SCS Minnesota High School Survey Results, 2001

Revised: May 10, 2001
Return to Donald Larsson's homepage
Go to Survey Form

Survey: Use of Film in Minnesota High Schools:
Results

Numerical Responses Sample Comments Films by Title Films by Citations THANKS

The survey form below was mailed out to English and Language Arts departments in Minnesota high schools during the first week of April, 2001. The intent of the survey was to provide background for a high school outreach initiative by the Society for Cinema Studies. The form used for the survey is posted at: Survform.html

Inlcuded with the results are links to my analysis of these results. To discuss these results, please contact me at:
donald.larsson@mnsu.edu

NUMERICAL RESPONSES
Numbers Using Films in Class	Subjects of Study		Aspects of Film Discussed
Films Shown in Class	Media Equipment		MN Profiles of Learning
Problems with Film Use		Contact and Support for Film Use

Total Forms Sent Out:	350 sent to individual schools
Total Responses:	161 (includes multiple responses from some schools and some late returns)
ANALYSIS
return to top of page

USE OF FILMS IN CLASS
1. Have you made use of feature-length fictional films and/or "art" films in your classes in the last five years?
158	98%	Yes
3	02%	No

ANALYSIS
return to top of section

return to top of page

SUBJECTS OF STUDY/DISCUSSION
2. If you answered "yes" to Question 1, how did you use these films in your classes? (Check all answers that apply)
40	25%	As part of a course about film as an art form, about filmmakers, or about film genres, styles or movements
13	08%	As part of a course in student film production
147	91%	As part of a literature course
17	10%	As part of a language course
60	37%	As part of a course in "critical viewing" or "critical thinking"
22	14%	As part of a course in "media studies"
9	6%	Other: writing course creative writing fiction to film, hero’s journey in film, adolescent in film langauge and gender relations (unit in one course): "Oleanna" history—discrimination—alternate school
ANALYSIS return to top of section
return to top of page

ASPECTS OF FILM DISCUSSED IN CLASS
3. What aspects of these films do you study and discuss in your classes? (Check all answers that apply):
147	91%	Subject matter/theme/topic
63	39%	Portrayals of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, etc.
131	81%	Plot and character development
72	45%	Elements of film style (lighting, cinematography, editing, music, etc.)
128	80%	Adaptation from a literary work (novel, short story, play, etc.)
3	02%	Other: "Support" Film as art form and cultural medium "Plus, I have a power point presentation with film clips on CD-Rom to walk through a study of film"
ANALYSIS return to top of section
return to top of page

FILMS SHOWN IN CLASS
4. Please list up to five of the films that you have shown and discussed in class most recently.
Films listed by title	Films Listed by Number of Citations
ANALYSIS return to top of section
return to top of page

MEDIA EQUIPMENT
5. What media do you use to show these films? (Check all that apply):
0	0%	16 mm. film
156	97%	videotape
1	0.6%	laserdisc
7	04%	DVD
0	0%	Other
ANALYSIS return to top of section
return to top of page

MINNESOTA PROFILES OF LEARNING
6. Do you use these films to help fulfill the requirements of the Minnesota Profiles of Learning?
76	47%	Yes
75	47%	No
Comments: (no response): "Sometimes but not with that goal in mind" "We are a private school, but as I initally worked for the dept. of Families and Learning, I actually crafted many of the original performance packages, soI am working in concert with many of the standards (as adulterated as they are currently)." No—"We use documentaries e.g. "Brother’s Keeper" No—"Profiles are garbage!" "Arts creations and performance standard"
ANALYSIS return to top of section
return to top of page

PROBLEMS FOR FILM USE IN CLASS
7. If you have not used feature-length and/or "art" films in your classes, please mark the reason(s) why you have not? (Check all answers that apply)
0	0%	Lack of proper equipment
4	0.2%	Lack of time
3	0.2%	Not appropriate to curriculum
0	0%	Difficulty of access
2	0.1%	Lack of training or knowledge about film
3	0.2%	Other: Students need so much exposure to good literature that I hate to use so much class time to show a 2 hour film which would probably take up 4 days with discussion/review." "Lack of ideas of films that are good examples of elements of film style, plot and character development."
ANALYSIS return to top of section
return to top of page

