6 Advantages of Movies as an Educational Tool

The subject of using movies as an educational instrument is one that draws varying sentiments, as most critics consider showing movies in classes, not an educationally oriented activity. However, numerous teachers have been using movies to help their students better understand the topics taught.

On the other hand, some tertiary level students take advantage of movies to enlighten themselves beyond what is taught by lecturers and supervisors. Using movies as an educational tool can significantly help in improving the success rate of students academically. Following are six benefits associated with movies as a learning tool:
• Provides profound details for better understanding
• Acts as an interest-building activity
• They leave a lasting impression
• They make learning fun
• Students can relate concepts with real experiences
• They’re a Source of Inspiration

The fact that movies are engaging can be utilized to the advantage of students. While some of the concerns expressed by parents, such as addiction to movies, are legitimate, proper planning movies can be greatly helpful in enabling students to learn better. The film has a vital role in promoting learning efficiency among students. Let’s take a look at each advantage in detail.
Provides Profound Details for Better Understanding

It is undeniable that visual cues are better at expressing certain elements that text wouldn’t comprehensively convey. Where emotions are involved, a movie would be much efficient in enabling a student to capture and feel the moment compared to how a written material would. Some individuals have a slow rate of understanding, and the use of a movie to teach the same concept would enable them to comprehend much faster. It is for these reasons that movies are efficient expressive in giving students a better understanding of concepts.

Acts as an Interest-Building Activity
Stories are awesome as they capture a person’s attention and takes them to an imaginary domain. Most people love stories; they just have a way of hooking us up. Movies are awesome tools for building interest among students in regards to a specific concept.

A particular topic may appear boring until one watches a good movie that relates to concepts covered in the topic. If a regular learning session comes across as monotonous, taking some time to watch an interesting movie often reignites students’ interest in the subject covered.

They Leave a Lasting Impression
It is amazing how people recall films they watched several years ago without any trouble and would give an account of what transpired in the movies. This is because this media leaves a lasting impression. Watching relevant movies as a student helps in enhancing memory; therefore, one can recall concepts with ease. When sitting for an exam, there are high chances of a student who watched a related movie remembering what was taught. Otherwise, a student may have trouble remembering concepts not only during exams but also when handling assignments. In such a case, a student has the option of going for essay writing services to help with academic tasks at hand.

They Make Learning Fun
The fact that movies are entertaining cannot be overlooked. Showing educational movies in classrooms and lecture halls brings about some fun in learning. Whether it’s a documentary, most students will love it and will become livelier during learning sessions.

Students Can Relate Concepts With Real Experiences
The ability to associate concepts being taught in class and occurrences in real-life situations is a vital aspect in enabling a student to understand better. Movies help in translating what’s in the book into life scenarios. For example, if a student is learning about climate change, watching a documentary on this subject would help the student understand much better by associating the climate change concept with factors such as global warming, as seen in the documentary.

They Are a Source of Inspiration
Movies are not only entertaining but also are a source of inspiration depending on an individual’s orientation. The catch here is always to show a movie that relates to the topic covered or one that is to be covered. Once a student becomes engaged, and their attention is on the flow of the movie, they are likely to draw inspiration from there. For example, a medical student may be inspired by a documentary on the successful operation of the conjoined babies performed years ago.

Movies Are Resourceful in Fostering Learning Efficiency
Despite not being a tradition in the formal education sector, movies have proven to be effective tools in helping students develop an interest in concepts taught and better understand their coursework. The most important thing is always to outline objectives for watching a movie with the topics covered in mind. Also, it is vital to select the most relevant movies for optimal gain in as far as learning is concerned. Another factor worth considering is the length of a movie. When used correctly, movies are reliable tools for helping students learn efficiently.