Browsing by Subject "Applied Improvisation"

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    Enriching Group Communication through Applied Improvisation and Meditation
    (Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, 2015-04-17) Najera, Kayla B.; Rossing, Jonathan P.
    The ability to mindfully listen to others and oneself fosters the healthiest environment for group discussion. This study explores how applied improvisation and meditation might enhance group communication. Applied improvisation is the use of principles and practices of improvisation in nontheatrical settings. One of the many benefits of applied improvisation is that it teaches students how to fully listen to what others are saying. Meditation is the practice of consciously turning inwards and focusing the thoughts for reflective purposes. Meditation teaches students mindfulness and the ability to listen to their inner monologue. Together applied improvisation and meditation builds community, encourages risk taking, removes judgment of self and others, and promotes acceptance through its joint focus on holistic listening. These concepts will be applied to group discussions/reflections occurring on an educationally-meaningful service trip (alternative spring break) to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago during spring 2015. This is preliminary research using a mixed methods design. First, self-rating questionnaires will be given to the participants. As a participant observer, I will record notes immediately after each reflection session. Finally, qualitative interviews will be conducted the week immediately following the trip with a former trip leader and former trip participants who were also on this specific trip. Mixed methods, or pragmatic research, allows for both quantitative and qualitative data to be gathered in a complementary way. The results will be gathered at the conclusion of the spring break trip. Our anticipated results are that the quality of the group discussion will be enhanced for a safer and more enriching learning environment for participants. If so, these methods can be refined and applied in future service-learning experiences.
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    Making Science Make Sense: Applied Improvisation in Health and Life Sciences
    (Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, 2016-04-08) Hoffmann-Longtin, Krista; Rossing, Jonathan
    Abstract Both in and out of the classroom, physicians and scientists must speak in a way that generates excitement about their disciplines (Berrett, 2014). They also must communicate vividly to funders and policy makers about their work and why it matters. In every context, these experts must tell engaging stories, respond spontaneously to the needs of the moment, and explain their work in terms nonscientists can understand. In response, some universities have turned to the techniques of improvisational theater to help scientists to speak more spontaneously, responsively, and engagingly. Over the past year, we have conducted a series of workshops (N=54) for a variety of audiences including, doctoral and post-doc students in the sciences, for educators, for physicians and research scientists, and for doctoral nursing students. The workshops help participants make stronger connections to their multiple audiences. They include content on improvisation skills such as presence and listening, acceptance, recognizing offers, and storytelling to help scientists translate their research in ways that engage their audiences. This approach moves faculty toward understanding communication as a process of collaborative meaningmaking, thus helping them to address the “curse of knowledge” by which experts forget the time when they were novices in their field (Bass, 2015). This poster will report on four key areas of the intervention and evaluation: 1) the need for communication training in the health professions and sciences, 2) the development of the programs, 3) the program efficacy and outcomes. Higher education presents unique challenges for the practice of applied improvisation. While enthusiasm for the work has grown in industry, some audiences within the academy seem resistant to the methods, especially within the sciences. This poster will also address the ways expertise, prestige, and rank affect the practice of applied improvisation in higher education, and we will propose strategies for mitigating resistance.