Text Into Film - With Dr Allan Phillipson

Course aim

To explore the links between, art, literature, and social history. We will read a text closely; be it painting, poem, or film. We will then examine its literary and historical context.

Do I need any particular skills or experience?

• You will need your own personal email address so that you’re able to login to the WEA’s digital learning platform: WEA Canvas. You will need to be able to understand how to follow URL links to pages on the internet. If you want to understand more about Canvas please visit: http://bit.ly/WEAonline
• You will need to be able to follow links to join our WEA live video learning platform: WEA Zoom. If you’d like to understand more about our video learning platform, Zoom please visit: http://bit.ly/WEAonline and http://bit.ly/ZoomSpec
• This course is for a group of around 15 students studying in a live video-learning platform conference and an online digital learning environment platform from the comfort of your own home.
• Must be able to read English.

By the end of the course I should be able to:

• List some features of the Belle Époque.
• State the first English title of “Bel-Ami”.
• Describe Colette’s life and career.
• Discuss the implications of Sagan’s title.
• Connect “Bonjour Tristesse” to Jean-Luc Goddard’s film “Breathless”.

How will I be taught?

• The WEA’s digital learning platform, Canvas will be used to provide resources or to support lessons, enable assessment, provide learner feedback and for other activities for individuals away from the course. If you want to understand more about our digital learning platform please visit: http://bit.ly/WEAonline
• The WEA tutor will use a range of different teaching and learning methods and encourage you and the group to be actively involved in your learning
• You may be asked to undertake additional work in your own time to support your learning
• People will be expected to keep up with the reading and to contribute in class discussions (if they wish to do so).

What kind of feedback can I expect?

• A range of informal activities will be used by the tutor to see what you are learning which may include quizzes, question and answer, small projects and discussion
• You will have opportunities to discuss your progress with your tutor
• You will be encouraged to share your work with the group and discuss your learning
• Feedback will be informal; there will be no tests or exams.

What else do I need to know?

• What you need: You will need an internet connection, speakers, a microphone and a webcam so that you can use our video learning platform, Zoom. If you’d like to understand more Zoom please visit: http://bit.ly/ZoomSpec
• You will need a personal email address to join the WEA’s digital learning platform, Canvas so that you can receive resources, record your progress and achievement and to work with others and share ideas. If you want to understand more about our digital learning platform please visit: http://bit.ly/WEAonline
• Set texts (3 novels): Guy de Maupassant “Bel-Ami”; Colette “Chéri”; Françoise Sagan “Bonjour Tristesse” (the books will be studied in that order).

Pre-course work, reading and information sources

• Pre-course reading is required: resources will be made available to you using the WEA’s digital learning platform, Canvas: http://bit.ly/WEAonline
• The books will be studied in the order listed above. It will be helpful to have begun the Maupassant novel prior to the first session.

What can I do next?

• Progress to another WEA course
• Access the WEA What Next? booklet here http://www.wea.org.uk/learn-wea/what-can-i-do-next
• There will be a “Literature and Social History” course by the same tutor in the Autumn term.