Subject: Issues in Mexican Culture: From the Text to the Screen
Class Size: 22 students
Class Type: Seminar
Problem: Improve student engagement
Solution: Model student engagement and participation through multimedia presentations
Matteo Cantarello’s Issues in Mexican Culture class asks students to analyze texts and films pertinent to Mexican culture, which requires consistent participation from students in their coursework and in class discussion. Matteo found that as students got used to the structure of the class, they became less and less engaged, significantly decreasing participation. Additionally, Matteo found a need to bridge units so students could keep up with what was happening in the class.
In watching how his students learned, Matteo noticed that they were visual learners who engaged much more with videos than with texts. At the beginning of each class, Matteo has begun showing Panopto videos that he has recorded with eLi’s light board setup, which he uses to bridge the gaps between units and introduce students to upcoming material. Additionally, Matteo uses Panopto to show videos of Mexican film over which he records his own commentary on cinematography, guiding students through what he calls the “other language” of film. After students observe how Matteo analyzes a film clip, they are then able to present similar analysis in class using terms and ideas gleaned from the Panopto commentary.
Matteo’s use of multimedia presentations has helped to draw students in and make sure class structure is not too stale. He has found that by taking the pedagogical theory he already knows, applying it to the techniques afforded by Panopto, and planning class with these techniques in mind, he is able to effectively use elearning tools. The next step for him is expanding this type of presentation to class readings, which presents more of a challenge, as text is much less conducive to video commentary.
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