CMS 525 A: Cinema and Media Studies Pedagogy

This seminar explores some of the fundamental and practical matters of teaching at the college level, with particular focus on the area of cinema and media studies. It proceeds from the assumption that there is no one right way to teach. Individual teachers develop their own set of preferred techniques that more or less change over time, based on personal experience, background, and interest, depending on the particular students and learning situation, and often in relation to broader social, institutional, and pedagogical developments. Learning to teach means doing what you will to become the most effective teacher you can be in order to best serve your students, your department, and yourself. In a way, it’s a life-long process. But it’s also a profession rooted in tradition, bound by responsibility, and bent on innovation. This seminar creates opportunities for you to observe, practice, experiment, and reflect both individually and as a group – to join a community of teachers dedicated to student learning.