Participation Type
Paper
Session Title
Session 8.09 Appalachian Studies
Presentation #1 Title
Many Media Options
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
Student learning is enhanced by using different types of media to deliver instruction in ways that support a common theme or subject. In the case of an Introduction to Appalachian Studies class, pairing the poetry of Diane Gilliam’s Kettle Bottom with John Sayle’s film, Matewan, students gain a deeper understanding of the historical issues present in the era of the Coal Mine Wars of West Virginia. After viewing the film, answering a set of questions to help engagement, and reading Gilliam’s award winning poems, students discuss the two texts in class. This is followed by a writing assignment that requires them to choose a theme and display how that theme is demonstrated in both the film and the writing. The presentation will discuss the importance of both close reading and close viewing, and how those activities encourage a deeper immersion into the material. The presentation will also include examples of student work and will show how this assignment allowed students to understand that era on more than just a factual level—how it gave them an emotional connection to the people of the time and to the struggles of union organizers and minorities. A final point will be that using differing texts provides variety to our students who desire diversity in the way information is presented.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
Ruth Derrick teaches Introduction to Appalachian Studies at Radford University in Southwest Virginia, as well as coordinating an outreach program with RU mentors that helps demystify the college experience for area high school students. Originally from a Midwest farming community, she has made her home in the region for 18 years.
Many Media Options
Student learning is enhanced by using different types of media to deliver instruction in ways that support a common theme or subject. In the case of an Introduction to Appalachian Studies class, pairing the poetry of Diane Gilliam’s Kettle Bottom with John Sayle’s film, Matewan, students gain a deeper understanding of the historical issues present in the era of the Coal Mine Wars of West Virginia. After viewing the film, answering a set of questions to help engagement, and reading Gilliam’s award winning poems, students discuss the two texts in class. This is followed by a writing assignment that requires them to choose a theme and display how that theme is demonstrated in both the film and the writing. The presentation will discuss the importance of both close reading and close viewing, and how those activities encourage a deeper immersion into the material. The presentation will also include examples of student work and will show how this assignment allowed students to understand that era on more than just a factual level—how it gave them an emotional connection to the people of the time and to the struggles of union organizers and minorities. A final point will be that using differing texts provides variety to our students who desire diversity in the way information is presented.
