Recommendations for Promoting a Performative Teaching, Learning, and Research Culture in Higher Education

Abstract

The twenty-first century is the century of the performative.1 Claire Colebrook (2018) A performative teaching, learning, and research culture can emerge wherever an academic discipline enters into a constructive dialogue with the performing arts. Many challenges of the 21st century (see the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN)2 require creative solutions. Creativity is, however, not yet sufficiently promoted at universities, thus an artistic reorientation in teaching and research is imperative. As early as 2006, at the UNESCO World Congress in Lisbon and again in Seoul in 20103, there were calls to strengthen the role of the arts in education. Implementation of these recommendations has, however, been very limited thus far. Studies in cognitive science show that performative teaching and learning cultivates a deeper understanding of content and improved long-term retention of knowledge.4 In fact, it has been shown that the use of performative teaching and learning approaches leads to more creative, better learning outcomes; students relate more strongly to their studies and drop-out rates decrease. In addition, overall willingness to learn within the university context has been documented, as well as increased complexity and closer connection to practice in higher education, thus affording graduates better job placement opportunities. At the ...