Presenter:
Dr. Ron Davis
Film/video continues to be one of our greatest allies for connecting with students’ interests and allowing them to begin discussions of other cultures with which they may not be familiar. In this workshop we will view clips and design assignments to help challenge writing and critical thinking abilities.
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Using Film to
Make Cultural Connections
February 22, 2007
Dr. Ron Harris began his presentation by arguing that culture should not be limited to race. A culture is:
- a society at a particular time
- tastes in art and manners favored by a social group
- knowledge and values shared by a society
Issues of culture can therefore include race, gender, wealth, sexuality, poverty, education, social structure, criminal justice, and media.
In the rest of his presentation, Dr. Davis addressed the following concepts:
- Why use film?
- Course possibilities
- Learning outcomes
- Watching the movies
- Movies that can be used
During his presentation, Dr. Davis used White Man’s Burden (1995) as an example. He discussed pre-viewing activities, what to do while viewing the film, and assignments based on the film.
Although I did get some ideas on how to use film in the classroom, in terms of professional development, this presentation was especially useful as in terms of skill development. Too often, when a presenter tries to use his/here audiences experiences as the basis for learning, the session is not particularly satisfying. Too often, such sessions degrade into uniformed dialogue and speculation.
Dr. Davis did not fall into the banality trap because he first presented quality information on the five key concepts he wanted to address. This gave us a framework for addressing the issues.
When it came time to discuss the issues, Dr. Davis “re-presented” his PowerPoint presentation. As we went through it the second time, he asked us for other examples to supplement those he had given. Dr. Nan Vader-McCormick, an audience volunteer from Delta College, added our comments to the PowerPoint. After the seminar, Dr. Davis e-mailed us a copy of the revised presentation.
Dr. Davis’ presentation technique was especially effective and one that I could see myself incorporating into a future presentation. In fact, I wish I had seen it before we presented “Continue the Dialogue” as part of Schoolcraft College’s Faculty Development Days.
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