The efficacy of a pre-recorded digital performing arts skills development module for fourth-year drama students at a South African University : a case study

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to develop, present and assess a skillsdevelopment module in pre-recorded digital performing arts (PRDPA) that may enable performing artists to become practitioners of pre-recorded digital performing arts. The module is encapsulated within the South African educational paradigm. A secondary function of the pre-recorded digital performing arts module is to enable young performers to introduce themselves to an online audience, promote themselves as performing artists and enhance their online presence and digital footprint. The proposed skills-development module potentially enhances agency and an entrepreneurial mindset while democratising the domain of performance in the workspace and entertainment industry. The research consists of three parts. The first part of the research is located in two domains to design a module in pre-recorded digital performing arts. The study draws on the domain of mediality, which includes online presence, digital performance and pre-recorded digital performing arts; and on the domain of education, which includes social constructivism, and teaching and learning in a social network environment. The second part requires the presentation of the module to a select group of participants with the support of a continual feedback loop. The third part is the assessment of the module through an analysis of prerecorded digital performing arts videos created by the participants. To do so, I analyse the pre-workshop videos and the videos created as part of the workshop by the workshop participants, as well as the responses of a group of experts, to the material generated by the participants before and after the presentation of the module. This analysis is supported by a module evaluation by participants. The research concludes that there is a noticeable difference between the two videos created by each participant and that the skills-development module in pre-recorded digital performing arts is effective.