Abstract
This dissertation investigates the integration of Epic Theatre techniques with Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) to enhance Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education through student critique. Conducted as a year-long Design-Based Research (DBR) study, high school students collaboratively created and performed an original Science Fiction (Sci-Fi) play about Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its societal impacts. The research examined (1) students' evolving perceptions and experiences of critique, (2) their critique engagement and criteria used in theatrical and STEM contexts, and (3) the curriculum's influence on the critique process. Data included classroom observations, student reflections, written and video-recorded live critiques, and the play's script, analyzed qualitatively through CHAT and Epic Theatre lenses.
The findings revealed a significant evolution in students' understanding and practice of critique, from initial performance-focused feedback with socio-emotional tensions toward sophisticated, dialectical exchanges integrating artistic, scientific, ethical, and societal considerations. Students co-created their critique criteria, ultimately engaging in dialectics on the complex societal implications of AI, such as its use in medicine and education. Critique became an empathetic, democratic practice, fostering critical consciousness, collaborative learning, and reflective self-evaluation.
The theoretical contribution of this study is the reconceptualization of student critique through CHAT as a nested activity system, showing how contradictions (e.g., between creative expression and technical accuracy) drive expansive learning. Introducing the concept of meta-critical emergence, it shows how students generated novel critique norms aligning with higher-order representational competence. Moreover, the Epic Theatre activity system demonstrated its power, prompting students to bridge classroom theatre and STEM learning with broader societal discourse.