We all have favorite best spiritual movie, favorite memories relating to movies, and in some cases movies that help us define our lives. While you may not think about it, movies have probably enriched your life.
Movies are stories told in a rich medium. Stories are how we make sense of the world. They hold tremendous power to surprise and delight; to affect in ways far beyond entertainment. Stories, well told on film, can affect our views of ourselves and alter our perspectives of our world. Stories, without question, have made our lives better.
Learning is one of the most important parts of life. In fact, the ability to learn in a multitude of ways is one of our most human qualities. We learn best when we are immersed in a situation, actively involved in the learning process. Movies can help us learn because they wrap us up in a story. If you’ve ever jumped or screamed or cried during a movie, you’ve experienced the power of film.
While most think of movies as entertainment, a diversion or an escape because of their very nature they can be much more than that. As the previous paragraphs show, they likely already have become a source of learning in your life.
The rest of this article will provide you with three specific ways you can consciously use movies to drive your learning and enrich your life:
Asking Reflective Questions
oExploring Your Mental Filters
oCreating Group Conversation
oAsking Reflective Questions
There are some general questions that can be helpful when reviewing a movie – whether to reflect personally or to spark a conversation. These questions can be used with any movie and can be, by themselves, the foundation of meaningful learning opportunities. These core questions include:
