THE USE OF HISTORICAL FILMS IN THE TEACHING AND LEARNING OF HISTORY IN SECOUNDARY SCHOOLS IN JOS NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT

ATTENTION:

BEFORE YOU READ THE ABSTRACT OR CHAPTER ONE OF THE PROJECT TOPIC BELOW, PLEASE READ THE INFORMATION BELOW.THANK YOU!

INFORMATION:

YOU CAN GET THE COMPLETE PROJECT OF THE TOPIC BELOW. THE FULL PROJECT COSTS N5,000 ONLY. THE FULL INFORMATION ON HOW TO PAY AND GET THE COMPLETE PROJECT IS AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE. OR YOU CAN CALL: 08068231953, 08168759420

WHATSAPP US ON 08137701720

THE USE OF HISTORICAL FILMS IN THE TEACHING AND LEARNING OF HISTORY IN SECOUNDARY SCHOOLS IN JOS NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT

ABSTRACT

Watching movies is a more interactive way to study history than memorizing dates and names. Films make history come alive and allow — indeed, encourage — you to empathize with people from the past as you share their struggles and concerns. There are two categories of movies, those that help you learn you about a particular period in history — “Things Fall Apart” or “The Biafran War” — and those that teach you about historical figures, such as “Okonkwo” or “Ojukwu”. Even celebrations such Independence day, Guy Fawkes day, and others are based on events that changed the course of history or at least had some historical importance. Even some of the medical techniques that doctors use have their roots in history from another time and another place. While many people in the world today claim to live in the moment and have no interested in history the life they live is in and of itself a reflection of history and each and everything they do becomes a part of history as each day passes. No matter who you are or what your interests may be, there is no escaping history the effects of those past generations and events are with you always and will continue to be a part of who you are and what you know.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Movies like THINGS FALL APART, JAJA OF OPOBO and AMAZING GRACE tell the story of certain happenings in Nigeria at certain points in time. Most people look at history as past events about long dead people that really have no relevance on life today. They couldn’t be more wrong. While the study of history may be about studying people and events that happened last week, last year, or a thousand years ago, history itself is a real breathing thing that is constantly occurring and affects everyone’s daily life in both big and small ways.

History allows us to move forward both as a culture and technology as well. We now drive cars powered by gas and electricity because someone way back in history invented the wheel, then the cart and those inventions were recorded so that we can make advancements in travel technology instead of constantly having to reinvent the wheel.

We light out homes using the same electricity that long dead Thomas Edison used when he first made what was to become the modern light bulb. People even continue to cook food based on recipe’s handed down from long dead ancestors and hold on to traditions at holiday time that started a world away and have been handed down from generation to generation.

Most of the problem that people have when trying to study history is that history books do not depict historical events in a way that people can identify with the people and the events that are covered in the paper. History books depict the events and people of the past in a one dimensional cut and dried way that doesn’t allow for those studying about those past events to get any real feeling of the issues involved or the emotional experiences that these people go through. Which is probably why historical movies, however inaccurate do more to encourage people to learn about history than any history book ever could.

While most historical movies are far from accurate in displaying the people or even the events of which the movie is about they do give the audience a real emotional connection to the event and people they see on the screen. This often leads people to want to know more about those events and the people who took part in them. The battle of the Alamo in most history books covers a brief page or two about the battle that took place and who was involved. It gives you no insight whatsoever into the kind of men that defended themselves or what their lives were like prior to that one event.

However, watching any one of a number of movies based on that famous battle gives the movie goer a look however, misdirected into the type of men who not only fought the battle, but helped to settle a frontier and makes people want to know more about the real people who fought in that battle why they felt so passionate about the land they felt they were defending. Once hooked on learning more about people such as Davy Crockett and Jim Bridger people begin to get a real look at the people of that time and the events that shaped their character and brings them closer to an understanding about what that one moment in history stood for in the minds of these people.

Whether you are researching the crusades, or learning about Henry the VIII making these people seem alive and real is the best way to create an interest in learning about history and the people who made it.

BACKGROUND STUDY

Television and films are examples. Though the printed word is essential in learning, educators have been taking notice of the new visual and oratory stimuli and incorporated them into classroom teaching.

The purpose of this idea packet is to further introduce teacher colleagues to this methodology and share a compilation of films which may be easily implemented in secondary social studies instruction. Though this project focuses in grades 6-12 social studies we believe that media should be infused into all primary subject areas, from language arts, math, and foreign languages, to science, the arts, physical education, and more.

In this day and age, students have become accustomed to acquiring knowledge through mediums such as television and movies. Though books and text are essential in learning, teachers should take notice of the new visual stimuli. Films are familiar in the everyday lives of students.

Though some teachers and scholars frown upon movies and television, sometimes films open a student’s eyes to a chapter in history. Examples include the popular movie, 300, depicting the Battle of Thermopylae from ancient Greek lore. Though Hollywood takes liberties with historical facts in presenting a movie, students come back to the classroom from the theater with questions.

