Using Film as a Catalyst for Political Understanding: A Case Study of Secondary Civics Classes

• In Event: Roundtable Session 113
  In Roundtable Session: Civic Learning Across Multiple Contexts

Abstract

Research has shown that social studies teachers are increasingly using popular film as part of their classroom instruction (Marcus & Stoddard, 2007). However, the literature on using film in secondary social studies classrooms has focused almost exclusively on the ways in which film can be used to promote students’ ability to think historically and practice historical empathy. This qualitative study offers a glimpse into the power of film in high school civics and government classrooms by describing the way in which film was used in two civics classes to promote political understanding. Over the course of the semester, the teacher was able to use film to provide an authentic context for his students’ exploration of real-life political events and issues.

Authors

• Lisa Brown Buchanan, University of North Carolina - Wilmington

• Wayne Journell, University of North Carolina - Greensboro