'FILM IN TEACHING' FOR MONTENEGRIN TEACHERS

Last weekend, 5 - 6th of February, DokuFest together with teachers from Kosovo were in Podgorica to organize the second Workshop on the Use of Audio-Visual Tools in Teaching, in particular the use of documentary film and the integration of film in the curricular framework for pre-university education. They shared their experience and working methodology with colleagues from Montenegro, on the ways of using documentary film in the teaching process for educational purposes.

Two teachers in the role of tutors / facilitators of the workshop from high schools in Kosovo, shared experiences with thirty colleagues from Montenegro and exchanged knowledge on the use of documentaries for educational purposes in the teaching process. They also stressed the importance of developing the capacity of teachers in creating didactic materials for the use of documentary film in the teaching process, related to the Curriculum Framework for Pre-University Education, and their advantages as teachers from the moment they started using film in the classroom.

The Schools and Documentaries project, supported by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), has strengthened DokuFest’s capacity to provide tools, empower teachers to use audiovisual tools in the classroom, along with traditional methods to better understand complex issues and promoting the social development of youth.

Attendees were introduced to the Digital Library for Teachers which is a rich space with documentaries and didactic materials built for teachers and we suggested that our partner organization Underhill Fest plan to design a similar library in the future, in order to providing documentary films for the teachers of their country by enriching their Library with didactic materials in accordance with the Curricular Framework of Montenegro.

This workshop, which was modeled on the principle of knowledge transfer and knowledge exchange from the work experience of teachers from Kosovo, aroused great interest of teachers from Montenegro. Participation was limited due to the pandemic situation and therefore DokuLest’s DokuLab department will repeat the same workshop module for new entrants from Montenegro by organizing another session to be held again in Podgorica for creating new training opportunities for contemporary teaching using audio-visual tools in the learning process and providing new platforms for collaboration and knowledge exchange in Media Education.

DokuFest Education Department - DokuLab manages the Youth Film Production Center and empowers teachers in the use of audio-visual tools in the learning process and their connection to traditional methods, which address complex issues, develop critical thinking and promote social development in young people.

Development of teachers’ capacities in creating didactic materials for the use of documentary film in the teaching process. All film didactic materials are related to the Curriculum Framework for Pre-University Education.

All materials and films are in the Digital Library of Teachers which has been created as a virtual platform with didactic materials for the use of film in the classroom in accordance with the Curricular Framework of the Republic of Kosovo. Creating an account gives the user unlimited access to the Digital Library with over 150 movies and 80 worksheets for the use of film in the classroom.

The library provides films and accompanying educational materials with which students develop the knowledge, skills, attitudes and tendencies that are essential to a democratic society. It helps to develop their understanding of the world, people, their values, social processes in different times, places and circumstances. Also, through this field they develop their understanding of their environment and beyond.