What do drama students say about teaching delivery in UK higher education?
By Student Voice Analytics
delivery of teachingdramaDrama students value live, collaborative delivery but report mixed experiences where communication, criteria and remote provision fall short. In the National Student Survey (NSS) 2018–2025 open‑text, the delivery of teaching theme is broadly positive across the sector (60.2% Positive; sentiment index +23.9), while drama sits closer to balance at 53.4% Positive. As a sector lens, delivery of teaching captures how structure, pacing and staff interaction shape learning; as a subject family used for benchmarking, drama highlights discipline‑specific pressures, including strongly negative views of marking criteria and remote learning, and high value placed on the people and facilities that enable practice. This context underpins the reflections below and the actions programmes take to improve student experience.
How did the pivot to online delivery affect drama learning during COVID?
The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a sudden shift from in-person learning to online classes. Drama students, whose education heavily relies on physical presence for rehearsals and performances, found this transition particularly challenging. Students adapted to online work, but sector data for drama indicate remote learning sentiment around −33.7, reflecting the limitations of screen‑based ensemble work and diminished immediacy. Engaging effectively through a screen rather than in a vibrant classroom posed significant challenges. Drama education thrives on interaction, body language, and spatial awareness, all of which are hard to replicate in a digital format. Some students found online learning flexible and accessible, allowing them to access materials at their own pace. Others missed the immediate feedback and the dynamic generated by group practices that are central to drama. Text analysis and performance dynamics were compromised, leading to a less immersive learning experience. Staff introduced more video demonstrations and interactive online workshops, but the physical disconnect remained a barrier. Quick pulse checks after online teaching blocks help programme teams track where mode-of-study differences persist and adjust pacing and materials release accordingly. Student surveys revealed a mix of responses, with a longing for the return to in-person sessions. This feedback helps institutions evaluate the effectiveness of their teaching strategies in these challenging times.
How do engaged teaching staff influence learning?
Drama students often stress the value of having enthusiastic and supportive teaching staff. Their role is essential in fostering an environment where students can experiment and perform confidently. The unique nature of drama education, which combines theoretical knowledge with practical application, demands instructors who are not only well-versed in their subject but are also passionate about their teaching. Active engagement from staff in drama classes is not just about delivering content but about inspiring creativity and interpreting dramatic arts as a living, breathing form of expression.
Effective drama educators utilise interactive methods to ensure that every session is both informative and transformative. These include direct coaching, performance critiques, and personalised guidance, tailored to enhance students’ skills and confidence. The tone and approach of feedback remain central issues. Prompt, constructive feedback helps students refine performances and understand complex characters and narratives. Programme teams can spread effective habits with a light delivery rubric focused on structure, clarity, pacing and interaction, supported by brief peer observations. This supportive dialogue between students and educators encourages continuous improvement, essential for artistic development. The ambition to engage deeply with each student's creative process highlights the role of staff in driving students' success.
What mix of classroom styles works best?
Variety in classroom styles caters to diverse needs. Different learning and teaching styles address the dual demands of drama: theoretical knowledge and practical performance. Some students respond well to lectures on history and theory, while others benefit more from interactive workshops and performance-based classes. Feedback from drama students often highlights a preference for a mixed approach, where theoretical discussions are complemented by practical workshops. This dual approach aids understanding and develops performance skills through direct application. Staff can strengthen delivery by emphasising practical application, frequent low-stakes practice and scaffolded activities, with concise summaries that signpost what to do next. Balancing these needs is demanding but crucial for an enriching learning environment.
Do students get enough structured voice and screen training?
A significant concern among drama students is the scarcity of formal training in voice, accents, and screen work. Voice training involves the ability to convey emotion and character through speech, integral to acting. Where structured provision is limited, students feel underprepared for the demands of professional roles. Surveys suggest a desire for more comprehensive teaching in this area, and students link this to confidence in auditions and screen tests.
Institutions can enhance curricula by collaborating with vocal coaches and incorporating dedicated modules on voice and screen. Annotated exemplars and explicit marking descriptors for performance‑related assessments help students understand expectations. Engaging directly with students to understand their needs and incorporating this feedback into curriculum planning improves educational effectiveness and career readiness.
