The effect of the physical infrastructure within the Department of Performing Arts and Film, at Makerere University on students’ academic performance

Abstract

The Department of Performing Arts and Film, initially called Department of Music, Dance and Drama (MDD), started in and still operates from two detached former residential houses since 1972. The department dropped its name from being Department of Music, Dance and Drama in 2011, to Department of Performing Arts and Film (DPAF), but it operates along the old disciplines of music, dance and drama. This change came as a result of the lost glory of the department. Therefore, this research addressed the effects of the physical infrastructure within the Department of Performing Arts and Film, on students‟ academic performance. The researcher carried out a qualitative study whereby during field work, data was gathered through conducting interviews, Auto ethnography, use of internet to gather various information concerning the current study, document analysis and literature review. The findings showed that learners lack sufficient learning space, washrooms and practice spaces within the department for excellence in their academic performance. The research also found out that students move longer distances from department to department looking for lecture rooms, which causes many of them to miss lectures due to reaching class late and being denied entry by lecturers, and many more other effects that you will find in chapter three of this dissertation.