By: Wesley Skym, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Youth Theatre Division Representative

Introduction: Evolution of Technology in the Theatre Classroom

The drama classroom remains an environment focused on interactivity, personal relationships, speaking, and creativity. As technology and schools evolve together, the integration of new technologies and approaches remains at the forefront of district initiatives. The theatre classroom is not immune to these initiatives, even outside of typically technical theatre elements like sound design and lighting. One such example includes using new media to extend devised theatre experiences in the classroom, exploring themes from Shakespeare using media platforms like email, mobile devices, and more (Jensen, 2011). This use offers just one of many approaches to technological advancements within drama lessons in the classroom in the digital age. As a current theatre educator, the idea of using artificial intelligence in my practices continues to interest me, just as other technological advancements have in the past. I myself have explored the use of artificial intelligence programs like MagicSchoolAI to quickly adapt lessons for groups of students, specifically using it to assist in the creation of a text analysis unit for a class with behavioral concerns that were unable to handle the playful nature of an active drama classroom. This ability to streamline my planning within a short amount of time opened my receptiveness to using artificial intelligence as an educator.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an air of panic within the field of Theatre Education. Worry that our classes would be cut, difficulty finding new careers with shutdown schools, and trying to figure out how to facilitate a classroom so reliant on human interaction and movement in an online class were just some of the many common concerns. Returning to in-person was a relief to many, but simply continuing on without acknowledging the need to adapt and evolve would be an error on the part of any educator. In my master's program, I completed a thesis on the virtual classroom from its conception in distance learning. As part of this research, I developed the HI-FIVES framework, a model designed to evaluate the effectiveness, accessibility, and engagement potential of educational technologies (Skym, 2024). While my initial work addressed early applications of AI in education, the rapid advancements in this field call for a reevaluation. In this project, I hope to assess how AI can be effectively integrated into the theatre classroom while maintaining its core values of creativity and collaboration.

With the rapid growth of AI, the theatre classroom is on the brink of falling behind once again. It is imperative that those who teach theatre work now to familiarize themselves with programs and ways to integrate their use into their curriculum to stay ahead of the industry, as seen with the integration of other media forms prior to AI (Skym, 2024). There are a variety of routes to take to integrate the use of AI into current practice and still uphold the core values in the world of Theatre. Before exploring these routes, one must first understand the benefits of technological approaches when combined with theories of learning.

Theory/Concepts: Benefits of Technology and Artificial Intelligence in Learning

Technology use in education has roots in multiple educational theories, which often support its adoption within districts (Skym, 2024). Constructivism is one such base theory, with students being able to make their own learning via self-direction and efficacy (McLeod, 2003). Much technology used in classrooms builds on this approach as students are more active in the classroom, even motivating students to take their learning outside the school with their own personal devices. Technology helps students learn through building collaboration via virtual resources, quick feedback, assisting with the formation of communication skills, and supporting the use of high-level thinking skills (Isik, 2018). The idea of conditions of learning (Gagne, 1985) is supported by artificial intelligence integration as well due to the quick response or feedback from generative AI that can assist in reinforcement that leads to learning (Gagne et al., 1992; Mollick & Mollick, 2023). Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development is another learning theory that supports the use of educational technologies, especially as artificial intelligence enters the space. AI devices can offer timely feedback as a tutor of sorts, with the ability to respond with corrections and text to students in real time (Ocumpaugh et al., 2024). In this sense, the computerized system becomes the more knowledgeable other (MKO) that students learn with and from. This is continued through more communicative versions of AI using large language models (LLMs) powered by generative pre-trained transformers (GPT) that can instantly generate responses to prompts (Mollick & Mollick, 2023).