Christopher Eliot (eliot@cs.umass.edu)
Thu, 19 Aug 1999 08:04:50 -0400 (EDT)
Date: Thu, 19 Aug 1999 08:04:50 -0400 (EDT) From: Christopher Eliot <eliot@cs.umass.edu> Subject: ITS/Ethnographic Film
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I am now consulting with a documentary film producer and distributor
who is interested in creating distance learning software. I am trying
to develop a concept based upon my experience researching intelligent
tutoring systems and the established use of ethnographic
film. Currently, these films are used with k12 and college
classrooms. A series of three films about the Kalahari Bushmen is
currently in production and will be shown on public television in the
United States.
I am trying to understand how educators currently use films in a
classroom setting and how an intelligent tutoring system could best
suport this kind of learning. I am also interested in providing
educational support for a public television audience. This may be a
distinct problem.
I assume that most educators will show an educational film to a class,
encourage discussion and try to help students develop theories based
upon observation of the filmed events. My primary concept is to
somehow encourage students to engage in a similar mental process by
interacting with the software.
One way this might be implemented is to link frames in the film with
observations and then link observations with theories that are
supported or refuted by the observation. The student would be asked
if he agrees or disagrees with a theory, and then lead through the
film evidence for and against the theory.
Alternatively, or in conjunction with such a system, there is a vast
amount of data supporting statements in the documentary films. There
are maps, geneological records, government documents and academic
books and papers that could be organized and put onto the
world-wide-web.
Do any of you have thoughts about this? Do you use ethnographic films
in your classrooms? Would you use a WWW-based resource such as I have
described? Can you suggest alternative ideas for the system? Do you
know of similar or related resources that already exist?
-Chris Eliot
Documentary Educational Resources
http://der.org/docued
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Computer Science
University of Massachusetts, Amherst 01003. (413) 545-4248 FAX: 545-1249
ELIOT@cs.umass.edu, <http://www.cs.umass.edu/~eliot/>
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