| This qualitative inquiry explores the most effective means of using Hollywood films in an eighth grade American history class at a junior high school in the Pacific Northwest. As no established best practices for engaging Hollywood films in the classroom have been developed, this inquiry explores five methods of engaging films in this classroom including: full documentary viewing, full Hollywood film viewing, documentaries as the primary instruction, documentary and film viewing, and using three Hollywood film clips from separate films that cover the same historical event. Each method of film integration is explored through the summative and formative assessments of the class, but also through the observational indicators of seven students that span the racial, ethnic, gender, and socioeconomic strata of the class. Findings in this study suggest the need for greater research into the most effective means of using this widely unsubstantiated methodology in our public instruction. |
