For the Cinema Journal Teaching Dossier, we seek brief pieces on the subject of online teaching in film and media studies. At many institutions, online teaching is not just a prospect for the future – it is here, today. This dossier seeks to assemble articles from those who have braved this new pedagogical frontier and can speak of its benefits and difficulties. Our field carries particular challenges: how to teach film studies, for instance, without the ability to lead students through discussions of individual clips, how to make screening material available without transgressing copyright laws, and how to design meaningful assignments.
This dossier invites articles and multi-media presentations on all aspects of online teaching. In particular, we would like to see contributions that provide examples of assignments and student work.
Important issues include:
- Why are universities and colleges turning to online pedagogy?
- What are its benefits and deficits from the teacher’s side? The student’s side? The institution’s side?
- How do we make screening material available to students: online? On reserve at the library? Have them find it themselves?
- What are the issues, copyright and other, involved with showing video clips and other media online?
- How is the process of designing assignments different than for classroom courses?
- What successful interactions have you designed for your online course?
- How do you maintain student interaction in the absence of face-to-face communication, and approximate sense of community that emerges from the classroom setting?
- How can we ensure student retention and engagement in online courses?
- What can we learn through online teaching that can be incorporated into a more traditional classroom setting?
- Hybrid/blended learning – the halfway house between classroom and online education.
We are particularly interested in having an essay from a student who has recently completed an online course giving their perspective on the platform. If you know anyone who might be appropriate, please put them in touch with us.
Submit a 250-word abstract for a proposed 1500-word essay, briefly describing the essay topic, and a 150-word biography to Murray Leeder ([email protected]) and George S. Larke-Walsh ([email protected]), by November 3. The completed essay (including all images and links) will be due on January 5.
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