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Visible Learning™
Visible Learning MetaX
Version 1.4 – Updated February 2026

Drama programs

Overview

  • Influence: Drama programs
  • Domain: Curricula
  • Sub-Domain: Reading, writing and the arts
  • Potential to Accelerate Student Achievement: Potential to considerably accelerate
  • Influence Definition: Programs based on drama

Evidence

  • Number of meta-analyses: 11
  • Number of studies: 834
  • Number of students: 75,686
  • Number of effects: 872
  • Weighted mean effect size: 0.59
  • Robustness index: 5

Meta-Analyses

Meta-Analyses
Journal Title Author Article Name Year Published Variable Number of Studies Number of Students Number of Effects Effect Size
Youth Theatre Journal Kardash & Wright Does Creative Drama Benefit Elementary School Students: A Meta-Analysis 1987 Creative dramatics 16 NA 36 0.67
Journal of Aesthetic Education Podlozny Strengthening verbal skills through the use of classroom drama: A clear link 2000 Drama on reading 17 NA 17 0.31
Conference paper Erden, Aytac, Tufan, & Erdan Effect of Creative Drama on Students' Academic Achievement: A Meta-Analysis Study 2016 Creative drama 70 4,507 70 0.91
Journal of Aesthetic Education Keinanen, Hetland, & Winner Teaching Cognitive Skill Through Dance: Evidence for Near but Not Far Transfer 2000 Dance on Reading 527 69,564 527 0.43
Review of Educational Research Lee, Patall, Cawthon & Steingut The effect of drama-based pedagogy on preK–16 outcomes: A meta-analysis of research from 1985 to 2012 2014 Drama on achievement 42 NA 45 0.45
International Online Journal of Educational Sciences Gunhan The effect of drama based learning applied in Turkey on success of mathematics: A meta-analysis study 2016 Drama based learning on math 20 1,283 20 0.99
Istraživanja u pedagogiji Gülderen & Uysal A meta-analysis of the effectiveness of the method of creative drama in math courses in regard to student scores in achievement, attitude and retention. 2020 Creative drama on math 23 NA 23 0.93
International Online Journal of Education and Teaching Er-Türküresin The Effect of Using Creative Drama Method on Student Achievement in the Social Studies Course: A Meta-Analysis Study 2020 Creative drama 19 NA 19 1.17
International Journal of Research in Education and Science Yildirim The Effect of Drama Method on Academic Achievement and Attitude: A Comparative Meta-Analysis and Meta-Synthesis. 2021 Drama on achievement 57 NA 67 1.16
International Journal of Education and the Arts Lee, Enciso, & Brown The effect of drama-based pedagogies on K-12 Literacy-Related outcomes: A meta-analysis of 30 years of research. 2020 Drama based pedagogies 32 NA 37 0.68
International Journal of Educational Research Open Mastrothanasis, Kladaki, & Andreou A systematic review and meta-analysis of the Readers' Theatre impact on the development of reading skills.  2023 Readers' Theatre on reading 11 332 11 1.23
TOTAL/AVERAGE 834 75,686 872 0.81
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