Special Effects Research into distinctive learning outcomes associated with film NFER/ BFI Research Team: Cary Bazalgette bfi John Harland Megan Jones NFER Kay KinderNFER Pippa LordNFER John Potter IoE Mark Reid bfi

Research Aims Aim 1: to identify the distinctive learning outcomes from moving image education 1.1 to describe and provide evidence for the effects on young people from moving image education 1.2 to cross-compare the data with existing research in other artforms 1.3 to explore the development of skills and outcomes (immediate and longer term outcomes)

Research Aims 2 and to provide accounts of the pedagogic processes. Contents, context, and models of practice in the cases explored, in order to describe the kinds of creative learning involved 2.2 to explore how creative learning might embed longer term in teaching, learning, and practice 3.1 to map longer term outcomes onto contextual features

Research approaches and timescale Case studies of 9 Creative Partnerships film projects across England Focus on 6 pupils in each project pre-, during, and post- project interviews with pupils, teacher, artist one observation during project, with pupil focus group post- questionnaire of all pupils involved in project Case studies begun December 2005; completed, with follow-up interviews, late Autumn 2006 Project reports in Spring 2007; will ‘strip through’ case studies and report on each of the Aims.

Strong and weak outcomes Technical skills in film-making Social and collaborative skills Single outcome (ie a film) Lots of pleasure! No aesthetic knowledge or development No individual expression No increase in cultural knowledge or understanding of film

Other findings: Very little teacher involvement: film-maker led Young people rarely edited their own work Not embedded in a curriculum or longer process No progression in learning identified or planned for

Recommendations Network of CPD - develop teachers’ creative and aesthetic abilities Integrate the ‘3 Cs’: creative, critical, cultural Understand learning, and learning progression Decide which model of practice - industry? Or education?

Research published at: Google: ‘NFER BFI Special Effects research’ Film: Literacy for 21st Century A Strategy for Film Education in the UK Lifeblood of Democracy? BFI/ OfCom

Themes and Issues: Film-specific Editing (attitudes of participants; as part of film pedagogy; in relation to logistics) Pupil ownership (specifically copyright/ IPR, ownership of rushes, or outcomes) Technology (perceptions of, understanding of, ‘partnership’ role in meaning-making) Presentation of self (visual, time-based medium and how it represents you; in/visibility; credit sequences)

Themes and Issues: Non-film specific ‘Projects’ and what they entail Novelty, difference, variation