This article synthesises an investigation of the making of a didactic programme as a consequence of the excess of consumption of audiovisual messages and the non critical and non-thoughtful attitude the youngsters have towards it. As an answer to this problem, the authors have produced a didactical programme about cinema and its language, the main…

Little historic context is generally provided regarding design phenomena; ideas, names, events and relationships are disregarded in design's typical superficial coverage; it is as though design exists in a vacuum. This paper seeks to put Helvetica, the face, the font and the movie into context by exploring its relationship to Swiss Design…

The fundamental purpose of education is surely to ensure all students benefit from learning in ways that allow them to participate fully in the economic and creative life in both the local and global community. Where does literacy fit in this definition? Everything depends on how you define "literacy". This article argues that all too often…

The author describes how he instructs students in his introductory film course to show how one can reveal a film's ideological dimensions in teaching. In this article, the author traces the progress of his student's arc of learning, from their relative lack of awareness of film's influence on the construction of identity to a more sophisticated…

With the arrival of inexpensive camcorders and even video capability in cell phones, easy-to-use editing software such as iMovie and Windows Movie Maker, and instant universal distribution through YouTube and similar sites, individuals are coming to the point where they can create and manipulate images as easily as they do words. As an English…

Language teaching in the last 10-15 years has seen a shift away from the communicative approach and towards the paradigm of intercultural (communicative) competence. It has also been influenced by a broader educational shift away from an emphasis on print literacy and towards multiliteracies. At the same time, we have witnessed the rise of…

This article explores one context in which language arts instruction can be enhanced through digital technologies. It describes how preservice elementary education teachers first investigated aspects of visual literacy and then engaged in digital and traditional multimodal forms of response to historical nonfiction literature. They read,…

Designed as an introduction to the intelligent and active appreciation of films, this book provides an anecdotal discussion of current and past movies. Among the subjects discussed are the origins of the industry, the process of filmmaking, the role of the spectator, the development of various film genres, the debate over sex and violence, and the…

Discusses the difficulties directors face when trying to capture Shakespeare's plays on film, citing Polanski's "Macbeth," Brook's "Lear," and Zeffirelli's "Romeo and Juliet" as examples. (RB)

Analysis did not show significant differences between watching one or two sound films with regard to information retention. (KS)

This student manual is part of a kit that is designed to teach the use of visual language as a means of communication and self-expression. It provides space for note-taking and information the student needs to execute the practice projects assigned by the teacher. Three appendices in it offer a glossary of terms, bibliography, and brainstorming…

A description of a visual communications program that involves students and teachers at all levels of a school system. (AK)

Three conceptual frameworks for examining the cognitive response to film are reviewed. It is suggested that a phenomenological rather than atomistic conception of the film-viewer interaction will be most useful for the generation of further studies in this area. (Author/RM)

Offers suggestions on how to make a film study course challenging and enjoyable, through using a variety of films, defining visual literacy, choosing films with cinematic and literary value, and deciding on a specific approach for the course. (FL)