Election of a Labour government in Britain has seen the emergence of a new educational discourse blending certain cultural, economic, and social themes. Focusing on two government reports on cultural and nonprint media influences, this article identifies discourse components and explores their deployment in arguments for educational change.…

Discusses the theme of snitching, or tattling, in literature and films as well as in school life. Considers what motivates behavior, when tattling is appropriate, and historical examples such as the McCarthy era and the Nazis. Provides ideas for creative learning activities for elementary school, middle school, and high school students. (LRW)

Focuses on advantages of video as a tool in teaching literature in a foreign language class. Emphasizes that use of visual aids, such as video, can help the reader overcome his limitations in comprehending vocabulary meanings and context of sentences and lists two ways in which a film version of a story can be presented: in nonstop viewing or in…

Undergraduates enrolled in a field video production class at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington completed a low ropes challenge course as a team-building activity. Found that the ropes course contributed to group processes and getting students to trust one another, although its contribution to building intragroup cohesiveness was…

Focuses on the use of feature films as a tool in "Mexican American Experience through Film," a class in which sociological and cinematic representations contribute to understanding the Mexican American experience. Discusses three films related to the representations of Chicanos and how the films are used. (CMK)

Film and media courses appear well placed to exploit technology convergence in exposing students both to practical skills and to theoretical concepts. For the University of Cape Town's (UCT) large film and media studies courses, it is impractical simply to use the technology of professionals as this would typically be too expensive to purchase and…

A cohort of secondary English preservice teachers was engaged in a series of articles designed to bring about a shift in their initial autonomous views of literacy toward a more sociocultural "Discourses and literacies" perspective. Students wrote an essay in which they articulated their initial assumptions about what literacy was and what…

Video offers an immediacy that can stimulate students' thinking. Sharing the experience of a film documentary in a classroom setting, for instance, creates a bridge between the everyday experience of students and unfamiliar new information. The human faces and voices on the screen and the comfortable structure of narrative can personalize abstract…

Proposes the use of film theory to help students analyze literary texts. Finds that film theory concepts appeal to highly visual students and provide a framework for discussing images. Suggests that central themes, primary symbols, and character development are underscored by the images constructed by the author. (Contains 13 references.) (CAK)

The interconnected world of actors and movies is a familiar, rich example for graph theory. This paper gives the history of the "Kevin Bacon Game" and makes extensive use of a Web site to analyze the underlying graph. The main content is the classroom development of the weighted average to determine the best choice of "center" for the graph. The…

The motion picture "Crash" does not focus on surface realism, but instead provides what appears to be an unbiased portrayal of various races and perspectives. Not only does the movie highlight the idea that all people carry racial baggage, but it also reminds them that often their greatest fear is of the "other." According to this author, it is…

For several years the author has sought ways by which he can employ film in a creative and academically sound manner as a teaching device. In this article, the author describes the History and Film course he developed for his students. The author began by compiling lists of films that he felt supplemented the subject matter covered in his survey…

Napoleon Dynamite, the quirky hit film from 2004, is a fascinating portrayal of a teenager with social difficulties. The character Napoleon provokes intriguing diagnostic questions in distinguishing between mental illness and the spectrum of normal behavior. He demonstrates several symptoms of Asperger's disorder, yet he also challenges the notion…

The American biopic is an expression of distinctively American culture. Its story elements mirror the ideologies of mainstream America. The crucial ingredient in a biopic or a cartoon classic is the triumph of an indomitable struggler in circumstances that crush everyone else. "Ray" is an example of the biopic in its strongest and most affecting…

This article describes model units for an in-depth cultural analysis of "Das Versprechen" in undergraduate college courses including intermediate German, German culture and civilization, advanced conversation and composition, and film. Practical suggestions for pre-viewing, viewing, and post-viewing activities as well as assessment in…