The Experiences and Perceptions of Students
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THE EXPERIENCES AND PERCEPTIONS OF STUDENTS EXPOSED TO POPULAR FILM AS A PEDAGOGIC TOOL IN COUNSELOR EDUCATION: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY A dissertation presented to the faculty of the College of Education of Ohio University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy Charles Vance Lindsey June 2005 © 2005 Charles Vance Lindsey All Rights Reserved This dissertation entitled THE EXPERIENCES AND PERCEPTIONS OF STUDENTS EXPOSED TO POPULAR FILM AS A PEDAGOGIC TOOL IN COUNSELOR EDUCATION: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY BY CHARLES V. LINDSEY has been approved for the Department of Counseling and Higher Education and the College of Education by Thomas E. Davis Professor and Chair of Counseling and Higher Education James L. Heap Dean, College of Education LINDSEY, CHARLES V. Ph.D. June 2005. Counselor Education The Experiences and Perceptions of Students Exposed to Popular Film as a Pedagogic Tool in Counselor Education: An Exploratory Study (322pp.) Director of Dissertation: Thomas E. Davis This constructivist grounded theory research study explored Master’s level counselor education students’ perceptions and experiences of being exposed to popular film clips for pedagogic purposes in the classroom. Over an eight month period, students in seven different counselor education courses were exposed to pedagogic film clip experiences in their classrooms. From this group of students drawn from two Midwestern universities, three rounds of face-to-face individual interviews and a focus group were conducted and forty participants described their classroom film experiences. Transcriptions of the interviews and focus group were used to gather data and to develop a constructivist grounded theory. Participants’ descriptions of their experiences and perceptions indicated that students engage in a complex experiential meaning-making process as a result of exposure to and discussion of their film experiences. This experiential meaning-making process involves students making assessments regarding the level at which they will engage with the film experience, and includes personal reactions that surface for students. The experiential meaning-making process is also evident as students interact and discuss their film experiences within the social context of the classroom; as they attempt to connect the film clip material with course content; and as they integrate the film experience into their learning. Students’ experiential meaning-making processes, dynamics of engagement, personal reaction experiences, social interaction processes, and involvement with cycling course content as a result of film experiences mutually influence each other. Students who participated in this study also described the significance of peer interaction and a positive and encouraging classroom environment in their experiential meaning-making processes. Students further endorsed film clips as being a powerful tool for those who are visually-oriented, and emphasized that the clips assisted in bringing course concepts to life. Additionally, students described their film experiences as being most effective when clips are introduced, delivered, and then adequately processed and connected with course content. A discussion of each round of data collection, analysis, and triangulation is provided. The constructivist grounded theory of student engagement with popular film clips used as a pedagogic tool is provided. Professional implications, limitations, and implications for future research are also included. Approved: Thomas E. Davis Professor and Chair of Counseling and Higher Education Acknowledgments Pursuing a doctoral degree and writing this dissertation has been a significant, and often challenging, endeavor. Reaching this point is far from a solitary process, and a number of extraordinary people have played crucial roles in my being able to realize this dream. I want to begin by thanking my parents, Roy and Pat Lindsey, for the encouragement and love they have consistently given me throughout my life. They have been immensely supportive throughout this doctoral journey, and I have felt their presence with me every step of the way. I want to also express my sincere gratitude to my “other parents,” Jim and Jill Zimmerman, who have so warmly welcomed as their son. The support and generosity they have bestowed on my family has made the writing of this dissertation possible, and they have played a significant role in my being where I am today. I also would like to thank my dear friend, Terry Truman, whose friendship continues to guide and encourage me. He has supported and believed in me through many of life’s highs and lows and I am truly blessed for the friendship we continue to cultivate. My doctoral study has been a rich experience, and I attribute much of this to the guidance and support that my advisor, Dr. Thomas E. Davis, has provided. He is extraordinarily committed to his students and the counseling profession, and has consistently challenged me to grow in new directions. In knowing you, Dr. D., I am a better professional and a better person; I am sincerely honored to call you my mentor and friend. I also want to thank Dr. William B. Kline, who served as the methodologist for this dissertation. His commitment and enthusiasm has been nothing less than remarkable as he has diligently guided me through the wondrous process of qualitative research. His expertise, steadiness, and humor infused a sense of curiosity in me as I engaged in a challenging research endeavor, and it is to Dr. Kline that I owe my emerging identity as a qualitative researcher. Thank you, Dr. Kline, and know that the torch has been lit and shall be passed. Next, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to my other committee members. Dr. Dana Levitt, we began at Ohio University at the same time and I am grateful for the encouragement you have so readily offered me these past four years. Dr. Greg Janson, you have been an inspirational figure for me since the day I met you, and I am truly appreciative of the supervision, support, and challenge I have received from you. I also want to thank the Ohio University College of Education Research Committee and the most generous grant they awarded me from the Graduate Study and Educational Research Fund. This award was instrumental in bringing this dissertation to a close. It is my immediate family that I most wish to thank, for they have been the ones most affected throughout this doctoral endeavor. To my daughter Skye, who came along half-way through the program, I thank you for all that you are and for reminding me of what is most truly important in life. Lastly, I would like to dedicate this dissertation to my partner, my inspiration, my wife; Julie. You have been, and remain, my greatest source of support and encouragement, and reaching this point would simply not have been possible without you. This has been a long road to travel, as we are both aware, but I have always known that you are right there with me – cheering me on and believing in what I am doing. As a new chapter begins for us and we welcome another little one into our family, know how thankful I am for what we have and for the opportunity to walk the path of this life with you. You continuously amaze me. 9 Table of Contents Page Abstract..................................................................................................................................iv Acknowledgments..................................................................................................................vi List of Figures........................................................................................................................14 Chapter 1 Introduction............................................................................................................................15 Cinemaeducation in Counselor Education.............................................................................16 Bibliotherapy, Cinematherapy, and Cinemaeducation ..........................................................18 Bibliotherapy..........................................................................................................................18 Identification, Catharsis, and Insight .....................................................................................19 Cinematherapy .......................................................................................................................19 Assessment, Implementation, and Debriefing .......................................................................21 Cinemaeducation....................................................................................................................22 The Power of Sensory Images ...............................................................................................23 Film Implementation..............................................................................................................23 Stage Approach......................................................................................................................24 Preparation .............................................................................................................................24 Introduction............................................................................................................................25 Viewing..................................................................................................................................25 Discussion..............................................................................................................................25