The Juxtaposition of Film Education: Explorations for Implementing a Film Curriculum in Public Schools

This thesis is based on the belief that film should be treated with the same respect and inclusion that the fine arts receive in public school curricula. Also, this thesis is based on the belief that as technology and media expands in our society students should be further prepared to work in a world that utilizes this technology. This thesis is approached from personal and professional interests in both the film and art education fields and investigates whether film classes should be more present in public schools’ curricula and, if so, what are some of the best ways to offer film classes to students. The key method of investigation in this thesis is a survey and questionnaire, which guides the thesis project and informs future teaching possibilities. The questionnaire and study examines responses from several school districts in regards to their film courses and their take on the current state of these courses. Their input contributed to a proposed yearlong high school film curriculum for school districts to integrate film into their current art department, which was developed and presented as a key component of this thesis project. The information available in this study can assist teachers and school administrators in recognizing how film can deepen students’ learning and further prepare them for a technological and media-driven society