Relationships Between Optimal Experiences, Narrative Transportation and Mental Models of Undergraduate Students in an Environmental and Sustainability Film Course

• Published in: NACTA journal 2020-10, Vol.64, p.152-160
• Main Authors: Everett, Michael W., Gretter, Sarah, Stewart, Patricia, Raven, Matt R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0149-4910

Application of unique instructional approaches in undergraduate education provide an opportunity to measure motivations for learning. The use of film is one instructional approach that provides a unique perspective for undergraduate student learners. Integration of film in courses has the potential to create optimal experiences for students while transporting them into the narrative of learning. Operationalizing optimal experience and narrative transportation is one way to better understand motivation for learning and instances where students: (1) have a perceived level of skills and associated challenge to those skills; (2) have clear goals for learning; and (3) receive immediate feedback while transporting themselves into the narrative of the film or another literary work. The purpose of this research was to determine if there were relationships between optimal experience constructs, narrative transportation, and student assignments by film theme in an undergraduate environmental and sustainability film course. Results indicate moderate to strong correlational relationships between student optimal experiences and narrative transportation results by film theme. No correlations existed between optimal experience, narrative transportation and student assignments. The authors recommend further research to better understand how film themes and types of films relate to student optimal experiences and narrative transportation of students.