Tips for Film Review

1. If circumstances permit, view the film more than once. It’s easy to miss key elements, or even the whole point, after just a single viewing.

2. Express your opinion of the film, but support your criticism. If you are offended or disappointed or embarrassed, provide a valid reason, even if you think it is obvious. A film review that comes across as a personal attack on an actor, director, or screenwriter or a diatribe about a genre is a failed review.

3. Adjust the style of your review for the readership. If you’re pitching reviews to a traditional publication, you’re expected to be fairly evenhanded (though even mainstream film critics are permitted   nay, expected to gently mock particularly inept film making). If your target audience is fanboys (and fan girls) on a movie-geek Web site, though, feel free to take the gloves off. Either way, though, support your criticism with valid observations; hurling invective is not the same thing as evaluation.

4. Avoid spoilers. One of the most pernicious fairly recent developments in the review genre is the careless, thoughtless revelation of key plot points. It’s a sign of professionalism to refrain from giving such information away. Exception: Reviews of previously released films don’t necessarily adhere to this rule, though it’s still considered sporting to warn readers or site visitors to skip to the next paragraph if they don’t want to read something. Some classy sites actually code spoilers to be invisible unless the visitor scrolls over the blank area to highlight that passage in the review.

5. Judge the story. Are the character’s actions justified, and are their motives plausible? Is there an internal consistency to the way each person behaves, or do some words, thoughts, or actions ring false? Does the plot make sense? Is the story line logical? Is the narrative arc well shaped, with an economy of form, or is it flabby or drawn out, with time-killing pointlessness?

6. Rate the actors. Do they meet the expectations dictated by the plot and other story elements? If not, is it their own thespian shortcomings, are they hampered by a poor script, or is there something about their performances that makes you believe the director is at fault? What could the performers, the screenwriters, or the filmmaker have done differently to make the movie work better?

7. Evaluate the technical elements. How do the cinematography, editing, lighting, sound, and other components support or detract from the film? Is music appropriate and effectively employed? You needn’t know film-technology jargon to share your thoughts about how these elements contributed to or detracted from the whole.

Writing film reviews is in one way a thankless task: Often, readers will disagree with you, and many people will go to see movies without your wise guidance. How to avoid frustration? Writing about movies, like writing about just about anything else, should be primarily an exercise in enjoyment: You do it because you like doing it. If anybody else out there enjoys the result of your exercise in self-entertainment, so much the better — but you’re your own primary audience (and your worst critic).

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The purpose for writing a critique is to evaluate somebody's work (a book, an essay, a movie, a painting...) in order to increase the reader's understanding of it. 

A critical analysis is subjective writing because it expresses the writer's opinion or evaluation of a text. 

Analysis means to break down and study the parts. 

Writing a critical paper requires two steps: critical reading and critical writing.

Critical reading:

1. Identify the author's thesis and purpose
2. Analyze the structure of the passage by identifying all main ideas
3. Consult a dictionary or encyclopedia to understand material that is unfamiliar to you
4. Make an outline of the work or write a description of it
5. Write a summary of the work
6. Determine the purpose which could be
• To inform with factual material
• To persuade with appeal to reason or emotions
• To entertain (to affect people's emotions)
7. Evaluate the means by which the author has accomplished his purpose

• If the purpose is to inform, has the material been presented clearly, accurately, with order and coherence?
• If the purpose is to persuade, look for evidence, logical reasoning, contrary evidence
• If the purpose was to entertain, determine how emotions are affected: does it make you laugh, cry, angry? Why did it affect you?

Consider the following questions: How is the material organized? Who is the intended audience? What are the writer's assumptions about the audience? What kind of language and imagery does the author use?

SAMPLE OUTLINE FOR CRITICAL ESSAY After the passage under analysis has been carefully studied, the critique can be drafted using this sample outline.

