In this study, I explore academic literature that supports the argument that Applied Improvisation techniques in non-theatrical contexts can be positively transformative for higher order thinking. Improvisation, according to Frost and Yarrow (1989), can enhance communication by unblocking resistances allowing us to develop important interpersonal skills, encompassing the verbal and physical imagination. In doing this we enhance critical thinking to develop our "capacity to generate meaning" (p. 144). By including Applied Improvisation games, that are capable of generating meaning in their teaching, educators can promote an environment conducive to trust. Learning, team-based care and effective communication (Hoffman-Longtin 2018, p. 351), encapsulates the basic premise of improvisation.
I examine how improvisation exercises and a digital resource, in the form of a pedagogical e-tool can develop non-technical human skills such as critical thinking and problem-solving for health professional applications in nursing practice. This discussion will demonstrate how a project using Applied Improvisation can contribute to knowledge of the relevance of drama to broader social applications. To achieve this goal, I focus on the application of Applied Improvisation Exercises (AIE) in a medical context where they can work to reinforce non-technical skills in nurses’ professional learning. An example of a non-technical skill is situational awareness comprised of contextual, personal, or cognitive factors, (Stomski et al., Gluyas and Morrison, 2013).
I examine how improvisation exercises and a digital resource, in the form of a pedagogical e-tool can develop non-technical human skills such as critical thinking and problem-solving for health professional applications in nursing practice. This discussion will demonstrate how a project using Applied Improvisation can contribute to knowledge of the relevance of drama to broader social applications. To achieve this goal, I focus on the application of Applied Improvisation Exercises (AIE) in a medical context where they can work to reinforce non-technical skills in nurses’ professional learning. An example of a non-technical skill is situational awareness comprised of contextual, personal, or cognitive factors, (Stomski et al., Gluyas and Morrison, 2013).