An e-Learning Lesson on the First Commercial Spanish Theaters: A Non-Traditional Dissertation

The sweeping changes brought forth by the pandemic led me to reshape my dissertation in order to develop non-academic skills that will allow me to better meet the shifting challenges of our times. Mine is a non-traditional project focused on the application of technologies and the cognitive theory of multimedia learning (the process by which people build mental representations from words and pictures) to the field of remote instruction. My work is a bilingual lesson on "corrales de comedias," open-air theaters dominating the cultural landscape of the Spanish empire during the 16th and 17th centuries. It is comprised of an animated introduction and three chapters, as well as several knowledge check and scenario-based learning activities that touch upon the historical evolution of these theaters, the actors and institutions involved in its growth, the customs and complications of an incipient entertainment industry, and its impact on the development of the dramatic production of the Spanish Golden Age. I will broadly describe the project and its theoretical foundations in the introduction. Then, I will explain the research process behind writing the lesson and some of the problems I encountered. Finally, I will reflect on the rationale behind the visual style of my lesson in terms of affective quality, instructional design, and historical accuracy. The appendices contain the lesson script, the results of the qualitative and quantitative evaluations completed by learners in the pilot study, as well as a discussion of the issues raised by learners and how they were resolved. Links to the most current version of the lesson, both in English and in Spanish, can be found in my personal digital portfolio: www.chechesilveyra.com. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]