Reviewing “Filmic Pedagogies”: Student Perceptions of Film Review Assignments in Higher Education – An Example from the UK
International Journal of Changes in Education, 3(2), 2026, 215-223, https://doi.org/10.47852/bonviewIJCE52023480
Online publication date: Jan 10, 2025
Publication date: Aug 07, 2026
ABSTRACT
“Filmic pedagogies” describes the increasing use of film, media, and cultural products for teaching, learning, and assessment across a diverse range of academic undergraduate programs. Focusing on a UK-based undergraduate Education Studies degree program, this article considers film reviews as a way to explore issues around youth. Based on focus group interviews with 24 final-year undergraduates, the article considers students’ experiences and perceptions of the process of engaging with films in learning, teaching, and assessment. Offering insights into how film reviews motivate students’ engagement in assignments, this article considers students’ perceptions of the contribution that film reviews can make to graduate outcomes and key labor market skills, expanding professional knowledge bases and developing critical media literacy. In doing so, the article discusses the value and challenges of designing learning, teaching, and assessment techniques that are relevant and relatable to students and offer autonomy and choice, across a range of cultures and countries.
KEYWORDS
CITATION (APA)
Barker, J. (2026). Reviewing “Filmic Pedagogies”: Student Perceptions of Film Review Assignments in Higher Education – An Example from the UK. International Journal of Changes in Education, 3(2), 215-223. https://doi.org/10.47852/bonviewIJCE52023480
Harvard
Barker, J. (2026). Reviewing “Filmic Pedagogies”: Student Perceptions of Film Review Assignments in Higher Education – An Example from the UK. International Journal of Changes in Education, 3(2), pp. 215-223. https://doi.org/10.47852/bonviewIJCE52023480
Vancouver
Barker J. Reviewing “Filmic Pedagogies”: Student Perceptions of Film Review Assignments in Higher Education – An Example from the UK. International Journal of Changes in Education. 2026;3(2):215-23. https://doi.org/10.47852/bonviewIJCE52023480
AMA
Barker J. Reviewing “Filmic Pedagogies”: Student Perceptions of Film Review Assignments in Higher Education – An Example from the UK. International Journal of Changes in Education. 2026;3(2), 215-223. https://doi.org/10.47852/bonviewIJCE52023480
Chicago
Barker, John. "Reviewing “Filmic Pedagogies”: Student Perceptions of Film Review Assignments in Higher Education – An Example from the UK". International Journal of Changes in Education 2026 3 no. 2 (2026): 215-223. https://doi.org/10.47852/bonviewIJCE52023480
MLA
Barker, John "Reviewing “Filmic Pedagogies”: Student Perceptions of Film Review Assignments in Higher Education – An Example from the UK". International Journal of Changes in Education, vol. 3, no. 2, 2026, pp. 215-223. https://doi.org/10.47852/bonviewIJCE52023480
REFERENCES
- Giroux, H. A. (2011). Breaking into the movies: Public pedagogy and the politics of film. Policy Futures in Education, 9(6), 686–695. https://doi.org/10.2304/pfie.2011.9.6.686
- Kellner, D., & Share, J. (2007). Critical media literacy, democracy, and the reconstruction of education. In D. Macendo & S. R. Steinberg (Eds.), Media literacy: A reader (pp. 3–24). Peter Lang Publishing, Inc.
- Grushka, K., & Donnelly, D. (2010). Digital technologies and performative pedagogies: Repositioning the visual. Digital Culture and Education, 2(1), 83–102.
- Mixon, C. (2022). The Riz test: Teaching against Islamophobia through film. Journal of Religion & Film, 26(2), 4. http://doi.org/10.32873/uno.dc.jrf.26.02.04
- Kubrak, T. (2020). Impact of films: Changes in young people’s attitudes after watching a movie. Behavioral Sciences, 10(5), 86. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs10050086
- Krans, L. (2023). The effects of film viewing on young adults’ perceptions on love and intimacy. Perspectives, 15(1), 3.
- Donnelly, D. (2014). Using feature films in teaching historical understanding: Research and practice. Agora, 49(1), 4–12.
