Learning materials play a vital role in supporting students in learning. Different learning materials help boost students’ performance as they allow repetition in the dissemination of knowledge and promote independent learning. This boosts the critical skills required in education and even career life.
Thus, instructors are very keen when designing learning structures. Their focus is on creating engaging classrooms. This promotes active and personalized learning.
Film is among the materials that instructors have been using in the classroom for practical learning experiences. Worth noting is that the educators also have to look at the school policies that concern using film at the school for different grades.
Here are the roles that film has been playing in the classroom.
1. It Is an Interest-Building Tool
As an educator or a student, you have experience with those days that you are really not in the mood for learning. Students get burned out too, and if the educator is not smart about the learning approach, the classes will be ineffective.
Film has been an instrumental tool that has helped educators pique the learners’ interest in certain subjects. A movie before the beginning of a lesson or in the middle of it will go a long way in ensuring that the students look forward to the day’s learnings and remain attentive in class.
2. Film Provides Lessons Beyond the Textbook
Truth be told, some classes and courses require you to go beyond books and the conventional materials to deliver effectively. For instance, for ESL learners, using a movie would help them get a glimpse of how English words should be pronounced or used.
Another good example is the STEM classes. The use of film in STEM classes will help the students have new perspectives, give them a feel of different eras, spark debates and discussions, and also emphasize specific topics.
The Lego Movie, for instance, would be a great film to play in an engineering class. This will motivate and challenge the learners in their creative process.
3. They Are Suitable for Debates
Debate sessions incline to comparisons. The young learners might find it challenging to rely on text to compare and contrast. For example, if it is in literature, you can play a film that will help them distinguish between a protagonist and antagonist.
Visuals will create a better and deeper understanding and make a topic memorable. This will enhance debates and also make the experience unforgettable for the students.
4. An Engaging Learning Experience
Educators should consider using a variety of materials to teach. They can instruct learners to watch a movie and write a cause and effect essay from it. The students are then allowed to explore and seek support from the writing guides to expand their knowledge of writing winning essays.
An engaging learning experience will alleviate depression, eliminate delinquency, challenge and motivate the learners, and increase their focus and attention on learning.
5. Film Will Provide Real-Life Examples
One of the teaching objectives in schools is to transfer knowledge and experiences that students can use in real life. Unfortunately, most students do not apply most of the lessons learned in the classroom in their lives. This is mainly because students have a hard time relating what is in a text to real-life experiences.
The use of film in the classroom goes a long way in presenting situations and relating them to real-life experiences. This alone makes it a valuable tool. What makes real-life examples and experiences vital in teaching students today is the fact that we live in a creative and active world.
Progress has been made in areas of technology, education, health, and other sectors. Film helps the students see how far we have come and use that experience as a stepping stone to becoming innovative.
Incorporating the real world into the classroom experience ensures effective learning and enhances the quality of education.
6. Enhancing Recall
The performance of students is often measured through grades. When a student gets a good grade, it is an indicator that they have a good memory and are able to grasp concepts. Visual content stays longer in the mind of the learner.
Also, through repetition, learners can enhance their memory performance. A student would rather watch a film than read a book. A film featuring historical events can make a history class less boring and more engaging.
The learners can recall the events of the topic months after watching the film. If presented with an exam on the same, they will perform well as it is easy to relate the questions and the documentary or film they saw.
7. Deeper Understanding
Educators can use film to support other learning materials for better understanding. Film can be used to fill a learning gap that may have been left by other modalities such as text.
Take Away
Incorporating visuals in your lesson plan will make education better. Film presents an exciting way of learning, enhances understanding and memory, and also creates an engaging learning environment. Film is also a great source of inspiration for learners and should be used more in the classroom.