Implementation of ‘The role of propaganda in art history’ (SOI-HR-455)

In the final grade of the four-year school program for road traffic technicians, the Croatian language subject delves into the linguistic (semantic and morphological) and social role of propaganda. This analysis spans four to six school hours and explores the development and influence of propaganda throughout history and art.

Propaganda, an integral part of everyday life, is examined to dispel the notion that it solely carries negative connotations. Students are encouraged to understand that propaganda aims to influence emotions, both negatively and positively.

While war propaganda often dominates our perceptions, it is crucial to recognize the broader scope of propaganda in the context of daily manipulation through media and global connectivity. Thus, efforts have been made to leverage the teachwitheuropeana.eun.org platform to familiarize students with this content.

Ivan Hajek’s learning scenario embodies the comprehensive approach desired for student engagement. His learning scenario had all I wanted to show to my students – it connecting linguistic regularities, art, history, and modern ways of advertising that we encounter every day, various digital tools, collaborative learning, and the development of critical thinking.  seamlessly integrates linguistic patterns, artistic expressions, historical context, and modern advertising methods prevalent in daily life. Through various digital tools and collaborative learning techniques, students are guided towards developing critical thinking skills essential for navigating today’s media landscape.

Context

The story of implementation was crafted by Ivan Hajek as part of the learning scenario (LS) titled ‘The Role of Propaganda in Art History’ (LS-EN-CUR-755).

Class implementation

The learning scenario was implemented in the fourth (the final) grade of the road traffic technicians’ four-year technical program, with students aged 18, aligning with the age group specified in the original learning scenario. All activities outlined in the initial LS were followed, and it was determined that the teaching contents were presented in an engaging and educational manner.

The theme for the lessons was selected by the students themselves. Three different themes were presented for the lessons to be conducted during the 2023/2024 school year. The students, who were already acquainted with the teachwitheuropeana.eun.org platform, opted for this teaching scenario through a voting process on Mentimeter, a digital tool they were also familiar with.

In the class, there are eight boys and four girls, and it proved to be intriguing to analyze their attitudes towards emotional manipulation in propaganda. Initially, the boys asserted that girls are more susceptible to emotional manipulation. However, by the end of the learning scenario analysis, this initial argument was not substantiated. The common conclusion drawn was that controlling the influence of propaganda on our emotions is challenging and gender-neutral.

Teacher’s remark

• The students overwhelmingly chose this learning scenario because, after analyzing three given examples, they realized that they would work on a specific task with a clear end goal. The teacher agreed with the students, recognizing this learning scenario as an excellent example of experiential and cognitive learning, allowing students to demonstrate new knowledge through concrete work.
• In previous lessons, the students explored topics related to manipulation through words and pictures.
• In the lesson prior to this scenario, students were introduced to the topic of phraseology, a scientific discipline of linguistics that studies established language expressions (phrases). They also investigated phrases commonly used in everyday communication, particularly in the media environment.
• The teaching time allocated for the activities remains equal to the time specified in the original LS. The only change is in the preparation time, as students were given specific tasks for homework and presented their presentations, posters, or works during the lesson. Each student had five minutes to present their topic of interest. Students self-reported their progress, depending on their area of interest.

Advance organizer

After greetings and an explanation of the aim of the lesson (they already talked about it because the teacher explained shortly all three LSs when students vote for one which they want to do this school year), the teacher presented the PowerPoint presentation ‘The Role of Propaganda in Art History’ https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1kWd5HVsYgEVf_YnZzCz9sk0pKsPnsERD/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=114660729301224615473&rtpof=true&sd=true with the chosen Europeana examples (pictures) by sharing them on a projector. For the motivation, the students had to think about the question “What is propaganda?” and answer by scanning a QR code. The students were supposed to write two words that they associate with the term propaganda. Analyzing their answers, we concluded that we could continue with the LS because it was obvious how they understood the concept.

Positive propaganda

The teacher directed the students to contemplate the positive influence of propaganda. Given their involvement in the traffic program, the emphasis was placed on traffic signs as a form of positive propaganda. Each student was tasked with selecting one traffic sign and placing it on the shared Popplet board, accompanied by an explanation of the propaganda conveyed by their chosen sign. Students were given five minutes to complete this activity.
https://app.popplet.com/#/p/7573585

Manipulation

After discussing positive propaganda, the students examined examples of negative propaganda. To facilitate access for students, the teacher shared a presentation on a drive accessible to all students via a QR code in the IT classroom. Together with the teacher, students analyzed examples of negative propaganda and reached the conclusion that the overarching goal of propaganda is to influence the emotions of the observer.

