ALS 6014

Theater Techniques for Enhancing Teaching and Public Speaking

Course Description

Course information provided by the 2025-2026 Catalog.

This course uses theater techniques to help graduate students enhance their classroom teaching and public speaking in both formal and informal environments. Using the storytelling and character-development techniques of theatrical improvisation, participants will build decision-making skills and their ability to think creatively under pressure through engaging exercises. The goals for this course are to enhance teaching presence in the classroom, form a learning community, and build the confidence necessary to connect with a variety of audiences in a range of educational settings. Participants will design and present a short lesson or talk.

Last 3 terms offered 2023FA, 2022FA, 2020FA

Learning Outcomes REF-FA25

• Identify theater strategies for enhancing classroom teaching and public speaking in formal and informal settings.
• Utilize and practice improvisational techniques to think creatively under pressure and to project confidence and respect for diverse perspectives.
• Apply storytelling techniques to communicate discipline-specific content more effectively, and in a more engaging manner.
• Integrate story arcs into presentations and lesson planning.
• Describe research on the use of theater techniques for enhancing teaching including how using theater techniques works to build more inclusive classes.
• Design and present a short lesson or talk that includes: a rationale for how the lesson or talk was constructed around learning outcomes, the theater or public speaking principles applied, and methods for assessing student/audience engagement and learning.
• Demonstrate evidence of reflective practice and learning in short written assignments.

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