Video analysis and video production in the “language for business” classroom

Dr Claudia Gremler

Aston’s IBML degree programme

BSc programme International Business and Modern Languages (IBML) (since 1985)Taught jointly by Aston Business School (ABS) and the School of Languages and Social Sciences (LSS)CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) approach with PBL (Project Based Learning) elementsStudents have classes

in ABS with other business students (in English)in LSS with other language students (in the target language (TL) )special business modules taught in TL special language classes (“French/German/Spanish for Business”) (numbers in German are currently too small to continue to offer this )

German for Business modules

designed as language courses with integrated business content (CLIL)include business projects (PBL) in all levels (4-6), typically weighted at 25% of the module mark

Level 4: Company Tracking ExerciseLevel 5: Marketing Project Level 6: Business Plan

Marketing project in German for Business II

Introduces students to key theoretical concepts marketing mix, market research etc.intercultural awareness (preparation for Year Abroad) intercultural dimension of international marketing

First introduced 20 years ago, task(s) continually adapted and reformulated

The marketing project

Theoretical basis:Students study marketing theory They analyse marketing campaigns, product and packaging design, adverts – with particular reference to the intercultural dimension

Practical execution:Students are given a successful/traditional German or Austrian food product and are asked to develop a strategy to sell this product in the UK (group presentations to ‘representatives’ from the company)Students are expected to do (limited) market research, hold tasting sessions and adapt the product according to their findingsFilming a short advert for the product forms part of the project

Cross-cultural marketing

Marketing products to customers with different cultural backgrounds, nationally or internationally, is challenging and can often go wrongLanguage is one of the dimensions to consider and ‘language fails’ in advertising can be an amusing way to highlight the complexity of communication – and the importance of cultural knowledge for translators and copy writers

Cross-cultural marketing: brand names

“Germanness” as USP or marketing ploy?

Studying adverts I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfUSH45az40

Studying adverts I

Example of intercultural marketing („Ethno-Marketing“)Target group: Turks living in GermanyShows the migrant experience and the “guest worker‘s dream” (from the second generation’s perspective):

children acting as interpreters for their migrant parents, trips ‘home’ to Turkey traditional Turkish values (the importance of family, hospitality)improved standard of living (tv, car, family home)

Rejects ‘negative’ stereotypes: the second generation is well educated, with successful careers (this includes the women!)the grandmother wears a headscarf, the younger generation prefers secular, Western clothing and hairstyles

Studying adverts II

Students watch the beginning of this advert (without sound) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQktvsomrC8

What type of product is being advertised? What is the dialogue? Where is this (country)?

Studying adverts II

Show advert again, this time with sound but still without ending

How is America (the US) portrayed in this advert?

Studying adverts II SThe same advert, with sound but without ending

How is America (the US) portrayed in this advert?

Studying adverts II

Students watch the full advert. Would this advert work in Austria? What changes are advised?

Austrian version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngmX0LwuLo0

Products for the project

Student choices

What is un/attractive about the product (to British consumers)?Does the product itself need to be adapted? (only minor changes allowed!) Does the product need a new (English?) name?Should the design of the German/Austrian packaging be used?What would be a good slogan to sell the product in the UK?Is there a specific target group for the product? (In Germany/Austria, in the UK?)‘Foreignization’ versus ‘domestication’ (Lawrence Venuti): Should the product be marketed as German/Austrian?

What could an advert for this product look like?

Video and the learning process

Learning as a constructivist process (knowledge construction rather than knowledge transmission) which

needs be guided through adequate scaffolding should be contextualised (organised around authentic meaningful tasks) The learning activities should also

encourage the learner to be active contain collaborative elements that ensure interactionbe emotionally involving and motivating.

Karpinnen (2005): Meaningful Learning with Digital and Online Videos; Masats/Dooly/Costa (2009): Exploring the Potential of Language Learningthrough Video Makinghttp://www.divisproject.eu

Filming the advert: Equipment and technical support

The students use flip cams (or their own cameras/phones) to record their video and Windows Moviemaker or the freeware application VideoPad for editingA brief written guide to filming is available on the Aston intranetTechnical support and advice on basic filming principles are available from our Learning & Teaching Technologists

Student video 1: Sherbet powder

Student video: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/17365751/Fizz%20Ahoy%20-%20Medium.m4v

Student video 2: “Healthy” chocolate for sporty women

Student video: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/17365751/Yogurette%20advert.avi

Student Comments

“It was as fun as it was educational.” “Producing the advert added more value to the project and although it took quite a bit of time to produce it was thoroughly enjoyable and as a result I enjoyed the project as a whole more than I think I would have done without this element. It is something that really engaged us to work on the project.”“I found that making the advert as a group helped us work better together and combine ideas in a productive way. I think it also made us more enthusiastic about the project and presentation.” “The advert should continue to be part of the marketing project. It is very interesting and it motivates the group to work well on the project.”

Results and implications

Students experienced all the previously noted positive learning effects (also evidenced by Coleman (1992):

Project-based learning, transferable skills, information technology and video)

active engagement (involving, motivational)confidence buildingcollaborative (team building)

Results and implications

This project ticks all the boxes that were previously outlined:

adequate scaffolding (theory covered in class) and technological supportmotivational and engaging ("fun")contextualised and part of a meaningful and authentic taskit was embedded in both CLIL and PBL approaches

In addition: effort involved and "gain" appear to be well balanced