• I. Background information to help your readers understand the nature of the work
• A. Information about the work
• 1. Title
• 2. Author
• 3. Publication information
• 4. Statement of topic and purpose
• B. Thesis statement indicating writer's main reaction to the work
• II. Summary or description of the work
• III. Interpretation and/or evaluation
• A. Discussion of the work's organization
• B. Discussion of the work's style
• C. Effectiveness
• D. Discussion of the topic's treatment
• E. Discussion of appeal to a particular audience

Remember:

Avoid introducing your ideas by stating "I think" or "in my opinion." Keep the focus on the subject of your analysis, not on yourself. Identifying your opinions weakens them.

Always introduce the work. Do not assume that because your reader knows what you are writing about, you do not need to mention the work's title.

Other questions to consider: 

Is there a controversy surrounding either the passage or the subject which it concerns?

What about the subject matter is of current interest?

What is the overall value of the passage?

What are its strengths and weaknesses?

Support your thesis with detailed evidence from the text examined. Do not forget to document quotes and paraphrases.

Remember that the purpose of a critical analysis is not merely to inform, but also to evaluate the worth, utility, excellence, distinction, truth, validity, beauty, or goodness of something.

Even though as a writer you set the standards, you should be open-minded, well informed, and fair. You can express your opinions, but you should also back them up with evidence.

Your review should provide information, interpretation, and evaluation. The information will help your reader understand the nature of the work under analysis. The interpretation will explain the meaning of the work, therefore requiring your correct understanding of it. The evaluation will discuss your opinions of the work and present valid justification for them.

Role of Technology in Education

Education today, therefore, has a far greater responsibility than it had ever before. It has to meet the demands of a dynamic world which change its character every day. Contemporary education has to be more comprehensive and complete than it was ever before. The role of the various agencies of education like home, society, community etc. has consequently increased, so has the role of the mass media like television, radio, cinema, newspaper increased. 

Today, throughout the world, social and technological changes are taking place rapidly due to expanding world of information. So there is explosion of knowledge and opening day by day and the horizon of human knowledge and understanding is expanding very fast.

With the explosion of knowledge there is also population explosion; student population is immensely increasing year by year due to the growth of population and democratization of education with varying levels of motivation and aspiration. The problem of population explosion is more serious in the developing countries than the developed one. Ethiopia is facing serious difficulties in population explosion not in technology.

For solving the problems successfully, educational technology consisting of various media of mass communication is essentially required. Both qualitative improvement and quantitative expansion of education can be facilitated and accelerated with the help of this mass media under educational technology. So the mass media has come to our rescue to tackle this problem.

The success of education will be able to play its role by making the students creative, active and efficient. There are a good number of technologies for mass communication such as radio, Television (plasma TV), newspapers, films, computers, tablet computers, internet, mobiles, and etc.

This medium is the message, which is of greater importance. Because, the same piece of information when conveyed on a printed page or over the telephone by radio or television will appear different and have entirely a different effect on us. Hence the effectiveness of a piece of information depends upon the medium through which it is imparted. Thus, the mass-media are not only the messages, but also the massage.

The main purpose of Technology in education is to benefit more students with fewer teachers or to obtain quality education.

Importance of Technology in maintaining quality of education:

1. Technological education has provided information to the mass within a less time.

2. It takes a wide coverage of information regarding anything that is happening in any comer of the world.

3. It brings the entire world to the individual or to the classroom. Children spend hours together sitting in front of the television and can visualize, hear and acquire knowledge about the world.

4. These media easily reach groups, allow repeated use, give more reality, influence attitudes, show cause and effect relationships and ultimately motivate the audience.

5. It sends information to remote places and helps in distant learning.

6. It helps in modification of attitudes, inculcation of desirable values and acquaintance with cultural heritage.

7. Technological education are useful for reinforcing group dynamics and interpersonal communication.

8. Mass media as means of communication make ideas clear to children and help them to acquire correct knowledge. They help in simplifying and in giving vividness to explanation.

