This four-hour course provides students and instructors of qualitative research courses pedagogical strategies for using popular film clips to teach and learn selected principles and methods of inquiry. Mediated instruction has a longstanding tradition in grades K-12 classrooms, and the power of “edutainment” in our digital and performative culture should not be underestimated or dismissed by university professors for advanced undergraduate and graduate-level classrooms. Popular film viewing offers novelty and engagement in traditional learning settings, and holds the potential to vividly instruct as well as entertain. Popular film clips can be used to: 1) introduce qualitative research topics; 2) illustrate basic principles and techniques of inquiry; 3) generate classroom discussion and reflection; 4) clarify misunderstood concepts; 5) function as referential mnemonics; and 6) teach selected content more effectively than traditional classroom pedagogy. Examples of film scenes and their topics include: Miss Evers’ Boys (research ethics); Kinsey (interviewing); and Experimenter (theory). At the conclusion of the course, participants will have: 1) viewed over 20 film clips related to qualitative research methods principles; 2) participated in related learning activities (e.g., discussion, categorizing, assertion development, thematic analysis); 3) reviewed and discussed how selected learning strategies can precede and follow popular film clip viewing; 4) shared other film and media titles for recommended use with students; and 5) learned how to access related media and software for their own teaching resource development.

Instructor: Johnny Saldana, Arizona State University