Abstract:

Co-operative learning, grouping, flexibility in communication and transformational ways of learning play a very important role in today's learning environments. Teachers to become need strong experience on grouping and on the mechanisms that lie beyond the ways people form groups. It's essential to make teacher students familiar with the methods how to influence positively on the atmosphere where pupils are forming groups, communicating and co-operating together. Drama education has unique and very effective methods for successful grouping.

This study reflects the meanings teacher students gives on drama courses practices influences on their experiences on grouping. The study was executed in Finland at the Kokkola University Consortium of Chydenius. Drama education course is part of an adult teacher students programmer and it takes place at the beginning of new courses studies. Through drama education course students dive in the variety of drama methods by experiencing these themselves and they authentically get to know how drama education creates in its best an amazing learning environment for grouping. This study aims to identify different authentic experiences that teachers students gave for individual grouping experiences. Drama education forms a third reality among attendees, it works on several level and combines reality and fiction where students are free to let loose of control and give space to creativity and spontaneity. As this happens, the ways students free themselves to co-operation, playful, joyful and limitless grouping have great importance for the whole groping during their teacher studies. And as they become teachers they need to know how to create safe and effective space for true grouping among their pupils. The Finnish National Board of education is running a huge curriculum renewing process where co-operative learning, team and project based integrated learning methods are the base of learning methods. Drama education and drama pedagogy has powerful methods for individual growth with each other. It cannot happen alone and it demands intensitive participation and concentration among each others. This alone helps people to be more sensitive, genuine and open to bond. From grouping to effective learning situations.

Keywords:

Drama education, drama pedagogy.