Will the movie replace the textbook? Never. But the use of film can enhance the learning environment by placing the student in a familiar arena, the movie theater.

As a teacher and scholar, you must emphasize the fact that Hollywood-style movies are fictitious and can take many liberties with facts. Explain to the students the purpose of movies is to entertain and dramatize information. “Based on actual events” or “Inspired by a true story” mean what they say. Remember, the use of films is to provide visual stimulation and understanding. Research the authenticity and historical/factual accuracy of each movie. www.imdb.com is an excellent source. Search under Trivia and Goofs.

WHAT DO STUDENTS LEARN FROM HISTORICAL FEATURE FILMS?

Historical feature films are a popular tool history teachers use to engage their students. But what is it that students actually learn from the films they watch Late Professor Chinua Achebe, a historian and professor of education at the University of British Columbia, showed that while students often empathize with the past they see on the screen, they also approach film history uncritically. Sometimes they even interpret a film’s presentation of history to be as it actually happened. In a landmark article, Achebe described the difficulty students have in analyzing films for historical accuracy.

OBJECTIVE OF STUDY

The aim of this study is to establish that learning via movies can help a student in the following ways:

Intellectual development

• Knowledge of essential life skills

• Knowledge of essential vocational skills

• School success

• Rational habits of mind—critical thinking and reasoning skills

• In-depth knowledge of more than one culture

• Good decision-making skills

• Knowledge of skills needed to navigate through multiple cultural contexts

Psychological and emotional development

• Good mental health including positive self-regard

• Good emotional self-regulation skills

• Good coping skills

• Good conflict resolution skills

• Mastery motivation and positive achievement motivation

• Confidence in one’s personal efficacy

• “Planfulness”—planning for the future and future life events

• Sense of personal autonomy/responsibility for self

• Optimism coupled with realism

• Coherent and positive personal and social identity

• Prosocial and culturally sensitive values

• Spirituality or a sense of a larger purpose in life

• Strong moral character

• A commitment to good use of time

Social development

• Connectedness—perceived good relationships and trust with parents, peers and other adults

• Sense of social place/integration—being connected and valued by larger social networks

• Attachment to prosocial/conventional institutions, such as school, church, nonschool youth programs

• Ability to navigate in multiple cultural contexts

• Commitment to civic engagement

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

This project tends to answer the following questions:

Is there any positive impact of learning with movies?
Does this new trend of learning history with movies really work for all students?
Does this trend have any disadvantages?

RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

H1: Teaching history with movies has a positive impact on the students

H2: Teaching history with movies has a Negative impact on the students

H3: Teaching history with movies has more disadvantages to advantages

H4: Teaching history with movies has more advantages to disadvantages

SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The scope of this study is on secondary school students in Jos North Lpocal Government Area of Platue State.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Strange, not new, but ever more conspicuous – haunts the cultural landscape. Movie makers and television producers have become our most powerful, though perhaps not our most careful, historians. It seems fair to say that more people are getting their history, or what they think is history, from the movies these days than from the standard history books. The phenomenon is probably unavoidable, yet, if the history as presented by the movies turns out to be a muddy blur of fantasy and fact, the consequences cannot be good. In the 16th century, Francis Bacon said that history makes men wise. It follows that bad history, trivialized history, history distorted and sensationalized, can make them foolish.

LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The study of this nature cannot be carried out without difficulties in the process. One of the major limitations encountered in this work is the scarcity of data and material; another is the problem of finance. A study of this nature would require a lot of financial commitment in the area of the researcher moving around and also in the area of the questionnaire distribution.

Definition of Terms
Action (Disaster): Stories whose central struggle plays out mainly through a clash of physical forces.
Adventure: Stories whose central struggle plays out mainly through encounters with new “worlds.”
Comedy: Stories whose central struggle causes hilarious results.
Coming-of-Age Drama: Stories whose central struggle is about the hero finding his or her place in the world.
Crime: Stories whose central struggle is about catching a criminal.
Detective Story/Courtroom Drama: Stories whose central struggle is to find out what really happened
to expose the truth.
Epic/Myth: Stories whose central struggle plays out in the midst of a clash of great forces or in the sweep
of great historical change.
Fantasy: Stories that are animated, or whose central struggle plays out in two worlds — the “real” world
and an imaginary world.
Gangster: Stories whose central struggle is between a criminal and society.
Horror: Stories whose central struggle focuses on escaping from and eventually defeating a monster (either
human or non-human).
Love (Romance): Stories whose central struggle is between two people who each want to win or keep the
love of the other.
Science Fiction: Stories whose central struggle is generated from the technology and tools of a scientifically
imaginable world.
Social Drama: Stories whose central struggle is between a champion and a problem or injustice in society.
Usually the champion has a personal stake in the outcome of the struggle.
Thriller: Stories whose central struggle pits an innocent hero against a lethal enemy who is out to kill him or her.