Dear Colleagues in the ENG and HUM Disciplines:
Both the Academic Master Plan and the recent HLC visit underscore the need to develop new courses in order for OCC to remain fresh and relevant. As requested by the campus curriculum committee, please share any feedback you may have regarding the following possibilities by the beginning of the fall 2008 semester. Take the summer to reflect; share your thoughts in detail. Thanks! Gina Fournier, RO/S ENG
Do you think there is a need for an advanced nonfiction writing course offered in the English department to follow the ENG 1510 and ENG 1520 series?
Do you think there is a need for any writing courses offered in the English department using film instead of traditional texts?
Do you think there is a need for an advanced writing course offered in the Humanities department using film instead of traditional texts?
11 comments:
I think that you can make a pitch for this, especially given trends in comp/rhet theory that emphasize the value of visual literacy as a critical skill. If I'm still on curriculum committee next year, I'll give you my vote.
--Joe Helminski, Highland
Thanks Joe. While I understand that film people have some proprietary concerns, I know we can figure out a way to share. A student in Comp I said to me, unsolicited, just the other day, "I wish we could write about films instead of books." I do not believe we should replace Comp I and Comp II with film-based versions. However, I believe film-based electives might very nicely augment traditional comp courses, improve student communication and and strengthen critical thinking outcomes. Plus, fewer students might say they "hate" writing! :)
Thanks for the invitation to respond to the lavender memo titled Exploring New Course Possibilities. I have concern with the ENG XXXX: Writing about Film proposal since it appears to be very similar to HUM 1900, Introduction to the Film, which also includes writing as a way to evaluate critical thinking (among other outcomes).
Here is the HUM 1900 course description in case you are unfamiliar with it.
HUM 1900 Introduction to the Film 3 Credits
General Education Attributes: 2, 4, 8
The student will identify the major artistic, technical, historical, social, economic, and entertainment aspects of the film by viewing, analyzing, evaluating, and discussing selected examples of motion pictures.
Your course description for the proposed ENG course is much better written, however I do have a concern with some of the assumptions. First, and this can be debated, Motion Pictures are only considered an extension of literature in one very narrow sense of understanding the discipline and form. Most film theorists do not consider film an extension of literature (although literature can be adapted to film, as is already taught in HUM 2900). Film is primarily a visual medium, although it eventually borrows from all art forms, including performance and sound.
Additionally, your description does not state clearly that films will be viewed…I assume “researching multiple mass media sources” is what you mean by this. or that “students will analyze topics such as ..., …supported by various films and other sources.
Currently all sections of HUM 1900 is heavily supported by film viewing and subsequent analysis through discussion and writing.
With such a similarity to HUM 1900, I would not support this course proposal in its current form and I would assume that all members of the FILM discipline would also have concerns similar to my own.
However, a SPECIAL TOPICS in FILM course is currently in the catalog and allows for a variety of topics. Perhaps one or more of the areas of interest in your proposal (gender, race, class, age, ethnic identity, sexual identity, body image and ideology) would be better suited as a SPECIAL TOPICS course.
Best
Robert Andersen
Film - AH
248-232-4043
from Jack Cronin:
Hi Gina,
I also have to take issue with the assumption that film is an extension of traditional literature. Certainly there are connections, just as film has connections to theatre, photography, etc. But to say that motion pictures are "recognized as an extension of traditional literature," even if you're only referring to narrative filmmaking, does not strike me as a fair assumption. It also becomes acutely problematic in the context of documentary or avant-garde cinema. Not to belabor this, but in my opinion, film is first and foremost a visual medium - its primary mode of communication is the cinematic image.
Are other schools using films instead of texts in their English Comp classes?
On close examination, many of the concepts you list in your description are ones that I do cover in my HUM 1900 class - but certainly not in great depth. I would encourage you to focus the class on a particular topic - to be explored, and written about, in depth.
I also think the course would be better as an upper-level advanced writing class - with prerequisites. We have HUM 1900 as the prereq. for all of our other film classes. Students should start with the foundation of a general survey class.
I believe you mentioned there was a concern about who would be qualified to teach the class - has this been addressed? Could anyone in ENG teach it? Would a Masters in Film be required?
I'm all in favor of expanding the film offerings - but I do think Bob raises some valid concerns.
Best,
Jack
from Jim Halleman
Hi--
I agree with Jack that Film is primarily a visual medium. I've been told by publishers' reps that many Comp teachers across the country use film to teach writing. When some of them discovered that I have a theme every semester in my Intro to Film, I was encouraged by them to try to write film text for use in Comp classes--apparently books for such instructors are not thick on the ground.