9. Mass Media make the instruction concrete and stimulate interest and excite curiosity in things.

The role of some important mass media is discussed below:

A) Radio:

Radio is a scientific device that functions as an effective auditory instrument for communication that plays an important role in education not only to informs, but also to inspire human being for learning more and more. It is also a very important source of entertainment. Every day, we listen various talks, discussions and debates from radio. These are extremely important and useful for the students. Especially for the purpose of teaching, many programmes are broadcast over the radio. So radio acts as a great recreational and education force. It broadcasts scientific and cultural facts. The radio has proved a valuable supplement to class teaching and learning Educational broad-casting is comparatively a new experiment and is catching on well. Through school broadcasts, expert leaching in such diverse fields of science, social studies, art, music, languages, politics, current affairs and other areas, can provide information and enrichment for pupils and for the teacher.

The educational programmes are broadcasting by the expect teachers with effective methods which demonstrate new ideas and approaches to classroom procedures. Programmes are especially designed in-collaboration with the experts for different age groups in the schools.

The advantages of using radio as mass media in education:

1. Educational radio broadcasts provide “listening participation” In current history:

In radio the emphasis is on sound, rather than on picture. So many programmes especially for the purpose of teaching are broadcast over the radio and special events and (occurrences in the world are brought from the source immediately into the classroom.

As a part of classroom teaching, an educational programme may be preceded by an introduction by the class teacher and followed by long discussion among students on the subject-matter under the broadcast discussion. A talented teacher may teach through radio for the benefit of the students. So important happenings, elections, inventions, political developments in other countries and other current topics may be heard and discussed in the classroom.

2. Educational radio broadcasts are effective means of presenting music, drama and appreciation:

Radio is also a very important source of entertainment. Various talks, debates & discussions held over the radio are extremely informative and useful. For the school children, different items of the school subjects can be presented in the form of dramatized programmes.

Educational radio has excellence through dramatization, dialogue, musical features and other creative programmes which are not possible in day-to-day classroom teaching. Besides these, school concerts, folk and classical music, drama and discussion programmes of school, local and from other states are sometimes broadcast for listening in by other schools in India.

3. Educational radio broadcasts are team-teaching demonstrations:

The radio also provides opportunity for student participation in various programmes such as quiz competitions, travel talks, plays, stories, development of lessons, projects and work programmes in the form of team teaching demonstrations. This is being arranged by the combined efforts of the best resources in consultation with the specialists and some other subject experts. Subject content, curriculum validity, suitability for age groups and teaching methods are all kept in mind while accomplishing the programme.

4. Educational radio broadcasts enlist the participation of local teachers and pupils:

Well-planned radio broadcasts are presented in such a way as to engage the active participation of the local teachers and pupils. So there should be preliminary study and discussion on the topic before broadcast time. The class may be encouraged through broadcast suggestions to carry on follow-up discussion, projects or creative activities.

The teachers and the pupils both should prepare material thoroughly before presenting the programme. They should utilise all resources possible to make the programme of a very high quality and worth-listening into from the point of view of content, speech, style, audibility and present ability.

5. Educational radio broadcast helps in the long run, to make learning an open system:

Educational radio can offer corrective programmes for self-learning by the individuals. It can reach the participants while at work, at play, at drawing room, at recreational centres breaking all boundaries and constraints of formal education. Being an expensive medium, it has reached villages and is now available in very comer of the society.

 There are also special programmes for teachers and teacher-education in most of the stations. These are intended to familiarize methods of teaching. This service has been more necessitated in recent years on account of large changes in school curriculum and methodology particularly in subjects like science, mathematics, social studies and English.

B) Television/plasma

Television is an audio-visual and sophisticated scientific device. It telecasts programs from far and wide areas of the country and abroad. It has an important role to play for entertainment and education of people all over the world. Today, television has become an extremely popular source of entertainment among youngsters. We listen and see the instruction of the speaker from the television. So the whole personality of the child is engaged in the task. Hence, it has become the most important and powerful agency of mass communication. In television, news items are not only read out but the events are shown.

