Nguyen, N. N. (2023). From media users to media-enhanced knowledge creators: Identifying issues with integrating feature films and television series into university teaching (Publication No. 137474) [Doctoral dissertation, The University of Adelaide]. Adelaide Research and Scholarship. https://hdl.handle.net/2440/137474

Abstract:

“For many decades, feature films and television series (FF/TV) have been used by university lecturers across disciplines as instructional materials. The audio-visual, narrative and affective qualities of FF/TV serve a range of learning objectives: they provide emotional and cognitive engagement; illustrations of abstract concepts and real-life phenomena; opportunities to develop critical thinking; and models for film analysis and production. However, FF/TV are designed by entertainers to achieve certain responses in viewers; thus when repurposed in teaching, FF/TV can have unintentional effects on student learning. FF/TV integration in the classroom therefore requires special attention. This thesis asks how university lecturers can better utilise the potential of FF/TV in their teaching. What do lecturers already know and do in this space, and in what ways have institutions and academic developers been enabling the teaching practices with FF/TV? What are the key considerations that lecturers need to know in order to effectively integrate pre-made mass-consumed multimodal media content and technologies such as FF/TV into their pedagogy? What training and teaching evaluation resources would be useful to help transform lecturers from FF/TV users to creators of FF/TV-enhanced knowledge? The thesis opens with an exploration of the background context of using FF/TV in university teaching that inspired this research. It then provides an explanation of the theoretical underpinnings related to visual literacy and film literacy. This leads to a discussion of relevant learning theories (Cognitive Load Theory, Dual Learning Theory and the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia), followed by their pedagogical implications and an outline of the TPACK model for designing effective teaching. Then, the thesis discusses a mixed-methods research design which was conducted to answer the research questions. The collection process started with website analysis of Australian Group of Eight (Go8) universities to ascertain what academic development (AD) training opportunities and resources were available to lecturers to learn how to use multimodal media technologies in their teaching. This was followed by an online survey and semi-structured interviews with lecturers at Australian universities. These aimed to investigate lecturers’ current levels of awareness, knowledge and skills related to FF/TV integration in teaching, as well as their access to institutional guidance and support in this space. A total of 50 survey responses (from 21 disciplines) and 18 interviews (from 8 disciplines) were analysed through the lens of crossdisciplinary theoretical frameworks (e.g., visual and film literacy, cognitive load and dual coding theories, TPACK) to identify the key themes regarding the pedagogical integration of FF/TV into teaching. Five results chapters report the research findings. The first of these discusses merits and challenges when integrating FF/TV into teaching, establishing the imperative of developing an effective pedagogy for using these materials. The second results chapter investigates the current state of academic development related to using FF/TV in university teaching; it demonstrates that institutions generally prioritise risk management over assisting lecturers in the pedagogical integration of FF/TV and should provide more targeted guidance and training for this teaching practice. The third results chapter explores the knowledge and skills related to three types of technology – film production, film delivery, film integration – which are often overlooked in studies about teaching with FF/TV; it recommends that both lecturers and institutions need to consider the relationships between technology, pedagogy and disciplinary expertise in implementing any technological provision, integration or change. The fourth results chapter provides a practical account of teaching with FF/TV, from selection of materials and instructional design to delivery and assessment, in order to demonstrate the complex decision-making required to achieve effective FF/TV integration into teaching. The fifth results chapter discusses the importance of evaluating teaching from multiple sources to accurately assess and improve the effectiveness of pedagogies involving FF/TV. The concluding chapter addresses the research questions by summarising and discussing future implications of the research findings about formal training, engaging with technologies, an emerging pedagogy to collecting and applying teaching evaluation. Ultimately, this research raises our collective awareness about the immense educational potential of FF/TV – both as instructional content and media technology – that has been lying dormant within disciplinary boundaries and individual limitations. The thesis asserts the pedagogical appeal of FF/TV by harnessing the existing wealth of knowledge and experience about FF/TV in teaching to provide a systematic research-informed guide for building a stronger foundation for pedagogies involving FF/TV. This thesis shows that it is possible to carry forward the quality of FF/TV-enhanced pedagogies across all disciplines and teaching levels.”