Although “Hollywood films are not substitutes for more scholarly sources of information” they do have a role in teaching. For example they can help us framing questions. (Harper and Rogers). Seyforth and Golde argue that because contemporary college students are immersed in popular culture—including film—they need to learn to approach media with a critical eye. This concern is shared by Aaron Lierberman who warns that instructors must guard against any danger that students will accept film depictions as real, as truisms or facts.”

This is, of course, not a contemporary issue. For example, my understanding of the Battle of Thermopylae came from The 300 Spartans (1962). I was mesmerized at some of the ingenious battle techniques developed as a way to confront the Persians; techniques I now know to be inaccurate.

Showing a film such as 300 in an ancient world history class is a good strategy for helping students frame questions about the ancient world while teaching them they need to be critical about how media influences how they approach the world.

When I show the film, I will ask students to keep track of questions they have. These questions can be anything from historical accuracy to small points that catch their interests. It makes no difference what the questions are. Students will simply generate a list of questions.

The next step after watching 300 is to go to the library where students can begin to find the answer to one or more of their questions. To do so, they will consult with the reference librarian, find books, search the electronic databases, and utilize other research techniques. Because the main purpose of this assignment is to expose them to research methodology while learning about the ancient world, I will encourage them to follow their interests.

This semester, after doing their initial research, we will watch The 300 Spartans, conduct additional research, and then watch the documentary Last Stand of the 300.

When I use a single film for this lesson, students end up giving a short presentation over what they found. This semester, I am not sure exactly what the final product will be. But I do know that as a result of teaching the Battle of Thermopylae through film, students will learn basic research and critical thinking skills they can apply to other course projects. They should also learn skills so that they can better approach media with a critical eye.

–Steven L. Berg, PhD

Works Cited

Harper, Ruth E. and Lawrence E. Rogers. “Using Feature Films to Teach Human Development Concepts.” Journal of Humanistic Counseling, Education, and Development 38.2 (1999): 89-97. Academic Search Complete. Web. 22 January 2012.

Lieberman, Aaron. “Use of Film Media as a Didactic Tool.” Encounter: Education for Meaning and Social Justice 15.4 (2002): 30-38. Academic Search Complete. Web. 22 January 2012.

Seyforth, Scott C. and Chris M. Golde. “Beyond the Paper Chase: Using Movies to Help Students Get More Out of College.” About Campus (2001): 2-9. Web. 22 January 2012.