I have found film/video to be most useful when subject material is most foreign
for students. For example, I teach a lot of courses with a strong focus on
non-western societies. Since most students have no first-hand experience, and
since most of what they have probably seen is a "hollywood" version, I use
video segments to give students a better sense of the subject matter. The risk
you run with this strategy is that their vision of African cities or of the
Amazon Basin is pretty one dimensional, based on whatever I showed them. So,
this discussion of Crash is making me think about the value of the film for
students coming from extremely homogeneous backgrounds...might Crash offer them
the same exposure to a more ethnically and racially diverse place the way a
film set in Brazil does for that society? Of course, then we could debate
whether Crash is the "best" vehicle for that kind of exposure.
Amy Bellone Hite
>
> From: Sarah Murray <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Date: 2006/01/05 Thu AM 06:14:10 EST
> To: Robert J Hironimus-Wendt <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> CC: [email protected]
> Subject: TEACHSOC: Re: Using Popular Film
>
>
> To echo Robert's message, I showed almost all of Bowling for Columbine in my
> Violence course, but showed it over a period of 15 weeks, in short (5-20
> minute) segments, following no particular sequence, just using scenes I felt
> would best underscore theories and concepts from the text and lectures. One
> of the students told me before the course was over that he was so intrigued,
> he went out and bought the DVD (which he played in his car while driving!!!
> How's that for violence?)
>
> For my Family course, I use clips from any number of popular TV shows (Sex
> in the City, the Simpsons) to drive home a point about a certain perspective
> on family life -- but would never show an entire episode. Robert's right --
> students of this generation get enough screen viewing in their lives -- but
> since they do gravitate to it, I, too, find a little goes a long way,
> serving to grab students' attention, break up the lecture a bit, and
> illustrate how sociology applies to everyday life.
>
> Sarah Murray
> William Paterson U of NJ
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Robert J Hironimus-Wendt" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: <[email protected]>
> Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Sent: Wednesday, January 04, 2006 10:33 PM
> Subject: TEACHSOC: Re: Using Popular Film
>
>
> >
> > Hi Folks
> >
> > I should begin by saying (a) I personally do not like using popular films,
> > (b)
> > I have done so occasionally anyway, and (c) I will do so again this
> > semester
> > even though I do not like using popular films.
> >
> > Like Del, I am not so certain that we have much control over what is
> > learned
> > when our students are presented with a feature length film. While I devote
> > substantial time to creating lectures, seminar topics, PowerPoint
> > presentations, web-based platforms, and even experiential learning
> > opportunities for the intentional purpose of teaching our discipline, I
> > fail
> > to see how viewing a feature length film / video even comes close to
> > accomplishing the same. At best it seems like asking a student to spend
> > two
> > hours in silent contemplation, in order to subsequently tell them (a) why
> > we
> > wanted them to see the film, and (b) how that experience should help them
> > understand a couple sociological concepts. Even poorly crafted lectures
> > can do
> > that.
> >
> > And given that we have little to no control over the "lesson plan" (plot?)
> > of
> > a movie, and given that most mass media films are not created by academics
> > for
> > the purpose of teaching intellectual constructs, knowledge, skills, etc.,
> > then
> > I personally believe the best we can do is concern ourselves with what the
> > screenwriter intended to accomplish / teach, and whether or not they were
> > effective (e.g., film critique).
> >
> > In this context, I must agree with Sister Edith. I saw the film Crash, and
> > personally liked it. Indeed, our sociology club scheduled a showing of the
> > film. On the other hand, I do not believe the film does a fair job at
> > presenting sociological perspectives on race relations, individual
> > discrimination, and prejudice. Furthermore, it ignores the more serious
> > sociological concerns regarding racist ideology and institutionalized
> > racism.
> > And as Sister Edith attests, the film seems to unknowingly embed its own
> > stereotypes while trying to point out the harm that can come from
> > stereotypes.
> >
> > In general, I personally believe that the two hour long intended lesson of
> > the
> > screenwriter will inevitably trump our own intentions for showing a
> > popular
> > film. Indeed for introductory students, I think it somewhat presumptuous
> > to
> > even ask them to "see the film" the same way we do, and to be able to
> > interpret it from a sophisticated sociological perspective.
> >
> > All that being said. I also realize that this generation of students likes
> > /
> > loves videos. Thus, using visual media as pedagogy for teaching concepts
> > does
> > make a lot of sense.
> >
> > I think we need to take particular care to determine our lesson plan
> > first,
> > and then seek an assortment of visual media that tend to mirror our
> > professional interpretations of the concepts we intend to teach. In
> > addition,
> > I think we need to strongly limit the amount of visual stimulation our
> > students will be given. For example, I personally think we can use two to
> > five
> > minute vignettes effectively to teach concepts, and probably more
> > effectively
> > than can be accomplished with a feature length immersion.
> >
> > By way of example, one scene in the film Crash involves an upper middle
> > class
> > white Anglo woman having her locks changed by an urban latino man with
> > lots of
> > tattoos. After he leaves, she tells her husband to have the locks changed
> > the
> > next day because she thinks the latino is a gang member who will break
> > into
> > her home. That one scene might work well to initiate a sociological
> > discussion. Alternatively, I personally think Michael Moore's vignette "A
> > Brief History of America" (a video clip from the feature length film
> > Bowling
> > for Columbine http://www.michaelmoore.com/books-
> > films/bowlingforcolumbine/media/clips/index.php ) would stimulate a good
> > discussion regarding prejudice and fear of crime, genocide, the nature of
> > racial stereotypes, etc. At least, I believe this would be more effective
> > than
> > showing the entire film, and asking students to develop a sociological
> > analysis.
> >
> > I think it is our purpose in the classroom is to model and develop in our
> > students sociological perspectives on social phenomena. While I do believe
> > the
> > careful and sparing use of visual media can be an aid in this goal (e.g.,
> > media as pedagogy), I do not believe substituting popular media for
> > content
> > (e.g., watching a popular film as opposed to reading a good sociological
> > manuscript) accomplishes the same thing.
> >
> > Peace to you all,
> > Robert
> >
> > Robert J. Hironimus-Wendt, Ph.D.
> > Sociology and Anthropology
> > Morgan Hall 421
> > 1 University Circle
> > Macomb, IL 61455-1390
> > phone: (309) 298-1081
> > fax: (309) 298-1857
> > email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >
> > "Do all the good you can, by all the means you can,
> > in all the ways you can, in all the places you can,
> > at all the times you can, to all the people you can,
> > as long as ever you can." -- John Wesley
> >
> >
>
>
>
