Film learning as aesthetic experience: Dwelling in the house of possibility

Abstract

Abstract Drama is an ancient art form and progressive pedagogy in education. It is the collective act of imagining and seeing ourselves in action, in the moment, towards a destiny. Film is a modern art form and an evolving pedagogy in schools. Narratives in moving pictures are a dramatic form of mediated communication. This research concerns drama teachers’ experiences with screen drama and filmmaking pedagogy. In a rapidly digitised world, mediated forms of communication through technology are a vital source of social connectivity, information and storytelling. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) integration in education is a response to the digital culture but the integration has been likened to the ‘hammer in search of a nail’. ICT in education is demanding the development of pedagogies that connect a deep understanding of technology, curriculum outcomes and teacher professional learning. This research is concerned with exploring and developing best practice in a creative and critical pedagogy for moving pictures as aesthetic learning in schools. Drama teachers as teachers of aesthetic, embodied, collaborative and narrative learning are uniquely placed to respond to and critique the development of an authentic and effective pedagogy for film narrative. The school and curriculum structures and resources to support film learning are also examined through the drama teachers’ experiences. The research is praxis-oriented and uses a montage of interpretive practices in a collective case study to explore in depth six teachers’ experience with film learning. The study’s design involves the facilitation of film learning workshops and explores the participants’ aspirations, expectations and realisations for film learning in their schools. The participants’ experiences highlight the problems, possibilities and opportunities of film learning as aesthetic learning and raise issues about the role of and tensions with arts pedagogy as a learning paradigm in schools and the curriculum. The teachers’ stories reflect an educational culture, leadership and curriculum structure that does not necessarily allow, support or develop on-going professional learning and teacher innovation for authentic student learning.