Hybrid pedagogies: theory and practice in tertiary student documentary production

Accommodating theory and practice is a significant pedagogical challenge for screen programs in Higher Education. Integrating theory and practice within the pedagogy of Documentary screen production raises specific issues related to its ethical obligations and social change remit. Designing screen studies programs that effectively support students to become critically aware and reflexive practitioners requires historical and theoretical knowledge to underpin and inform production skillsets (Wayne 2003; de Jong 2006). This research examines the teaching and learning strategies within a suite of practice and theory-based units that collectively strengthen student understanding and skillsets in factual screen storytelling. Combining case study methodology and critical reflection on teaching practice the objective of this study is to examine the hybrid pedagogies that led to the successful completion of five student documentary productions. Textual analysis is applied to the five films to identify how the complementary course design led to innovative and impactful outcomes resulting in critical successes at national and international film festivals. This discussion argues that course design which includes a suite of complementary theory and practical units creates opportunities for students to innovate fundamentals of praxis. The scaffolded framework creates a cyclical, feedback loop in which theory informs practice and practice embodies theory to produce rigorous and theory-informed screen education outcomes and repositions academic teaching staff as ‘co-creators’ in a community of practice with students.