Film as the Engine for Learning

Projections, vol. 15, pp. 56–90

Abstract

Film has been used for education ever since educators recognized its powerful potential for learning. But its educational application has been criticized throughout the decades for underuse of the distinctive potential of film: to raise interest. To understand more fully film’s potential for learning, we propose a dynamic model of viewer interest and its underlying cognitive and emotional mechanisms (film’s interest raising mechanisms or FIRM model). In addition, we present an analysis method for assessing the interestingness of films in learning contexts. Our model marries interest theories from cognitive film theory and educational psychology and captures the dynamics of interestingness across a film as depending on a balance between challenge posed and coping potential provided.

Authors 5

1. Winnifred Wijnker Aachen

   Leiden University

   Affiliation as printed

   Leiden University, Netherlands W.Wijnker@biology.leidenuniv.nl

2. Ed S. Tan

   University of Copenhagen

   Affiliation as printed

   University of Copenhagen, Denmark E.S.H.Tan@uva.nl

3. Arthur Bakker

   Utrecht University

   Affiliation as printed

   Freudenthal Institute of Utrecht University, Netherlands A.Bakker4@uu.nl

4. Tamara A. J. M. van Gog

   Utrecht University

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Education, Utrecht University, Netherlands T.vanGog@uu.nl

5. Paul H. M. Drijvers

   Utrecht University

   Affiliation as printed

   Freudenthal Institute of Utrecht University, Netherlands P.Drijvers@uu.nl