The article titled “Movie analysis as an active learning method: A study with health management student” by Ahmet Y. Yesildag and Sedat Bostan, published in The International Journal of Management Education (Volume 21, 2023), investigates the educational value of using movie analysis as an active learning strategy within health management education. Rooted in the principles of student-centered pedagogy, the study emphasizes that meaningful learning occurs when students are actively engaged in intellectual tasks such as analyzing, discussing, writing, and thinking, rather than merely listening to lectures. This pedagogical shift is particularly relevant in health management, an interdisciplinary field that requires the integration of knowledge from medicine, public health, business, ethics, and organizational behavior. The authors argue that traditional didactic methods often fall short in fostering such integration and may even increase the risk of student disengagement or failure. In contrast, movies, as visual and narrative-rich learning materials, offer a powerful platform for cognitive and affective engagement. They allow students to explore complex healthcare issues, organizational dilemmas, and ethical challenges within simulated yet emotionally resonant scenarios, thereby providing both experiential and reflective learning opportunities.
The study was conducted with senior undergraduate students in the Health Management Department of Karadeniz Technical University in Türkiye. Adopting a mixed-methods experimental design, the researchers evaluated the effectiveness of movie analysis through both quantitative and qualitative data. Over a one-month period, students were exposed to four films—Patch Adams (1999), The Intern (2015), Contagion (2011), and John Q (2002)—each selected for its rich content related to health systems, healthcare delivery, medical ethics, human resource management, pandemic response, and patient rights. Before viewing, students were provided with key theoretical concepts to anchor their analysis. The participants were divided into four distinct groups: (1) a control group that neither watched the films nor engaged in any discussion, (2) a viewing-only group, (3) a group that discussed the films among themselves without faculty intervention, and (4) a lecturer-guided discussion group. To assess learning outcomes, all participants took a 30-question evaluation exam designed around the course concepts, and satisfaction was measured using a 5-point Likert scale. Qualitative insights were collected through semi-structured student reflections and observation notes during the sessions.
The findings were compelling. The group that engaged in lecturer-guided discussions after watching the films significantly outperformed the other groups on the evaluation exam, with a mean score of 71.32 and a statistically significant difference between groups (p = 0.016). Notably, when two high-performing outliers were removed from the control group, the difference became even more pronounced (p = 0.020), reinforcing the value of guided, reflective dialogue. Interestingly, students’ overall GPA did not significantly correlate with exam performance (p = 0.960), suggesting that the learning gains were specifically attributable to the active learning intervention. Satisfaction scores were exceptionally high (mean = 4.80/5), with students describing the sessions as “enjoyable,” “memorable,” and “deeply engaging.” They reported increased understanding of abstract health management concepts and appreciated the opportunity to empathize with real-life healthcare dilemmas. One student remarked that learning through movies made theoretical concepts “more permanent, understandable, and easier to recall,” while others noted that the method helped develop both professional skills and personal awareness, including critical thinking, moral reasoning, and emotional intelligence.
In addition to its pedagogical strengths, the study underlines the practical benefits of movie analysis as a low-cost, scalable, and adaptable educational tool, particularly valuable during disruptions such as pandemics when internships or fieldwork may be restricted. The authors also draw attention to its utility in bridging the gap between theory and practice—an ongoing challenge in health management education—by simulating real-world experiences in a structured and emotionally immersive environment. However, the authors acknowledge several limitations: the small sample size (N=20), which constrains generalizability; potential biases in the exam construction process, as the researchers themselves prepared the evaluation questions; and the fact that the study primarily assessed short-term learning outcomes (Kirkpatrick Levels 1 and 2), without extending to behavioral change or real-world performance (Levels 3 and 4). Despite these limitations, the study contributes significantly to the discourse on innovative teaching methods in health education and provides a compelling case for the integration of movie-based learning into curricula aimed at preparing future health managers for complex and emotionally demanding professional realities.
Reference: Yesildag, A. Y., & Bostan, S. (2023). Movie analysis as an active learning method: A study with health management student. The International Journal of Management Education, 21, 100759. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijme.2022.100759
