Dance students' perceptions of tertiary education in England and in Greece

The comparative study examined dance students' views of their dance education and training in tertiary education (further and higher) and their perceptions about the opportunities offered in the their courses available in England (higher education) and in Greece (further education). The aim was to explore similarities and differences between English and Greek dance education systems in order to improve understanding. An interpretive, predominantly qualitative study was undertaken shaped by a modified theoretical model. Presage, process and product variables embraced the design and analysis of the study. Multiple case studies were used to gain insight across dance institutions. These totalled six - three in Greece and three in England - enabling comparative analysis across national borders. Methods involved interviews with dance students (18), lecture observation (average 20) in each, open-ended questionnaires (to 97 students). The results indicated that students from the Greek case study institutions were concerned about the low status and lack of breadth in dance study opportunities, whereas students from the English institutions expressed their satisfaction with the level and breadth of opportunities available. In Greece, a predominantly didactic approach to teacher/learner interaction is applied in contrast to English institutions that apply a more holistic approach.