Educational television is the most recent audio-visual media for class instruction. There are programmes on the television especially for the school children. These programmes are aimed at educating the school children and they instill good moral values. Television can give a very good idea of the history of the country through dances, short-films on historical places, museums etc. Thus television plays a vital role as a means of mass media in educating the masses.

Role of television is neither fixed nor easily tangible and measurable. The role is directly related to the question of how the planners are serious and determined to use television.  The role could either be enormous or, on the contrary very meager depending upon the specific tasks and available resources.  Generally television can help to achieve the following objectives:

Ø  Social quality in education

Ø  Enhance quality in education

Ø   Reduce dependency on verbal teaching and teachers

Ø   Provide flexibility of time and space in learning.

Ø   Stimulates learning

Ø  Provide mass education opportunities.

Advantages of Educational Television:

The advantages of educational television are many. The young people watching the television can get a very good idea of how it really happened. For example the nuclear explosions of the launching of rockets are programmes of extreme educational value.

The students can see for themselves how science has advanced:

(1) Educational television is capable of making available many needed and so far inaccessible learning experiences.

(2) Educational television brings about continuing co-operative planning by teachers, supervisors, learning materials exports and skilful production teams.

(3) Good and effective educational television broadcasts result from the outgrowth of curriculum planning, of content analysis and of the selection of this most appropriate instructional media

(4) It can use a variety of audio-visual aids, motion pictures, film-strips, slides, recordings, drawings, maps and other projected and non-projected aids can be demonstrated through Television. Video-tapes and recordings on television bring us the launching of space rockets, of political and social events.

(5) Educational television brings us a new kind of teaching team into existence.

(6) It can acquaint the children with past culture,history and social life.

(7) It can motivate both children and adults,because not only it is educative but also entertaining.

(8) The televised-lectures are more thrilling as they bring to the listeners not only verbal information and the instruction of the speaker but also the whole of his personality engaged in the task.

(9) National problems like those of population and poverty and illiteracy are often highlighted and discussed over the television.

(10) It plays an important role to play in educating the children on the history and culture of our country. It gives a very good idea of the history of the country by telecasting various programmes through dances, short films on historical places, museums etc.

(c) The Press/soft and hard copy

The Press covers the entire printed matter. These printed matters are books, magazines, journals or newspapers. Reading matter has vast potentialities. It exerts good influence on the individuals. It acts on the intelligence and emotions of the individuals in shaping out attitudes and philosophies of life.

An educated individual one who has an open mind, a general awareness and knowledge of the world around him. His field of knowledge is vast and varied.

The press is an important service that can render to education by imparting knowledge of current affairs to children. The child must be aware of what is happening in the world.

The pupil’s limited knowledge of history may be elaborated and enhanced by this press. So the press is to serve as one of the important medium of education and instruction.

(d) The motion Pictures:

The motion pictures exercise a great influence on human mind very skilfully. They help to create lasting values in the pupils. There is also wider use of films in education. Educational films are coming into the field to meet the challenge of commercial pictures, to supplement them and to explore new avenues of educating children and adults. These films can give more reality, influence attitudes, show cause and effect relation and motivate the students., Thus these motion pictures have great instructional force which can be used intelligently in the class­room.

There are many areas of learning which can be properly dealt with the help of films. For example, in teaching of geography or science, we can use these motion-pictures. Rivers of Ethiopia, climate of Ethiopia etc. can also be taught effectively with the help of the motion pictures.

Advantages of Motion Pictures:

1. The educational films make the concept more clear, durable and realistic.

2. Motion pictures arouse interest in children and satisfy their emotions.

3. They can present abstract and abstruse problems of life and nature in concrete reality illuminate the hidden meanings of events and mysteries of nature, reconstruct history in a short mirror of life.

