Using Video Production in Political Science Courses as an Instructional Strategy for Engaging Students in Active Learning

Abstract

Video production has come into widespread use in various fields of social science. Visual anthropologists (Pink 2006), psychologists (Webster and Sell 2007), historians (Ferro 2000), and visual sociologists (Newman 2006) have used films and videos to document, to preserve, and to analyze social data. There is no reason to think that the use of videos for research and pedagogical purposes is not applicable in political science. The present article discusses our experiences using this technology for teaching and learning about political and social issues.

Keywords:

• active learning
• political science and assessment
• teaching
• technology
• video