Jim Hallemann
from Steve Berman
Hi Gina:
Bob Anderson let me read your response about creating a composition course based on film. I wanted to let you know that I developed the courses and wrote the course descriptions for the two most recent film courses: HUM 2100--Topics in Film and HUM 2900--Literature into Film. For Topics in Film, I had help from Karen Robinson and James Haldeman from HL English. The reason the course descriptions are vague is because we want to allow for different teaching styles. Aren’t course descriptions supposed to be vague?
I remember when you brought this issue up on Discipline Day. It was my impression that the English Discipline suggested that you do a topics course in ENG or even focus your ENG 1510 or 1520 course on writing about films. This surprised me because I’ve gotten flack from the rhetoric faction about teaching Shakespeare and/or fiction in ENG 1520. Imagine that. Even for literacy courses, the required readings are always non fiction. What’s important to me in ENG 1520 is that students have to develop and support their interpretation or evaluation of those works, making their interpretation or evaluation an argument. This is true too when I use a film in ENG 1520.
I’m sure you know too that film is by itself a legitimate art form that is immeasurably different than written fiction. So many other art forms aside from story-telling are incorporated into the making of a film. These art forms are not part of the written word: cinematography, editing, acting, set and costume design, sound, lighting, etc. This collaboration, along with all the technical concerns of filmmaking, needs to be considered when teaching film. Indeed, the screenplay, the initial written version of the film is rarely adhered to in the making of a film. I know this because ten years ago as an English instructor at OCC I earned 21 graduate credits from Wayne State to become qualified to teach film. While taking these classes, I realized that making a film is much different than writing a novel and “reading” a film is much different than reading a book. Teaching film is a whole ‘nother ballgame. Although I am sure that some film instructors spend a lot of time showing films in class, I show eight or nine films a semester, but I also have students write several papers and work in groups. I am confident too that most film instructors at OCC provide the kind of challenge OCC students need to have to learn about film.
I don’t think I would ask my students to watch a clip from a film and write about it without viewing the entire film. Too much context would be lost. Likewise, I never ask my students to write a paper that deals only with story elements of the film (plot, theme, character). This would do a great injustice to the art of filmmaking itself. The other filmic elements need to be incorporated as well.
Steve Berman
AH-ENG
Thanks to everyone for all responses. There's much worthwhile talk here, which is appreciated.
And with such swift response!
Doesn't anyone need summer vacation to think? :)
Not in order:
Hi Steve,
I don't want to use special topics for Comp I and Comp II because I don't want to displace my present book review/enourage reading theme, which is working very well. Students need to learn how to read and enjoy books primarily from their English classes.
I'm interested in an upper level elective.
Importantly, using film to help students learn and study composition does not mean studying film in the way film majors study film. That distinction is key.
ENG department classes using film instead of books would not study film production, film history, or film theory. The class would not be about films.
Students would write about social and cultural issues found in films, like class, gender and race, which are also talked about and present in the rest of the culture. A film masters or doctorate are not necessary to teach an ENG class in this way.
A student might write about body image issues as found in "Shallow Hall" and "Real Women Have Curves." She might also include evidence from other media like advertising, as evidenced by a company like Jenny Criag, but primarily she would support her argument with the help from of the OCC databases.
There are many ways to approach writing about film.
I never assign one-size-fits-all writing topics to writing students, and wouldn't do so in a Writing About Film ENG course. In my writing classes, students devise their own writing and research projects. I'll never going back to assigning content in a class designed to teach processes. I find that students are much more enthusiastic with ownership and coaching.
My undergraduate degree is in film. The class I am envisioning could be taught by any ENG instructor.
Hi Jim,
Looking for ENG instructors to write comp books on writing about film, eh? That sounds very interesting. And supports my idea.
I'd be interested in the names of such book reps. . . Please pass along, if you could.
Thanks!
Otherwise, some thoughts. Again, I appreciate the feedback. (I just didn't expect it so soon!)
There are many ways to talk about film from a film major's perspective:
-film history
-film theory
-film production
-film genre
-and many more, I'm sure
An ENG Writing About Film course would touch none of these items!
Yes, I am drawing on my experience writing my book but I would not teach or assign my book (Thelma & Louise and Women in Hollywood film, McFarland & Co. Pub), though it would probably end up on a reading list.
I haven't thought about an assigned reading list, but I would definitely include somehow Martha Lauzen's work at San Diego State University. She counts things found in Hollywood's top grossing films, like the number of lead roles for women and men, and she also tracks things in Hollywood's top grosing films, like the jobs male and female characters hold. Very interesting stuff.
Other schools are offering "Media Literacy" courses and "Visual Literarcy" courses in ENG departments.
I dropped any reference to the connection between ENG and film, but it's interesting so many took objection.
I've always been drawn to film history and Hollywood narrative film, more than film theory or the edges of avant garde experimental cinema. The Hollywood silent filmmakers definitely saw themselves extending theater and drama. To them, the written word was essential.
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