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This survey is certainly not meant to be definitive! It is meant only to provide a snapshot of uses of film, mainly in Minnesota English and Language Arts classes, at this time. I hope that this survey will be of use as the Society for Cinema Studies pursues its outreach initiative to high schools around the country. I also hope that it will help to initiate discussion among college and high school teachers of film. To join this discussion, send a message to: donald.larsson@mnsu.edu
Survey forms were sent to each high school English Department in Minnesota. The total response rate was quite good (a bit less than half, due to multiple submissions from some high schools). While the overall response rate was very high, this study has some built-in limitations:
Future studies should take these and other factors into account to provide a more comprehensive set of data.
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1. ANALYSIS: USE OF FILMS IN CLASS
Not surprisingly, most of those responding used film in literature courses. Only a small number used films in teaching filmmaking/film production. Uses for films in classes often overlapped.
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2 and 3. ANALYSIS: SUBJECTS OF STUDY/DISCUSSION
Emphasis in these courses was on elements traditionally associated with "literature," especially the subject matter (or "theme" or "topic") of the film and the analysis of such traditioanlly literary conepts as plot and character. The films studied were often adaptations of literary works. However, fewer than half of the respondents cited subjects that might be more often associated with more specialized courses, such as "media studies": portrayals of minority/gender status and technical stylistic aspects of film.
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4. ANALYSIS: FILMS SHOWN IN CLASS
The films actually shown in classes were quite wide-ranging in individual titles; however, with a few exceptions, most of the films cited were adaptations of classic literary works (especially British and American), of contemporary or young adult fiction, or "classical" popular films. Adaptations of Shakspeare's plays led the pack of adaptations; Citizen Kane lagged behind most of those as the most-often-cited film "classic." Although recipients did not always indicate which version of a film was used, most of the titles cited have been shown theatrically or on television in relatively recent periods. Foreign-language films were shown rarely; titles such as Cinema Paradiso, La Dolce Vita, Indochine, Kafka, Keita, Madame Bovary, Manon of the Spring and Jean de Florette, The Official Story, Ran, Raise the Red Lantern, The Story of Qiu Ju, Run Lola Run, and Wings of Desire were shown only once each.
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Almost all the respondents use videotapes as the preferred format for viewing. DVD use is still very limited. Perhaps the biggest surprise was the complete absence of anyone still using 16 millimeter film. Given the films that were once available only in that format, it is interesting to see that video technologies have overcome the use of actual film. It could be a point for future study to see if teachers discuss such elements of film as the relative quality of the image in different formats, the changes made to film aspect rations in many videotapes, and similar issues.
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6. ANALYSIS: PROFILES OF LEARNING
The Minnesota Profiles of Learning are a fairly new and highly controversial set of performance standards for children in Minnesota public schools. (The controversy is indicated by two of the written comments, one lamenting how they have been 'watered down" and another denouncing them as "garbage"!) There are two major components the the Profiles: 1) a standardized set of verbal and math tests given to students in 8th and 11th grades; 2) a set of 10 Learning Areas in which students must demonstrate proficiency by meeting certain "performance standards." The areas most relevant to film study include "Read, Listen, View"; "Art and Literature"; and "Social Studies." About half of the respondents linked their use of film to the standards, while about half did not. It could be valuable to find out what similar initiatives exist in other states and how film use is related to those standards.
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7. ANALYSIS: PROBLEMS FOR FILM USE IN CLASS
Only a handful of respondents indicated particular problems with using films high school classrooms. Only two cited "lack of experience or training" as being important factors. However, the wording of this question might have led some teachers to forgo an answer, since they may have assumed that it required a total lack of film use in class in order to answer.
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8. ANALYSIS: CONTACT AND SUPPORT
The responses for each of the statements here were widely dispersed, raning from "strongly agree" to "strongly disagree." The one statement that showed a disproportionate answer was about the lack of contact with college or university film teachers. This suggests that there is certainly room for dialgue, possibly even a need for exchange among these levels of film use and teaching.
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Only a small number of respondents (about 13 %) chose to provide general written comments. Not surprisingly, there is a diverse range of responses representing the specific concerns and experiences of these teachers. Concerns about time and the relationship of the films to the curriculum are especially notable.
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