The middle school years are a critical time in the physical, intellectual, and moral growth of young adolescents. This article examines how film can be used to engage students in moral-dilemma discussions to promote critical thinking and character development. The authors argue that the use of film in the classroom can challenge students to expand…

Students in a "Literature and Ideas" introductory literature course at the University of Pittsburgh gathered a wide variety of interviews, articles, and other texts that circulated around the film "Dangerous Liaisons" to build a shared text on the popular reception of the film. One student, in particular, made sense of the work…

This book argues that people live simultaneously in two different cultures. Values of the first culture are imparted to children through curriculum in the nation's public school classrooms. The second culture is the world of mass communication that promotes consumption, instant gratification, and impulse. The clash between these cultures confronts…