Educational film

An educational film is a film or movie whose primary purpose is to educate. These films have been used in classrooms for many years as a helpful way to teach new things. They offer a different way to learn compared to books or regular lessons, making complex ideas easier to understand through pictures and stories. Teachers often use educational films to explain topics that are difficult to show in other ways, helping students see 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, such as watching how cells divide. Documentaries are a common type of educational film, often shown in schools to help teach many subjects.

During wars, educational films were also used to train soldiers and teach important skills. Even after the wars, many of these films stayed in use, though making new, high-quality films was challenging because of limited money. 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 industries, travel experiences, 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 while connecting them to modern times. There are also films about arts and crafts, capturing painting, sculpture, and architecture in new ways. 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 that show scientific principles and experiments often have episodes, with each one focusing on a specific experiment or idea.

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

Research into educational benefits

Early studies compared learning from watching TV or films to reading, and found that reading helped people remember things better. This was because when you read, you can pause and think, but with TV or films, the information kept coming quickly.

Now, with online videos that you can pause and rewind, studies show that 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:

History

Types of educational films

Cultural significance

Research into educational benefits

List of notable educational film producers

Related articles