EXAMINING EXISTING PRACTICES OF THEATRE ART USE: DEVELOPING STUDENTS’ SPIRITUAL-MORAL COMPETENCE IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Abstract

This article examines international and national practices of applying theatrical arts in higher education institutions to develop students’ spiritual-moral competence. The study analyses the “Drama in Education” concept developed by Dorothy Heathcote and Gavin Bolton, Germany’s Theaterpädagogik pedagogical model, and the experience of Students’ Theatre Studios in Uzbekistan. The research demonstrates that students who regularly participate in theatre activities exhibit 30-40% higher indicators of moral stability, self-regulation, and conflict-resolution skills compared to their peers. The article substantiates that innovative theatre methods - Forum Theatre, Psychodrama, and Improvisation - effectively transform students from passive observers into active, morally engaged decision-makers. The paper proposes the “Artistic-Pedagogical Cluster” model as a framework for the systemic integration of theatrical pedagogy into higher education. Monitoring tools including “Ethical Diaries,” “Reflective Reports,” and “Psychological Portraits” are recommended to ensure qualitative assessment of students’ moral development trajectories.