About project “Small step for film, a big one for European citizenship”
Find more on our project blog https://smallstepforafilm.wordpress.com
This partnership gathers schools (from Croatia, Italy, Spain and Poland and their students age from 13 to 15 ) experienced in school film production. Partnership is based on mutual attitude that films produced in schools are resource not used enough in class and are mostly invisible after showcase on festivals or contests. Partners are connected around the idea of creating their own media content, especially film, as a great method of developing media literacy. We all agree that media literacy is closely related to active engagement in democratic life, to citizenship and the ability to exercise judgment critically and independently as well as to reflect on one’s own actions, and can thereby enhance young people’s resilience in the face of extremist messages and disinformation.
Our goal is to encourage our schools to use the method of creating films as a successful teaching tool at school. We would like to popularise it and show both teachers and students how effective it can be, especialy in Civic Education classes.
Key results of our project will be:
– 8 films on topic from civic education produced by students from our schools
– International repository of films on the subject from civic education (repository will contain films
made during this project and also films from other schools in partner countries)
– 16 workshops (in print and in form of e-book) appropriate for using in civic education
– film festival – during which we will present films made in this project and films from other schools in our countries
– project blog
To achieve planned results and objectives of the project, activities will be divided in 6 modules.
- Learn about film (elements – film crew (camera operator, director, screenwriter….); filming (frame, plan, filming angle, camera movements, zooming, light); sound in film; synopsis, shooting script; film montage)
- Time for school film (elements – watching films, analysing of film elements (genres, characteristics of the genres, content, and message of the film). Launching and edithing the film repository. Teaching the usage of different web2 tools to present their opinion on films
- Exploring topic for films (elements – learning about the topic from Civic Education handbook, getting information on the topic from media, discussing with film section mentors
- Film production (elements – script writing, working with actors, selecting collocutor (if documentary is filmed), filming and montage)
- Preparation of workshops for our films (elements- creating workshops (teachers), practising some of the workshops in school, publishing workshops)
- International short- term exchanges (elements -exchanging attitudes towards problems; practicing and analysing workshop which are in the focus of the project; presentation of the films made during the project)
- Dissemination of the repository, workshops, and films (elements – dissemination through visiting schools and presenting workshops in classes, via different media, through repository with films, printed and e-publications)
Planned activities will be achieved through following methods:
– guided film watching
– film discussion
– presentation skills using web 2 tools
– methods of demonstration and practical independent work
– research methods
– creative expression
– information processing
– international exchange and dialogue
We expect that our project will affirm use of the film in Civic Education classes and increase visibility of children films produced in school film sections. We expect that students will show better understanding for importance of EU Citizenship – civic activism, gender equality, discrimination, and migrants’ issues that will be in focus of this project. Structuring the film concept is expected to have an impact on students reception of objective and manipulative media content which will improve their critical thinking. It is also expected that students and teachers will improve ICT and English language skills. Everything will contribute to building their self-confidence and interest in collaborating with others and different as well as perception of themselves as European and world citizens.
Project will also influence empowering wish for innovation in teaching, comparison of educational systems and exchange of examples of good practice especially in field of Civic and Media Education. The project will have impact on openness of teachers towards synergy with associations and organizations working in Media and Civic Education. It will improve teachers organizational skills especially in terms of conducting projects that will contribute to their career.
Workshops and repository contents will be available in all languages of project partners and in English as well. That will enable insight in mutual aspects of this films, culture they are coming from and their diversities. Our repsitory can serve as an example for making the similar repositories in other countries.