Jeffrey Miele

Date Approved

12-13-2013

Embargo Period

3-3-2020

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

M.A. Higher Education

Department

Educational Services, Administration, and Higher Education

College

College of Education

Advisor

Sisco, Burton

Subject(s)

Theater; Adult learning

Disciplines

Adult and Continuing Education and Teaching | Theatre and Performance Studies

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate how adult learning and development theories and principles are represented in theater. The study also investigated if there was significant evidence to support the idea of using dramatic works as an example to illustrate adult learning and development theories and principles as an educational tool. Ten plays were analyzed along with an accompanying rubric that the evaluator completed while reading the plays. The rubric searched for information if adults and/or educators were present in the text, how andragogy and barriers were presented, along with other theories and principles. The findings suggested that there is evidence of adult learning and development theories and principles depicted in the dramatic works. The findings illustrate that the theories and principles are represented with various strengths of evidence as valid examples to represent the theories and principles. The results of the study should further enlighten the concept of using literature to represent ideals of higher education and encourage theater, both live and written, to be used to represent theories and themes to individuals seeking knowledge on the development and challenges of adult life.

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