The Teaching and Learning Task Force was established by Professor Gareth Thomas, PVC, in September 1997. The Task Force is part of the implementation plan for the University's Teaching and Learning Strategy. The members of the Task Force are charged with a change agency role through completion of their specific development projects. The Task Force is managed by Prof Ray Land, Director of the Centre for Higher Education Development.

Project Details

MOVIE MAGIC: USING FILM TO VISUALISE AND UNDERSTAND ACADEMIC CONCEPTS
[2001-2003]

With an international spread of students, many of whom have no work experience, explaining the relevance of key academic concepts can be difficult. Showing scenes from movies can offer a visual portrayal of situations from which students can garner understanding and applicability to academic constructs and vocational situations. The aim of my proposed project will be to develop my approach of using film in the teaching curriculum.

My project extended my study of postgraduate students which I began in September 2000. As part of the delivery schedule of my lectures, a carefully selected clip from a well-known film was shown which enabled students to visualise the key concepts of an accompanying lecture (the difference between surface and deep learning). After viewing the clip, the class discussed the scenes and a brainstorming session was carried out to confirm understanding.

Initial results from my own study suggested that the approach increased student motivation, attendance, participation, increased the virtual experience of the workplace and allowed students to develop through different intellectual maturation levels as they progressed through their course. Film clips resulted in animated class discussion and students were more likely to remember concepts after the class was over. The approach appeared to accommodate different learning styles which was investigated via the secondment.

The approach has wider applications within both my School (MIS) and could be expanded to other Schools within the University. I had hoped to investigate the possibility of incorporating movie clips into an on-line learning environment (eg. WebCT) in order to widen access to students who may wish to review concepts on a self-study basis. Unfortunately, due to restrictions (bandwith etc), this was not possible.

My approach followed several Staff and Educational Development Association (SEDA) precepts and values, eg. design of a teaching programme from a course document, wide and appropriate range of teaching and learning methods and evaluation techniques and demonstrates a commitment to scholarship. The approach was also piloted within MIS for modules which were problematic (in terms of low student attendance, poor student motivation and low pass-rates). Senior colleagues agreed to collaborate with me in this respect.

Results were compiled into a draft academic paper and postgraduate studies and were disseminated during the annual ELATE conferences.

Links: Movie Magic