Educational film

An educational film is a film or movie whose main job is to educate. These films have been used in schools for a long time. They are a good way to teach new things. They let us learn in a different way than just reading books or listening to lessons. Pictures and stories in these films can make hard ideas easier to understand. Teachers use them to explain things that are tough to show in other ways, helping students learn and remember important lessons.

History

It can be hard to know which films were the very first educational films. Some believe they started in St. Petersburg in 1897, while others think they began with newsreels in 1913. Either way, making educational films became more common in the early 1900s. Over time, different countries developed their own ways of creating and showing these films.

Educational films aim to teach people about important topics. They cover many different subjects and can help people learn about social issues, like fairness and rights. These films are also useful in classrooms, letting students see things they might not experience themselves.

During wars, educational films were used to train soldiers and teach important skills. Even after the wars, many of these films stayed in use. Companies like ERPI Classroom Films and Eastman Classroom Films were early leaders in making educational films. Later, other companies and even individuals began sharing educational videos online through sites like YouTube, which are still used in classrooms today.

Types of educational films

Educational films come in many forms, each helping to teach different subjects. Some films focus on geography and world cultures, showing travel and everyday life in various places. These films help students learn about different lands and their customs.

Other educational films explore history, often showing artifacts and ruins. There are also films about arts and crafts, capturing painting, sculpture, and architecture. Literature and language arts films include poetry and short dramas, with many coming from countries like France. Sociodrama films address important topics such as racial equality and civic engagement, helping students understand different perspectives and issues.

Cultural significance

Many educational films shown in schools are part of long series. For example, films about science often have many parts, with each part focusing on a different idea or experiment.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, many schoolchildren in Britain watched lots of episodes of British-made educational films. These films had a similar look, with neutral-blue backgrounds that made them easy to recognize. The British television series Look Around You made funny copies of these films.

Research into educational benefits

Early studies compared learning by watching TV or films to learning by reading. They found that reading helped people remember better. This was because when you read, you can pause and think. But with TV or films, information comes quickly.

Now, with online videos that you can pause and rewind, studies show learning from video is just as good as learning from reading. However, if a video has too much information or is confusing, it can make learning harder. Good videos help by clearly showing what is important.

List of notable educational film producers

Here are some important companies and people who made educational films:

• Bell System
• Coronet Films
• Sid Davis
• Disney Educational Productions
• Encyclopædia Britannica Films
• Films Incorporated
• Jam Handy
• James Myer
• Media Education Foundation
• National Film Board of Canada
• New Day Films
• Reichsanstalt für Film und Bild in Wissenschaft und Unterricht
• Schlessinger Media