4. Motion pictures bring the past, the distant to the class room. It can bring the whole world to the classroom.

5. Events which occur over-days can be made to appear in seconds. So Motion pictures can also be replayed many number of times when and where required.

6. Motion pictures can best be used for demonstration of skills and experiments.

7. Motion pictures can serve the purpose better, if they are made for specific age and ability groups, if they can be fitted into the school syllabus, if the commentary is simple and straight forward.

8. Motion pictures can be of great service in teaching the backward children, because they do act on the imagination of children.

Principles of using Mass Media/technology

The teacher should make all necessary arrangements for using the mass media/technology very effectively. He/She should select the mass media according to the age level of the students.

1. Organisation: Mass media should be organised as integral part of the educational programmes. They should not be separated from other curricular activities.

2. Selection: Mass media should be properly selected and coordinated by the teacher. An experienced and trained teacher can select the mass media according to the needs of the students.

3. Planning: Mass media should be available according to the need of the instructional programme. The teachers should possess skill in the use of mass media. They should have special training in their preparation. So they should be properly planned.

4. Experience: Mass media should be related to pupil’s experience.

5. Preparation: There should be adequate preparation on the part of pupils. The teacher should prepare himself before using it. He should know what the mass media teach and where they fit into his plan of teaching. Adequate preparation should be followed by proper presentation and an adequate follow-up.

6. Evaluation:

Mass media should be evaluated at regular intervals in regards to their use, effect on learning and their functions.

E. Role of computers in enhancing Education

Computers have changed the way we work, be it any profession. Therefore, it is only natural that the role of computers in education has been given a lot of importance in recent years. Computers play a vital role in every field. They aid industrial processes, they find application in medicine; they are the reason why software industries developed and flourished and they play an important role in education. This is also why the education system has made computer education a part of school curriculum. Considering the use of computer technology is almost every sphere of life, it is important for everyone to have at least the basic knowledge of using computers. Let's look at what role computer technology plays in the education sector.

Computers in Education

Computer technology has had a deep impact on the education sector. Thanks to computers, imparting education has become easier and much more interesting than before. Owing to memory capacities of computers, large chunks of data can be stored in them. They enable quick processing of data with very less or no chances of errors in processing. Networked computers aid quick communication and enable web access. Storing documents on computers in the form of soft copies instead of hard ones, helps save paper.

The advantages of computers in education primarily include:

Ø  Storage of information

Ø  Quick data processing

Ø  Audio-visual aids in teaching

Ø  Better presentation of information

Ø  Access to the Internet

Ø  Quick communication between students, teachers and parents

Computer teaching plays a key role in the modern education system. Students find it easier to refer to the Internet than searching for information in fat books. The process of learning has gone beyond learning from prescribed textbooks. Internet is a much larger and easier-to-access storehouse of information. When it comes to storing retrieved information, it is easier done on computers than maintaining hand-written notes.

The Importance of computers in education

1. Computers are a brilliant aid in teaching.

Online education has revolutionized the education industry. Computer technology has made the dream of distance learning, a reality. Education is no longer limited to classrooms. It has reached far and wide, thanks to computers. Physically distant locations have come closer due to Internet accessibility. So, even if students and teachers are not in the same premises, they can very well communicate with one another. There are many online educational courses, whereby students are not required to attend classes or be physically present for lectures. They can learn from the comfort of their homes and adjust timings as per their convenience.

2. Computers have given impetus to distance education.

Computers facilitate effective presentation of information. Presentation software like PowerPoint and animation software like Flash among others can be of great help to teachers while delivering lectures. Computers facilitate audio-visual representation of information, thus making the process of learning interactive and interesting. Computer-aided teaching adds a fun element to education. Teachers hardly use chalk and board today. They bring presentations on a flash drive, plug it into a computer in the classroom, and the teaching begins. There's color, there's sound, there's movement - the same old information comes forth in a different way and learning becomes fun. The otherwise not-so-interesting lessons become interesting due to audio-visual effects. Due to the visual aid, difficult subjects can be explained in better ways.

