Unravelling the Impact of the Visible Thinking Approach on Students’ Learning Experiences in a Tertiary Drama Classroom.

Abstract

This qualitative study explores the impact of the Visible Thinking (VT) approach on students’ learning experiences. The study was underpinned by Vygotsky's social constructivist theory (1962, 1978) and Ritchhart's Visible Thinking (VT) approach (2006), founded by Harvard University's Project Zero (PZ). The data was collected from a focus group discussion (FGD), followed by a thematic analysis of the transcribed data. The participants were students of a Communication Through Drama (EPC522) classroom. This is a compulsory course for the third-semester students of the LG240 programme (Bachelor of Applied Language Studies-English for Professional Communication) at the Academy of Language Studies, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia. The findings revealed the positive impact and the feasibility of implementing the VT routine. Despite the challenges of conducting drama activities online, students embraced this new educational experience, creating a more interactive and student-centred environment. These results also demonstrated how drama activities integrated with the VT routine can enhance students' interactive roles, thinking and communication skills, aligning with the Malaysian Higher Education Blueprint (2013–2025), which emphasises students’ mastery of communication and thinking skills to meet future demands.