ABSTRACT
This study examines the production of film testimonies as part of an academic course and how this structured educational process develops transformative competencies in learners. The semester-long course involves students from a variety of disciplines and backgrounds, drawn from all segments of the Israeli and Palestinian communities. Students study and experience the theoretical, pedagogical, ethical, artistic, and practical approaches of a psychiatrist and testimonial documentarist Laub and his writing partner Felman (Felman & Laub, 1992). They are also introduced to central authors in the history of documentary film. The process culminates in the students’ documentation of stories within their own families and communities and the creation of their cinematic testimonies, which they present and discuss in class. The study aims to explore how the learning process helps students acquire transformative competencies as defined in the OECD 2030 document on meaningful learning needed today. Quantitative and qualitative content analyses tools were used to analyze the products of two testimonial courses, 19 film testimonials, and 32 reflective texts written by the students about the process they had undergone. The content analysis reveals that the students acquired three key skills: (1) taking responsibility, (2) balancing tensions and dilemmas, and (3) creating new theoretical and poetic values. The results also confirm the hypothesis that the pedagogical process of producing cinematic testimonies about social and historical crises can serve as a source of inspiration and growth by promoting empathetic listening and meaningful social change.
KEY WORDS
Difficult Knowledge. Empathetic Listening. Film Testimonies. Meaningful Learning. Media Literacy. OECD 2030. Transformative Competencies