Speaker
Description
The study of the relationship between humans and the natural environment is a diverse field. Ecocriticism, among other movements, has studied this relationship for decades. Recently, ecocriticism has been identified in the performing arts field. In Greece, students are engaged with theatre as part of their education, as Theatre Education is part of the national curriculum. This qualitative research involves 2nd-grade students participating in educational drama and outdoor education activities during four sessions in a nearby forest. The students interact with natural and powerful stimuli to construct their own stories using drama. At the same time, their actions can be analyzed as research data, guided by ecocriticism. The research process offers students the chance to explore and engage with the natural environment while fostering creativity through drama. It also presents an educational methodology that can be applied in similar situations.
CV
Konstantinos Marougkas is a PhD candidate at the Department of Theatre Studies, School of Philosophy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. He studied Greek Literature (Department of Philosophy, Pedagogy and Psychology) and Theatrology (Department of Theatre Studies) at the same university. He holds a Postgraduate Degree (MA) in 'Theory, Praxis and Evaluation of Educational Work' with a specialization in 'Teaching Humanities'. His academic interest is in the teaching of drama and literature to children and adolescents, and he regularly participates in conferences as a lecturer and workshop facilitator. He currently works as a drama teacher at Hatzivei Primary School.