CONTACT AND SUPPORT

8. Please indicate whether you agree or disagree with the following statements on a scale of 1 (strongly agree) to 5 (strongly disagree):


I have little or no contact with other high school teachers using film in their classes
1		2		3		4		5
31	19%	26	16%	35	22%	20	12%	38	24%


I have little or no contact with college or university film teachers.
1		2		3		4		5
113	70%	20	12%	4	02%	6	04%	3	02%


I have strong support for teaching film from my school administration.
1		2		3		4		5
15	09%	22	14%	59	37%	32	20%	22	14%
Comments: (from a 3): "They are not against it, but I don’t have time." "If it is curriculum-related." "As long as they are relevant to the subject-matter." "They do not comprehend that it is a teaching tool—not a day off."


My school provides up-to-date and appropriate technology and other resources for presenting films in class.
1		2		3		4		5
28	17%	25	16%	41	25%	36	22%	20	12%
Comments: "I buy all the films." "No DVDs" [? Do not disagree?]: "not for film production" "More films!:" "Just need more available"

ANALYSIS
return to top

SAMPLE GENERAL COMMENTS

(returned separately): "This is the 4^th survey from the 4^th source/school this school year. I’m providing a lot of info—my gain? While you’re surveying, I’m teaching classes of 29+ grades 9-12. I know you need data, but I’m feeling like only data to you (schools). Make me feel respected. The filling out of forms does not."
"I try to insert film studies into all of my classes. Time is a big problem."
"I teach an Art of Film class (film history, aesthetics, and filmmaking) and a Media Studies class. I have a masters degree in film production and education from Univ. of southern Ca. And have used film in my classes for 30 years. My colleagues who teach lit. classes also use them, focusing on the literary aspects of the stories rather than the techniques and film language."
"I think many teachers use film inappropriately.
I would love to be involved in any programs, seminars, etc. involving film and literature."
"Also, I coordinate a student film festival as an extra-curricular activity."
"Please don’t use film as ‘filler’ or ‘entertainment’."
"I use a digital video component in English 11 and 12 using Premiere. Highly successful!"
"We have a limited amount of iMacs with DVI movie capability. I have been able to allow some students a chance to learn to edit on the iMac. Others make a project the old fashioned way—shoot stills and put music and narration over them.
The grad standards, in my opinion, take class time away from this type of study."
"I teach at a tribal school. We are interested in Native American perspectives."
"Block schedule terms courses . . . about 9 weeks . . . time limits for curriculum depth=problem!"
"Because we are a charter school, many ideas for film history studies come directly from the students, and teachers only facilitate discussions and administer tests and assignments."
"The students definitely prefer film to reading, but films aren’t always true to the literature. J "
"The films listed on reverse side are used in my Mass Communications class to fulfill the Arts Analysis and Interpretation grad standard. We use approx. 20 films so that students are not all working on same one."
"The visual media are the media of choice for most young people. We cannot continue to ignore it and refuse to prepare students with all the tools necessary for culture literacy."
"I think any use should be embedded in the curriculum and have a related use—not just ‘viewed.’"
"It is often difficult to find film adaptations of literature which are well done and true to the book. This is the only reason I would not use film in my classes to supplement the sudy of EVERY book we read!!"
"Teach a film study course with the Arts Analysis and Interpretation standard in it. Also use films as companion after reading a literary work."

ANALYSIS
return to top

Special thanks to:

Dr. Anne O’Meara, Chair, Minnesota State U, Mankato English Dept.
Sharon Evans
Michelle Dwylla
Aaron Johnson
Rolland Rowe, MSUM Institutional Research Office
Dean Anthony Filipovitch, MSUM Institutional Review Board

return to top