What are New Zealand secondary school Dance teachers’ meanings of teaching and assessing creativity?

Abstract

The journey to find meaning in what we do as dance educators feels like an ever expanding whirlpool of subjective views. This thesis has allowed me to delve into the realm of finding meaning and purpose behind the task of teaching creativity, within the New Zealand Schools Secondary Curriculum. This research explored five teachers’ meanings of creativity within their dance classrooms. This Qualitative research adapted a phenomenological ontology, using narratives and personal meanings to inform the study. A review of literature along with thematic and triangulation analysis of five co-structured interviews allowed the three main thematic points to emerge for discussion. The New Zealand Curriculum provides the framework for this inquiry, allowing the participants to situate themselves within the context and reflect on their meaning of teaching choreography. This research revealed four dominant emerging themes. The themes were: ● Teachers Diverse Meanings ● Student Context ● Pedagogical Choices ● The Curriculum