FILM AS A TEACHING TOOL IN SCHOOLS FOR INNOVATIVE LEARNING

Over the last two weekends, twenty-one high school teachers from across Kosovo participated in workshops on the use of audiovisual tools in teaching, focusing on the use of documentary film and its integration into the pre-university education curriculum.

These workshops marked the first activities organized after the signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation with the Ministry of Education, aimed at promoting and supporting teachers in utilizing audiovisual tools during the educational planning and development process.

Led by Malbora Krajku from DokuFest, the workshop introduced its purpose and presented the DokuLab education program, with facilitation provided by Prof. Assoc. Dr. Arlinda Beka from the Faculty of Education at the University of Pristina.

Serving as trainers were our two colleagues, Feride Thaqi, a Psychology teacher from “Ulpiana” Gymnasium in Lipjan, and Jeta Rexha, also a Psychology teacher at “Hajdar Dushi” Gymnasium in Gjakova. Drawing from their experiences, they shared insights on incorporating films into the classroom and the overall benefits of utilizing audiovisual tools.

Participants had the opportunity to view the documentary film titled “Please Pick Up” by Nea Zeka, a student of the Future is Here film school.

Ms. Thaqi simulated a classroom setting, detailing the steps involved in effectively utilizing the film for educational purposes based on the worksheet she prepared, while Ms. Rexha led a workshop on creating worksheets and elaborated on their advantages when integrating films into the learning process.

Additionally, Malbora Krajku and Dren Shporta from DokuFest provided insights into the operation of the Teacher’s Digital Library, explaining its functionality and sharing films and alternative tools available on the online platform.

In the second segment, the documentary films “My Grandfather” by Hena Krasniqi and “In Search of Beauty” by Hana Salihu, both students of the Future is Here film school, were screened. Participants engaged in practical exercises, tasked with creating worksheets based on the films they watched for the classes they teach.

All teachers successfully developed worksheets and presented them to their peers. These educational resources will be published in the Teacher’s Digital Library, accessible to all teachers interested in incorporating films into their classrooms.

The cycle of organizing such workshops will continue until June, with the next sessions scheduled for March 16th and 17th, 2024, in Prizren.