- Membrives, M. D., Isern, M. T. I., & Matheu, M. C. L. (2016). Literature review: Use of commercial films as a teaching resource for health sciences students. Nurse Education Today, 36, 264–267. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2015.10.002
- Walker, A. R. (2022). A more equitable film pedagogy: Including media literacy in higher education film classrooms to result in better media practitioners. Journal of Media Literacy Education, 14(1), 153–167. https://doi.org/10. 23860/JMLE-2022-14-1-11
- Mak, A. K. Y., & Hutton, J. G. (2014). Using feature films to teach public relations: An assessment model from nonmajor students’ perspective. Journalism & Mass Communication Educator, 69(4), 386–403. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077695814551832
- Bay, D., & Felton, S. (2012). Using popular film as a teaching resource in accounting classes. American Journal of Business Education, 5(2), 159–172.
- Kankal, B., Patra, S. K., & Panda, R. (2023). Pedagogy innovation and integration of films in management education: Review and research paradigms. The International Journal of Management Education, 21(2), 100804. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijme.2023.100804
- Lawson, T. J., Bodle, J. H., Houlette, M. A., & Haubner, R. R. (2006). Guiding questions enhance student learning from educational videos. Teaching of Psychology, 33(1), 31–33. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15328023top3301_7
- Briggs, C. L. (2011). Engaging students using feature films. Journal of Nursing Education, 50(6), 360–360. https://doi.org/10.3928/01484834-20110519-06
- Bateman, J., & Schmidt, K.-H. (2011). Multimodal film analysis: How films mean. UK: Routledge.
- Reinhard C., & Olson, C. (2016). Introduction: Empirical approaches to film spectators and spectatorship. In C. Reinhard & C. Olson (Eds.), Making sense of cinema: Empirical studies into film spectators and spectatorship (pp. 1–16). Bloomsbury. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203128220
- Marquis, E., Johnstone, K., & Puri, V. (2020). Just entertainment? Student and faculty responses to the pedagogy of media representations in higher education. Pedagogy, Culture and Society, 28(1), 59–76. https://doi.org/10.1080/14681366.2019.1594346
- Lainio, A. (2024). Independent learner as the ideal: Normative representations of higher education students in film and television drama across Europe. Critical Studies in Education, 65(1), 39–56. https://doi.org/10.1080/17508487.2023.2210627
- Brooks, R., Guptab, A., Sazana Jayadeva, S., & Abrahams, J. (2021). Students’ views about the purpose of higher education: A comparative analysis of six European countries. Higher Education Research and Development, 40(7), 1375–1388. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2020.1830039
- Eaton, J., & Uskul, A. (2004). Using the Simpsons to teach social psychology. Teaching of Psychology, 31(4), 277–278.
- Sutherland, J., & Feltey, K. (2013). Introduction. In J. Sutherland & K. Feltey (Eds.), Cinematic sociology: Social life in films (pp. 1–24). Sage.
- France, A., Coffey, J., Roberts, S., & Waite, C. (2020). Youth sociology. UK: Bloomsbury.
- Walsh, L., & Black, R. (2021). ‘Flexible ongoing’: The young university student as homo promptus. Journal of Youth Studies, 24(4), 499–514. https://doi.org/10.1080/13676261.2020.1742302
- Furlong, A. (2017). Routledge handbook of youth and young adulthood. UK: Routledge.
- Cieslik, M., & Simpson, D. (2013). Key concepts in youth studies. USA: Sage Publications.
- Woodman, D., Shildrick, T., & MacDonald, R. (2020). Inequality, continuity and change: Andy Furlong’s legacy for youth studies. Journal of Youth Studies, 23(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1080/13676261.2020.1712339
- Carrington, V., & Robinson, M. (2009). Digital literacies: Social learning and classroom practice. Singapore: Sage Publications Asia-Pacific Pty Ltd.
- Middlesex University. (2023). Equality, diversity and inclusion. Retrieved from: https://www.mdx.ac.uk/about-us/equality-diversity-inclusion/
- Gravett, J., Yakovchuk, N., & Kinchin, I. (2020). Enhancing student-centred teaching in higher education: The landscape of student-staff research partnerships. UK: Palgrave Macmillan.
