The Educational screen (c1922-c1956])

Page 10 The Educational Screen Instructional Sound Film Utilization IN REFERRING to the instructional sound film, differentiation is made between sound motion pic- tures having general educational values and those prepared specifically for use in the classroom. The instructional sound film is here defined as a type of audio-cinematography treating a specific body of sub- ject ma.ter making up course of study or curriculum content. As such, the techniques of its assembly, the methods of its distribution, and the objectives of its use differ from those of the entertainment, industrial, or novelty types of films now available to schools. Ob- viously, all motion pictures have educational values, if education is thought of in terms of the Deweyan phil- osophy that education is life experience. Such a broad conception of an educational motion picture, however, is confusing since it does not distinguish between the pedagogical film and other cinema products. To many laymen, and even to some educators, the term "edu- cational film" is .synonymous with the trade name of a theatrical product, or with any motion picture which does not follow the Hollywood run-of-mill procedure. Therefore, it seems desirable to emphasize that, while all films may be educational to some quantitative or qualitative degree, not all films educate or teach cur- riculum concepts directly or capitalize on the many advantages of the motion picture medium for the presentation of concepts difficult to communicate by other media of thought transmission. In considering how the instructional sound film can be used most advantageously, the problem may be thought of from two viewpoints: (1) How can the film vitalize curriculum concepts previously studied, those being developed, or those about to be initiated in the regular instruction program; and (2) how can the medium be used to best advantage on a purely experimental basis, conditions permitting individual teachers to engage in such activities and to extend the knowledge of learning phenomena. Relative to the first viewpoint, the instructional sound film has been found to have definite value for the purpose of summarizing a unit of instruction; it obviously has a contribvition to render as a direct teach- ing aid by making available classroom learning ex- periences of a realistic nature difficult or impossible to provide by other means; it also serves as an interest motivating device for introducing a new unit of in- struction and as a means of enriching a unit of study by opening up related areas for the student's investiga- tion. Other uses to which it may be put are: (a) Extra-curricular activities including club work and other special projects, (b) Professional activities such as demonstration lessons and Parent-Teacher programs A trenchant discussion of the particular advan- tages to be sought from sound film, and of school activities benefitting most by their use. By H. A. GRAY, Ph.D. Director of Field Studies, Erpi Classroom Films Incorporated to acquaint the community with the effective use of modern teaching aids. These possibilities offer innum- erable opportunities for the teacher to adapt a particular film to local needs and to do creative work with the medium. To realize the values inherent in a sound film, pre- pared for instructional purposes, the teacher should plan in detail for its use. Attention should be given to adapting the content of the film to the current in- terests, needs, and abilities of the class; how the idea of the film showing can be built up to put the pupils in a receptive frame of mind for its initial viewing; how additional showings may be arranged to answer questions which have arisen from study activities in- itiated as a result of the first showing; in general, how the film can motivate learning throughout the study of a unit's work. To do these things adequately requires careful study of the content of the unit of instruction and the relation of the film to that subject matter. The latter can be done only by carefully studying the film prior to its viewing by the class, either by previewing the picture or by s'.udying a .scene by scene description of its continuity. Teachers wisliing to familiarize them- selves with studies which have been made of instruc- tional sound film utilization, will find Brunstetter's book' of value. Regarding opportunities to use the classroom film for experimental purposes, the teacher will be able to isolate problems for study in every instructional sound film. There are four components which should be given attention. All of these will afford material for experimental treatment and analysis. The first component to be mentioned includes all visual elements inherent in a film, including animate and inanimate objects and their relationships in in- dividual scenes, sequences of scenes and throughout the entirety of the film. Associated with these are effect factors such as attention-focusing devices, continuity, montage and transition devices known as, fades, dis- solves, wipes, spins, and other optical effects employed to punctuate the film language in a manner similar to the way in which a written composition is treated to relate thought units and to provide for continuity flow and clarity of expression. These visual elements pro- vide graphic learning cues and constitute the visual learning experience which the pupil undergoes. In order for such experience to be meaningful so that effective learning can occur, the need for an ap- perceptive basis or learning readiness appears in terms of the objectives of the unit of instruction and the ' Brunstetter, M. R. Ho7v to Use the Educational Sound Film. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1937.