not? Why do you think your teacher might ask you to make dances? What do you think the difference is between being a dancer and being a choreographer? Is there one? Please describe... Some people say that all dance must have meaning behind it, what do you think Ao it that? Is Dance art, why or why not? How do you determine who is an artist? Would you consider yourself an artist, why or why not?