- Gupta, A., Brooks, R., & Abrahams, J. (2023). Higher education students as consumers: A cross-country comparative analysis of students’ views. Compare: A Journal of Comparative and International Education, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/03057925.2023.2234283
- Baczek, M., Zaganczyk-Baczek, M., Szpringer, M., Jaroszynski, A., & Wozakowska-Kapłon, B. (2021). Students’ perception of online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic: A survey study of Polish medical students. Medicine, 100(7), e24821. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.000000000002482
- Fidalgo, P., Thormann, J., Kulyk, O., & Lencastre, J. A. (2020). Students’ perceptions on distance education: A multinational study. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 17, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-020-00194-2
- Naeem, M., Ozuem, W., Howell, K., & Ranfagni, S. (2023). A step-by-step process of thematic analysis to develop a conceptual model in qualitative research. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 22, 16094069231205789. https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069231205789
- Verbree, A. R., Isik, U., Janssen, J., & Dilaver, G. (2023). Inclusion and diversity within medical education: A focus group study of students’ experiences. BMC Medical Education, 23(1), 61. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-023-04036-3
- Liamputtong, P. (2011). Focus group methodology: Principles and practice. USA: Sage Publications.
- Clark, E., & McCann, T. (2005). Researching students: An ethical dilemma. Nurse Researcher, 12(3), 42–51. https://doi.org/10.7748/nr2005.01.12.3.42.c5947
- Gordon, B. G. (2020). Vulnerability in research: Basic ethical concepts and general approach to review. Ochsner Journal, 20(1), 34–38. https://doi.org/10.31486/toj.19.0079
- UK Research and Innovation. (2023). Research with potentially vulnerable people. Retrieved from: https://www.ukri.org/councils/esrc/guidance-for-applicants/research-ethics-guidance/re search-with-potentially-vulnerable-people/
- BERA. (2024). Ethical guidelines for educational research. Retrieved from: https://www.bera.ac.uk/publication/ethical-guidelines-for-educational-research-fifth-edition-2024
- Shen, A. (2021). Student students in research. Voices in Bioethics, 7. https://doi.org/10.52214/vib.v7i.8924
- Lichtman, M, (2023). Qualitative research in education: A user’s guide. UK: Routledge.
- Coates, W. C., Jordan, J., & Clarke, S. O. (2021). A practical guide for conducting qualitative research in medical education: Part 2—Coding and thematic analysis. AEM Education and Training, 5(4), e10645. https://doi.org/10.1002/aet2.10645
- Brooks, R. (2021). The construction of higher education students within national policy: A cross-European comparison. Compare: A Journal of Comparative and International Education, 51(2), 161–180. https://doi.org/10.1080/03057925.2019.1604118
- Grieve, R., Woodley, J., Hunt, S., & McKay, A. (2021). Student fears of oral presentations and public speaking in higher education: A qualitative survey. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 45(9), 1281–1293. https://doi.org/10.1080/0309877X.2021.1948509
- Haigh, M. (2020). Curriculum design for diversity: Layering assessment and teaching for learners with different worldviews. Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 44(4), 487–511. https://doi.org/10.1080/03098265.2020.1803224
- QAA. (2019). Annex D: Outcome classification descriptions for FHEQ Level 6 and FQHEIS Level 10 degrees. Retrieved from: https://ukscqa.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Frameworks-Annex-with-Degree-classification-descriptions.pdf
- Shaw, P. (2018). Concepts and communication in the early stages of an Environmental Science degree: A case study of formative activities and tasks. In A. Misseyanni, P. Papadopoulou, C. Marouli & M. Lytras (Eds.), Active learning strategies in higher education: Teaching for leadership, innovation and creativity (pp. 107–133). Emerald Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-78714-487-320181005
- Morris, R., Perry, T., & Wardle, L. (2021). Formative assessment and feedback for learning in higher education: A systematic review. Review of Education, 9(3), e3292. https://doi.org/10.1002/rev3.3292
- Yesildag, A., & Bostan, S. (2023). Movie analysis as an active learning method: A study with health management students. The International Journal of Management Education, 21(1), 100759. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijme.2022.100759
- Moores, E., Birdi, G., & Higson, E. (2019). Determinants of university students’ attendance. Educational Research, 61(4), 371–387. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131881.2019.1660587
- Mokhtari, S., Nikzad, S., Mokhtari, S., Sabour, S., & Hosseini, S. (2021). Investigating the reasons for students’ attendance in and absenteeism from lecture classes and educational planning to improve the situation. Journal of Education and Health Promotion, 10(1), 221. https://doi.org/10.4103/jehp.jehp_1112_20
LICENSE
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.