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) elements
Students 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 Exercise
Level 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
findings
Filming 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 wrong
Language 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 Germany
Shows 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=ngm
X0LwuLo0
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
interaction
be emotionally involving and motivating.
Karpinnen (2005): Meaningful Learning with Digital and Online Videos;
Masats/Dooly/Costa (2009): Exploring the Potential of Language Learning
through Video Making
http://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 editing
A brief written guide to filming is available on the
Aston intranet
Technical 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%20Ah
oy%20-%20Medium.m4v
Student video 2: “Healthy” chocolate for sporty
women
Student video:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.
com/u/17365751/Yogurette%2
0advert.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 building
collaborative (team building)
Results and implications
This project ticks all the boxes that were previously
outlined:
adequate scaffolding (theory covered in class) and
technological support
motivational and engaging ("fun")
contextualised and part of a meaningful and authentic
task
it was embedded in both CLIL and PBL approaches
In addition: effort involved and "gain" appear to be well
balanced