Blackwell Reference Online

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Comment on this article   A humorous interpretation of the phrase “teaching with media” was the comment by a professional colleague who, when challenged to show proof of the use of multimedia resources in his classroom, retorted that he was the multimedia resource. For the purposes of this chapter, teaching with media addresses the use of literature, film, political cartoons, television programming, newspapers, music, and blogs and other internet-driven resources. It is an evolving set of resources often constrained only by the imagination of the instructor. The span of useful materials can range from thousands-of-years-old biblical novellas such as the book of Esther to the most recent hip-hop verse. There are many advantages to using media sources in the classroom. Most commentators address how media outlets open new directions for classroom discussion while offering alternative insights about content. Although each media type reviewed offers unique applications, some common qualities for teaching include their ability to place political and social events into narratives and contexts, and their ability to increase student interest. Several professional associations of political science and international affairs highlight the importance of alternative media and pedagogy for their disciplines through membership subsections. In addition to the resources available through the International ... log in or subscribe to read full text