The Ministry of Education Film Experiment : From Post-War Visual Education to 21st Century Literacy

This book uncovers a unique post-war film production programme and explores how this first British government intervention into ‘visual education’ is relevant to film education today. In 1943 the Ministry of Education took the decision to sponsor production of an experimental programme of nonfiction films specifically for the classroom. Almost 70 years later, the British Film Institute launched a new strategic development plan, at the centre of which was the aim to prove the value of ‘21st century literacy’ to Government and embed film in the school curriculum. This aim had been the focus of film education initiatives in previous decades, without resolution. Through archival research into original documents and the films, The Ministry of Education Film Experiment builds a story of conflict and collaboration between the Ministry and the filmmakers, offering an insight into why the struggle for government recognition of film education still remains. "This book uncovers a unique post-war film production programme and explores how this first British government intervention into 'visual education' is relevant to film education today. In 1943 the Ministry of Education took the decision to sponsor production of an experimental programme of nonfiction films specially for the classroom. Almost 70 years later, the British Film Institute launched a new strategic development plan, at the centre of which was the aim to prove the value of '21st century literacy' to Government and embed film in the school curriculum. This aim has been the focus of film education initiatives in previous decades, without resolution. Through archival research into original documents and the films, The Ministry of Education Film Experiment builds a story of conflict and collaboration between the Ministry and the filmmakers, offering an insight into why the struggle for government recognition of film education still remains."-- Provided by publisher Front Matter....Pages i-xxiii Introduction: 21st Century Literacy....Pages 1-9 Education in Post-War Britain....Pages 11-33 Film and Education....Pages 35-61 The Ministry of Education Film Experiment....Pages 63-94 Nonfiction Film: Theoretical Frameworks....Pages 95-114 Film Analysis....Pages 115-158 Evaluation and Distribution....Pages 159-180 From Visual Education to 21st Century Literacy....Pages 181-206 Back Matter....Pages 207-232