Film in Education

Computer games, television and film all consume a large part of children's lives, so it is important this is reflected in their education and media literacy is encouraged (Parry 2010).   Incorporating media into the curriculum helps children to understand the context of a subject and its personal relevance to them and gives them an interactive experience cementing their learning (Parry 2014).  As we have learnt from Aronica and Robinson (2009), it is now recognised that not all children learn in the same way and as Parry (2014) suggests, film is a great way to engage a child in a visual, audio and kinaesthetic experience.  Many adults can relate to this multi-method approach to learning, as they find it easier to remember a visual experience than something they have read in a book.  If this works for adults, then it is ridiculous to expect children to exclude this approach from their learning because it is not traditional.  

From my experience of talking to children it is clear they already have a vast knowledge and are keen to share their information.  As Parry (2010) proved, some children find it difficult to express themselves through writing, but by using semiotic modes and encouraging their knowledge of pop culture, they can articulate their ideas using spoken language, drawing and film production.  This creates an inclusive environment, where Parry (2014) believes with the right level of support the most disengaged child feels valued, which may lead to improvement in their literacy, vocabulary and narrative skills (Parry 2010).  Pugh's (2013) research is also particularly interesting and shows children collaborating to produce stop-motion animations.  During the task they demonstrated valuable life skills such as:-

•          Communication,
•          Problem solving,
•          Team work,
•          Concentration,
•          Enthusiasm,
•          Independent learning and
•         Autonomy over their learning.

Stop motion animation is not the only way that film can motivate children.  Film Education has many free resources available to help teachers in the classroom, including "How to Train Your Dragon".  Showing the trailer to start a session will instantly gain the children's attention, exciting them to share the knowledge they already possess. The children could then study the comprehension questions, draw a story board, discuss camera angles and produce an animated film of their own. This approach allows them to be critical of what they are seeing, introduced to different cultures and most importantly be creative. 

The idea of approaching the curriculum using film is interesting, but I would have to agree with Pugh (2013) and Parry (2010), that the teacher’s enthusiasm and support for the idea is crucial, as this motivates the children to become fully involved.   Research, conducted by the BFI (2014), shows many believe teachers do not have the knowledge to implement new technological approaches to learning and this can stilt their enthusiasm.  However, Parry (2010) discovered many children already have extensive knowledge of such applications and are enthusiastic to show the teacher their expertise. Time is also limited in the school day as the curriculum is already packed, so very often film is used only as a treat or extra-curricular activity.  Film however, has the potential to be an effective tool to help teach other subjects, especially if the subject is of a sensitive nature (BFI 2014). 

Film education is a fairly new concept and it appears, the main barrier to using it is a lack of understanding and knowledge.  It is fair to say the benefits outweigh the negatives however, and with pressure on to raise literacy targets it is time teachers embraced the technology and use it to capture student's imagination.

References

Parry, B. (2010), Moving stories: Exploring children's uses of media in their story telling and the implications for teaching about narrative in schools. English Teaching: Practice and Critique. 9, 1, pp.58-72.

Pugh, S. (2013), Stop Motion Animation as an Innovative Approach to Engagement and Collaboration in the Classroom.  The Student Researcher. 2, 2, pp.109-120.

Robinson, K. (2009), The Element. London: Penguin