3. Computer software helps better presentation of information.

Internet can play an important role in education. As it is an enormous information base, it can be harnessed for retrieval of information on a variety of subjects. The Internet can be used to refer to information on different subjects. Both teachers and students benefit from the Internet. Teachers can refer to it for additional information and references on the topics to be taught. Students can refer to web sources for additional information on subjects of their interest. The Internet helps teachers set test papers, frame questions for home assignments and decide project topics. And not just academics, teachers can use web sources for ideas on sports competitions, extracurricular activities, picnics, parties and more.

4. Computers enable access to the Internet which has information on literally everything.

Computers enable storage of data in the electronic format, thereby saving paper. Memory capacities of computer storage devices are in gigabytes. This enables them to store huge chunks of data. Moreover, these devices are compact. They occupy very less space, yet store large amounts of data. Both teachers and students benefit from the use of computer technology. Presentations, notes and test papers can be stored and transferred easily over computer storage devices. Similarly, students can submit homework and assignments as soft copies. The process becomes paperless, thus saving paper. Plus, the electronic format makes data storage more durable. Electronically erasable memory devices can be used repeatedly. They offer robust storage of data and reliable data retrieval.

5. Computer, hard drives and storage devices are an excellent way to store data.

This was about the role of computers in education. But we know, it's not just the education sector which computers have impacted. They are of great use in every field. Today, a life without computers is unimaginable. This underlines the importance of computer education. Knowledge of computers can propel one's career in the right direction. Computers are a part of almost every industry today. They are no longer limited any specific field. They are used in networking, for information access and data storage and also in the processing and presentation of information. Computers should be introduced early in education. I don't think I am making an overstatement in saying that computer education is as fundamental as learning English. Yes, it is

F.THE ROLE OF ICT IN EDUCATION SECTOR

 The role of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), especially internet in the education sector plays an important role, especially in the process of empowering the technology into the educational activities. Education sector can be the most effective sector to anticipate and eliminate the negative impact of ICT. Technology (internet) in another side can be the most effective way to increase the student’s knowledge.

Being aware of the significant role of ICT (internet) in our life, especially in the educational activities, education authorities should be wise enough in implementing the strategies to empower ICT in supporting the teaching and learning process in the classroom. ICT is not just the bloom of the educational activities, but also it will be the secondary option to improve the effective and meaningful educational process.

The main purpose of the Strategy for Information and Communication Technology Implementation in Education is to provide the prospects and trends of integrating information and communication technology (ICT) into the general educational activities.

There are some unavoidable facts in the modern education; first, the ICT has been developing very rapidly nowadays. Therefore, in order to balance it, the whole educational system should be reformed and ICT should be integrated into educational activities.

Second, the influence of ICT, especially internet (open source tool) cannot be ignored in our student’s lives. So, the learning activities should be reoriented and reformulated, from the manual source centered to the open source ones. In this case the widely use of internet access has been an unavoidable policy that should be anticipated by schools authorities.

 A lot of Weblog providers are free to the users, such as Word Press. In their blogs, the students can create and write something, like an article, poem, news, short stories, features, or they can also express their opinion by an online forum provided in the internet. They are able to share experiences throughout their blogs to others from all over the world. I think it will be an interesting activity for them, and it will lessen their time to visit the negative or porn sites existed.

The followings are the aim and objectives of ICT implementation in education:

Ø  To implement the principle of life-long learning / education.

Ø   To increase a variety of educational services and medium / method.

Ø  To promote equal opportunities to obtain education and information.

Ø  To develop a system of collecting and disseminating educational information.

Ø  To promote technology literacy of all citizens, especially for students.

Ø  To develop distance education with national contents.

Ø   To promote the culture of learning at school (development of learning skills, expansion of optional education, open source of education, etc.)

Ø  To support schools in sharing experience and information with others.