Theatre as a Transformative Learning Experience for US-Based Students of Global Health Ethics

Abstract

There is a strong need for the humanities and arts in global health training and research. However, the relationship must move beyond the instrumental use of humanities content and arts-based training methods towards a balanced, interdisciplinary collaboration. What is/could be the role of theatre in teaching global health practitioners? This paper describes how reading, rehearsing and performing Deborah Laufer’s play, Informed Consent, affected student learning in a global health ethics course. We demonstrate improved student metacognition and evidence of emerging communities of practice and argue for increased collaboration between theatre practitioners and global health educators.

Keywords

• active and experiential learning
• global health ethics education
• metacognition
• communities of practice
• playwright deborah laufer
• informed consent