Educational film magazine; (January-December 1920)

HOW TO USE MOTION PICTURES IN TEACHING GEOGRAPHY Constructive Pedagogical Ideas on the Aim of the Film, the Con- tent, the Arrangement of Scenes, and the Titles—A Knowledge of Child Psychology Essential in Order that the Picture May Accom- plish Its Purpose By Edwin H. Reeder AssisUnt Director Instruction Section, Commnnity Motion Picture Bureau THERE are four chief things upon which every educa- tional motion picture should be judged. These are the aim of the picture, the content, the arrange- ment of the scenes, and the titles. We propose to discuss each one of these four headings, giving the criteria by which they should be judged from the educational point of view. We are not primarily concerned in the discussion of the motion picture film which is made up almost en- tirely of beautiful scenic material. Such material will ^ no d o u b t lend greatly to the stimulation of a love for the beau- tiful in children, and is to that ex- t e n t educational. Pictures which we are discussing are those which would be used to supple- ment regular schoolroom in- struction. AI M M u s T Pre- sent A Problem First, as to the principles which govern the aim of the motion picture. The aim must pre- sent a problem of some sort. A prob- lem is a challenge, and the response to a challenge is as fundamental a quality of human nature as that of self- preservation. One of the great criticisms which has been inade against motion pictures is that they are a passive form of education. If, however, they present a problem, thev stir the pupil out of his lethargy, and the educational process becomes active instead of passive. Second, the aim must be specific rather than general. We have seen again and again pictures of which the aim was so general that it might almost be said not to exist. For instance, we have in mind a picture called "Barbados." This picture is supposed to show all that there is to show about the island. Ihe aim is as broad as can be imagined and within a space of fifteen minutes it is obviously im- possible to carry it out. By a specific aim, we mean such a one as the following: to show that Barbados will never be of great importance to the commerce of the United States. Third, the aim of the picture must be worth while, not trivial. It must be dignified enough to command the respect of the pupil and the teacher. For instance, we saw the other day a picture, the aim of which was to show, in a jocular way, that prohibition will succeed because camels get along all right on water. Such an aim is sillv and futile. Fo'irth. the aim should be interesting. We can conceive 'X'WO Peruvian natives shown in a recent "Outing-Chester" release. Ethnic studies of this kind on the motion picture screen are highly valuable. of an aim which would present a problem and which would be specific. It might also be worth while for a certain type of adult mind, but if it is not interesting to the mind of the child, the problem of the film will not challenge him. Must Relate to Child's Life Finally, the aim of the film must be related in some way to the life of the child. To be sure, this statement will lead us into some difficulties. Naturally, the child of Holland has not had the same sort of life as the child of the United States. It is obvious, therefore, that the best motion picture for the Dutch child would not be the same as the best motion picture for the American child. If we carry this through ad ahsurdum we would come to the conclusion that a motion picture must be designed differently for every individual child. For the present a happv medium in the matter would seem to me to be one which would follow, more or less, national boundaries. There is a certain heritage which every child in a nation shares with every other child. We think, therefore, that we can safely say, for the present at least, that the aim of the picture should be related to the life of the child of the nation to which he belongs. Now as to content. The first principle we would lay down would be that it must be of the sort to be interpreted by the pupil with the help of the titles. This means that the content must connect up in some way with the life of the child. It is, for this reason, that in educa- tional motion pictures life and action are to be preferred to beautiful scenes, since life aiKl ac- tion are common to all human be-: ings and, there- fore, furnish "hu-: m a n interest."' The little child, who sees a Jav- anese working a pottery wheel with his foot, while he molds the wet clay with his hands,: wonders whether he could learn to- be so dextrous with his own foot and hands; where- as if the same' child were shown pictures of the ocean or of beau- t i f u 1 mountains, it would be more difficult for him to interpret the scene, because it does not relate to life. As a general principle, therefore, we think it is safe to say that wherever possible pictures of people are pre- ferable to those of scenery. The spco"d point with reference to content is that it A CHUNfHO Indian of Peru in a recent ■^ OutiuK Chester picture. It is only when we study the features. ex|)ression5, habits, cus- toms, and ceremonials of such races on the screen that we are able to visualize comparative anthropolopy. 10