Welcome!

The idea for this blog has been "marinating" for quite some time. We live in a world where youth draw upon electronic and popular media for much of their information, and where some classroom techniques and learning formats seem out of sync with their audience. In an effort to think about how to incorporate different mediums into the learning process, it seems logical to incorporate movies and television into the curriculum as tool for learning.

As a sociologist of education, and a self-proclaimed TV junkie, I am interested in what messages are communicated about education through film and TV- about the purpose of education, the role of teachers and students, how individuals and groups within schools are portrayed, race and gender relations, and so on. While there are literally hundreds of films and television shows about education, teachers, students, parents of students, I think there is much to learn about the messages that are communicated to us as an audience.

On one hand, this blog will help us understand and unpack those messages. On the other hand, education in film and TV can be seen as a tool for the classroom- to teach students about various aspects of education, but also to critique how education is portrayed. The majority of the blog will focus on education in film and TV, but at times (as with the first post), other mediums will be included (e.g., documentaries, music, and Broadway plays).

I hope you enjoy this site and find the information interesting. If you have ideas for films or television shows that you would like to see posted, please let me know (this includes possible guest posts).

I look forward to your comments and feedback!

Casey E. George-Jackson, Ph.D.
University of Illinois