Do students have equitable access to resources and equipment?
Access to adequate resources and equipment underpins the delivery of teaching to drama students. Performance spaces, costumes, lighting, and audio‑visual equipment are essential for staging and recording. Where provision is strong, drama comments on general facilities trend positive (index ≈ +35.9), and students report richer learning. Conversely, scarcity limits practice and skill development. Staff must ensure equitable access, using timetabling discipline and transparent booking systems, alongside clear communications about changes. Continuous feedback from students on availability and condition enables better planning and allocation, and prepares students for professional demands after graduation.
Can bonding classes strengthen the learning community?
Bonding classes foster a sense of community and teamwork, strengthening relationships through group performances and collaborative projects. In an area that relies on interpersonal dynamics, such approaches increase confidence and sustain wellbeing during intensive rehearsals. Staff note that strong communal bonds contribute to satisfaction and morale. Short, regular community‑building activities interleaved with core modules keep cohorts connected and help students develop empathy and communication skills essential for theatre and screen.
How does student-led project creation build professional readiness?
Student-led project creation nurtures autonomy and prepares students for industry practice. Staff provide guidance while protecting space for independent decision‑making, which builds confidence, project management capability and artistic identity. The approach produces originality but requires effective time management and collaboration. Programmes that set milestones, make ownership explicit and provide timely access to spaces and kit see stronger outcomes and smoother showcases.
Is career guidance adequate and timely?
Starting a career in drama can feel daunting when guidance is fragmented. Students want targeted sessions on audition technique, self‑taping, industry networking, and agent representation. Staff can collaborate with practitioners to provide insider perspectives and align support with casting cycles. Making career support visible and timely, and clarifying what is included versus optional, addresses value concerns and boosts confidence as students approach graduation.
Are extracurricular opportunities distributed fairly?
Students often highlight uneven access to workshops and masterclasses compared with peers in acting and dance programmes. Addressing this requires both increased volume and better alignment to drama students’ aims, with transparent criteria for places and feedback on selection. A single source of truth for updates and schedules reduces friction and avoids the missed opportunities that drive negative sentiment.
Are teaching materials fit for purpose?
Well‑structured scripts, clear module outlines, and illustrative multimedia resources help students grasp complex techniques and choices in performance. Materials should provoke analysis and offer substantive insight into the craft. Standardising slide structure and terminology reduces cognitive load, and involving students in periodic reviews ensures materials remain relevant and usable for preparation and rehearsal.
How should student–teacher interaction and feedback work in practice?
Face‑to‑face discussions and timely critiques underpin progress in rehearsal and performance. Students benefit when feedback is specific, actionable and referenced to shared marking descriptors. In drama comments, marking criteria sentiment sits around −53.5, signalling a need to publish annotated exemplars, adopt checklist‑style rubrics, and calibrate across assessors. Regular one‑to‑one catch‑ups and group feedback discussions promote a collaborative environment while upholding rigorous academic standards.
Is course pacing sustainable for deep learning?
Some students experience rushed pacing that compresses rehearsal time and reflection. Better pacing allows deeper embodiment of technique and character. Programme teams can signal breaks in cognitive load, provide short formative checks, and build in time for iteration without slipping schedules. Monitoring pace through quick pulse checks helps teams adjust sequencing and workload in‑term.
Do assignments translate theory into practice?
Students report that tasks can feel disconnected when the practical purpose is unclear. Assignments that link theory to professional practice—scene work, directing, technical design, or devised pieces—reinforce learning and relevance. Staff should align briefs to module outcomes, make assessment criteria transparent, and collect structured student feedback to refine tasks so that students can apply learning immediately and evidence progression.
How Student Voice Analytics helps you
Student Voice Analytics turns open‑text feedback into priorities you can act on for delivery of teaching and drama. It tracks topics and sentiment over time from provider to programme level, with like‑for‑like comparisons across subject families and demographics. You can segment by cohort, mode, year and site to target interventions; run quick pulse checks after teaching blocks; and benchmark drama against the right peer group. Export‑ready, anonymised summaries help programme teams and academic boards review actions quickly, while delivery rubrics and concise exemplars spread effective practice across modules.
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