West wall – why?

In the subsequent activity, students collaborated in pairs to determine why scenes of the Last Judgment are often painted on the western wall of church interiors. Through their exploration, they independently concluded how art can be easily manipulated to convey specific messages.

Homework

The teacher concluded that analyzing everything assigned to the students in class would exceed the scope of the lesson plan outlined in the initial learning scenario. Therefore, students were tasked with choosing a topic of interest to analyze for their homework. They then sent their assignments to the teacher via the shared drive. During the last class on this theme, each student had five minutes to present their findings.

The main difference compared to the default scenario is that students were assigned homework. They created their works using the online tool Canva, which they were already familiar with. Additionally, they sourced photos from various internet sites such as Europeana, Wikipedia, and various museum sites. Before using the photos in their works, students checked their credibility and ensured they had permission to use them.

Peer assessment

Students provided feedback on individual elements of the posters, including the analysis and presentation of the topic, choice of sources, emotional influence, and organization of the poster. Peer assessment was conducted orally through discussions and talks, allowing students to provide constructive feedback to their peers. This approach fostered collaboration and critical thinking skills among the students.

War propaganda

The students were already acquainted with the topic of the next activity. In their history classes, they had previously examined war propaganda, while in Croatian language classes, they had already conducted semantic analyses of war posters. Utilizing the attached examples, along with the guidance of the teacher, they collectively analyzed and discussed the emotional impact of war propaganda according to the elements outlined on the presented slide. This allowed them to deepen their understanding of the subject matter and engage in meaningful discussions guided by their prior knowledge.

Astroturfing

When students selected topics for their homework, one of the options was entirely unfamiliar to them. Two students decided to collaborate, conducting research and organizing their findings into a Prezi presentation. During the final class, they delivered a 10-minute presentation, introducing the topic and explaining what astroturfing is to their peers. The presentation provided a comprehensive overview of the subject, enhancing the class’s understanding through engaging visuals and explanations. You can access the Prezi presentation here: Astroturfing Prezi.

Edward Bernays

The specific task provided at the end of the scenario proved to be exceptionally engaging for the students. The example involving cigarettes not only stimulated discussions about propaganda but also led to conversations about gender equality—a topic that is always relevant and intriguing. Students delved into research about Edward Bernays and his “experiment,” prompting reflections on the importance of women advocating for themselves, their rights, and equality with men. This exploration served as an example of positive propaganda, empowering students to recognize and support gender equality initiatives.

Assignment

According to the Croatian language curriculum for the fourth grade of four-year programs, the topic of fake news, information, and disinformation is typically covered in four hours. However, since students had already analyzed this topic in previous years and expanded their knowledge this year, only the most important elements were briefly reviewed with the students in about 5 minutes.

Additionally, due to three students being absent due to illness during the week when the task was being conducted, the remaining students were divided into groups of three to ensure effective collaboration. Consequently, three groups of three students were formed.

During the task, students had two school hours to complete the assignment. In the first hour, they brainstormed concepts, created logos and slogans, and uploaded everything to a common Padlet board. In the second hour, they recorded and edited video clips, which they then added to the Padlet board for presentation. You can access the Padlet board here: Padlet – The Role of Propaganda in Art History.

Peer assessment

Peer (oral) assessment was done through a table that the teacher showed on the projector (rubrics for peer assessment after watching all videos that students made for propaganda. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1voKf4FLRrEFJ5OXQE_A-2Su4P7Abh1FM/edit

At the end

Although the students attached their works to the common Padlet board, the teacher decided to introduce them to a Spatial, new tool that she was introduced to last year at the Europeana Education Competition 2023 workshop.

It is a very interesting tool for organizing content. The teacher briefly explained the tool to the students, and they quickly discovered the possibilities themselves. We chose a template and started preparing the content. They had to adjust the size of the photos and edit the videos they shot themselves. For the video, they used Wondershare Filmora 13 tool.

(https://www.spatial.io/s/Mirnas-Lo-Fi-Room-65d6e6d66dce4675c209ba45?share=6016118276499749679)

After completing the task, the teacher “entered” the 3D space and commented on the students’ works. The students were delighted with the new tool, which we used again the next week when analyzing the work, The Stranger, by Albert Camus.

