Drama education and artificial intelligence in sixth-grade geography lessons: An approach to cultivating critical thinking

This study investigates the potential of combining drama education and artificial intelligence in sixth-grade geography lessons to cultivate students’ critical thinking. Twelve original teaching scenarios were designed, integrating Artificial Intelligence tools with drama-based techniques, and implemented with 46 sixth-grade students in a public urban primary school. A mixed-methods approach was employed, collecting both quantitative and qualitative data. The findings indicate that the synergy between Artificial Intelligence and drama education enhanced student participation, supported multimodal understanding of geographic concepts, and promoted reflective thinking and problem-solving skills. Qualitative observations revealed increased engagement, collaboration, and expressive learning. The study highlights the pedagogical value of integrating digital technologies with creative arts, offering evidence for innovative, human-centered approaches that foster active and reflective learning in primary geography lessons.