Erik Parsons

Erik Parsons is a theatre artist turned educator currently working on his dissertation as a doctoral candidate of Curriculum Studies at DePaul. An Artist -educator at heart, he has been in the education for over 20 years and began his PhD as a means to pursue genuine change in educational practices to be more inclusive, equitable and meaningful. His doctoral work focuses on explicit philosophical engagement and skill development in improvisation as a foundational aspect of education and development. Working with the Leaning Studio, Erik seeks to reconnect improvisation with it’s educational roots via the legacy of Viola Spolin, the mother of American improvisation, whose philosophy and practice began with Neva Boyd at the Hull House social Settlement. It is his hope that our collaborative artistic efforts to explore our fundamental conceptions of learning at the learning studio will benefit from engaging with improvisation as pedagogical philosophy and shed light on ways to connect with and guide the broader education community.