Learning outcomes

Class implementation

The students actively engaged in critical thinking and were encouraged to collaborate and respect diverse perspectives. The learning approach emphasized problem-based learning and collective achievement of results. Additionally, components of media and computer literacy were fostered throughout the lesson.

Various activities related to computers and online programs were integrated into the lesson, including:

• Searching for free-to-use images in the Europeana Collections
• Utilizing Canva, Prezi, Padlet, and Popplet for interactive materials
• Using Mentimeter for feedback
• Creating logos in propaganda using Logomaker
• Producing videos with Wondershare Filmora 13 tool

To further enhance students’ understanding, they were introduced to Spatial, a new interactive tool for systematizing content. Through these activities, students not only expanded their knowledge but also developed essential skills in digital literacy and media literacy.

Student’s remarks

The students chose and found this LS interesting and useful. The tasks were very clear and precise with clearly defined goals and explained procedures. Students completed all activities successfully, so they were very satisfied with their jobs (the teacher also). The students are already familiar with the teachingwitheuropeana website, the research of various topics, and the ways, so as possibilities of using the materials. For the stated reason, the preparation time was reduced to one hour (analysis of the three offered topics, voting, and selection of this LS), and the second hour was included in the analysis – the entire analysis was five hours, not four as originally LS. The teacher used that one hour of preparation time to repeat the content from the previous lessons related to this LS. Edward Bernays’s campaign and the tasks they independently did were the most interesting parts of LS for the students, and they confirmed that they understood the importance of manipulation. Also, students recognized positive propaganda and became aware of the emotional consequences of negative propaganda.

Outcomes for the educator

Curriculum
Propaganda is integrated into the Croatian language curriculum for the fourth grade of a four-year school program. Specifically, three key elements are evaluated within Croatian language classes:

1. Language and Linguistic Expression: This aspect is assessed during various analyses conducted within the learning scenario, focusing on language usage and expression.
2. Literature and Creativity: Students demonstrate creativity when creating an independent video as part of the learning scenario, showcasing their literary skills and creativity.
3. Culture and Media: The topic of propaganda falls under culture and media, allowing students to explore its cultural and media-related aspects.

Moreover, this learning scenario also facilitates the realization of several cross-curricular topics:

• Civic Education: Students actively participate in protecting and promoting human rights, aligning with civic education goals.
• Learn How to Learn: Students independently determine learning goals, choose learning approaches, plan learning, communicate effectively with others, cooperate successfully, and seek and offer help, thereby enhancing their learning skills.
• Information and Communication Technology (ICT): Students critically assess the impact of technology on health and the environment, collaborate with others in the digital environment, conduct complex searches for information independently, evaluate search processes and results critically, and select necessary information from the findings.
• Entrepreneurship: Students participate actively in a project or production from idea to realization, fostering entrepreneurial skills and mindset.

Through this learning scenario, students engage in multidimensional learning experiences that encompass language, creativity, culture, media, and various cross-curricular competencies, preparing them for diverse aspects of their academic and personal development.

Teacher’s remarks

Europeana.eu and teachwitheuropeana.eun.org are invaluable platforms for promoting student research and independent study. The content is diverse, well-organized, and easily accessible, making it suitable for all stages of a lesson—from introduction to elaboration and evaluation.

In the Croatian language curriculum, particularly in literature, topics related to art, history, and science closely align with numerous educational resources available on these platforms. Teachers can leverage these resources to enhance their teaching and provide students with enriching learning experiences.

Furthermore, educators can explore other learning scenarios (LS) related to this topic, categorized by themes such as the analysis of emotional influence in propaganda art, information and communication technology (ICT) tools, or teaching methods aimed at developing critical thinking and fostering collaborative learning. By incorporating these resources and approaches into their lessons, teachers can create dynamic and engaging learning environments that cater to diverse student needs and interests.

Link to the learning scenario implemented: The Role of Propaganda in Art History (EN-CUR-755) – Teaching With Europeana (eun.org)

Do you want to discover more stories of implementation? Click here.

CC BY-SA 4.0: the featured image used to illustrate this article has been found on Europeana and has been provided by the Institutul de Cercetări Eco-Muzeale Gavrilă Simion – Tulcea.