UC Irvine

The enhancement of life skills can be a significant part of an educational foundation upon which dance students can enhance ownership of their learning. Utilizing experiential and active learning theories in the design of a course, students can become active participants in the learning process. This research considers the purpose of education, a historical overview of some of the founding thinkers on experiential education, the learning process, and the different yet synergistic roles of the student and the educator. The study included seven undergraduate dance majors from the University of California, Irvine, lasted ten weeks, and investigated the development of life skills and their correlation to educational ownership through the creative process in choreography. The findings of this research demonstrate the growth of the participants not only as students and lifelong learners, but also as choreographers. There was increased development of their awareness of their individual learning styles, successful collaboration with their peers, and increased ability to use their knowledge in one area to help in others and an increased level or awareness of how they learn as individuals.