Introduction to Entertainment-Education and Social and Behaviour Change Communication (EE-SBCC)
Class Description:
Using both Global and Pakistan-specific experience, explain and demonstrate the history and background of Entertainment-Education, and its continued use in public campaigns and in various products for radio, film and television, referring to relevant examples on multi-level media platforms (using television drama, social media, advertising or public service announcements, among others) on a wide range of issues related to social or public health that could include family planning, nutrition, interfamily communication, conflict resolution, emotional health, etc.
Four case studies demonstrate EE impact: Aahat (Pakistan) Kaisey Kahoon (Pakistan), Paiman (Pakistan) and Newman Street Transmedia Malaria (Nigeria).
Learning Outcomes:
What is behaviour change? And the process to develop EE-SBCC programs
Class Description:
In the first part of the class, there will be a brief presentation on the process to develop EE-SBCC programs following the A-TRAIN Process.
In the second part, there will be an exercise that gets students thinking about their own behaviour and motivators/barriers, as follows:
“I changed my behaviour…” This exercise is to understand how we as individuals go through the process of changing or making decisions, in order to change the way we act or feel or perhaps think.
Then, there will be a second presentation on what Social and Behavior Change Communication is using the ‘Steps to Behaviour Change trans-theoretical Model, the socio-ecological model (the onion) and the ‘C’s of Communication’.
Before the end of class, the students will be introduced to the possible issues to choose from, for the assignment. A package of research papers on ‘PROBLEM STATEMENTS‘ as potential student projects for EE-SBCC, will be provided to the students. They may either use issues from the package or carry out their own research if they prefer to do something else.
Learning Outcomes:
Theory informing Behaviour Change Drama
Class Description:
The purpose of this class is to help the students understand a few basic theories related to entertainment education for behaviour change (Extended Parallel Process Model (fear/efficacy), Social Learning Theory, Diffusion of Innovations, Theory of Reasoned Action) and Ideation.
The theories will be explained through a presentation and discussion and then the class will watch an EE product and analyse based on what they have learned.
See Zee Lo Zindagi under Class 3 of the Resources tab
Or the class could use the Bright Stars of Sindh ‘Bushra’, also under Class 3 Resources
At the end of the class, finalize the groups and issues for their projects.
Learning Outcomes:
Developing the Creative Brief
Class Description:
During this class, the students will learn the importance of audience segmentation and how to develop a Creative Brief through a presentation and by going through a sample creative brief for family planning included in the course packet.
The class can also look at the ‘Paiman’ or ‘Lesotho’ Creative Briefs, though they follow a slightly different format.
Learning Outcomes:
How to Understand the Audience Better
Class Description:
In this class, the students will be helping fellow students to relate and think about real human stories and the students will share their homework. This as an opportunity for students to get additional information about their audience especially understanding current situation, barriers and facilitators. The purpose of this class is to bring students closer to the issues of their audiences and how they can be addressed within the Pakistani media context. The students can discuss the how artistes portray the function of custom, tradition, gender, and belief in contemporary Pakistani society? And how one navigates diversity..
Class Options:
Bring in an experienced professional or social worker to talk about the key issues the student is working on for their project.
OR
The students could select an issue and hold consultative discussions in the field in a community or a number of communities affected by the issue. To make it more manageable, volunteers from these communities could be brought to the class.
Also during this class, students will present their draft Creative Brief with the other students for input.
Learning Outcomes:
The Transitional Character
Class Description:
Behaviour Change Drama is character-based storytelling. At the start of this class, there will be a presentation on “The 5 Principles of Behaviour Change.” This will be followed by a presentation – “Storytelling Using Behavior Change” – that shows how a character in a drama experiences change as a process. This will reinforce the theories presented in Class 3 and help with the translation of theory to action.
Students will get insight into how characters model the process of change over time, especially in the serial drama format used in both radio and television. This approach provides structure to develop a long-running serial drama in which realistic characters model positive and negative behaviours and behaviour change at a realistic pace. They will ‘learn’ the building blocks of the character-based story – how negative and positive influences push and pull the transitional character on a challenging up-and-down trajectory towards the ultimate change. This will include how negative factors (barriers) and positive influences (facilitators) are incorporated into a story.
Students will learn the importance of and how to define Behaviour Change Objectives for major characters.
The class will look at a number of examples, including ‘Karampenge: Art of War’, a comic used by the Ugandan People’s Defence Force in rolling out anti-retroviral therapy, to understand how strong fictional characters convey the issues in story.
The students may also analyse a Ugandan radio drama, ‘Rock Point 256’ design, character, Behaviour Change Objectives and ‘Bible’ which demonstrate the key ‘MARCH’ principles. Students will review the Lesotho example of a character map and Behaviour Change Objectives.
Learning Outcomes:
Pathways to Change Model and Exercises
Class Description:
A presentation will be made on how to develop behavior change objectives (BCOs) for the transitional characters based on the desired behaviors from the creative brief.
During this class, the students will go through the process of the Pathways to Change Model and game based on scenarios shared by the facilitator. The Pathways board game will give students experience in gathering and using data and formative research to incorporate into the story.
They will ‘practice’ the sourcing of personal, social and environmental barriers and facilitators, derived from the creative brief or problem statements, and use these as story building blocks for a transitional character.
Learning Outcomes:
Building The Universe and the ‘design document’
Class Description:
There will be a presentation on the Transitional Character in Behaviour Change drama: ‘The Hero on a Journey’.
During this class the students will learn how to develop the Universe, or setting and milieu that the transitional characters live in. They will develop key events in these storylines. Demonstrate how to develop a ‘design document’. The students will give the Transitional Character a home and an environment and set out the social and familial relationships that impact him or her, i.e. family, community and environment, attitudes and beliefs, infrastructure among others.
Students can analyse the universe and potential Behaviour Change Objectives of the movie, ‘More Time’.
If there is time, review the Universe and bible and example of ‘Rock point 256’.
Learning Outcomes:
Going Beyond Stereotypes – Elements of Empathetic Stories
Class Description:
As a part of thinking about stories, the student groups will do an exercise in stereotyping and understanding personal bias, related to gender called ‘Act Like a Man’. The instructions of the exercise are in the class resources. A gender specialist could also be brought in.
Discussion points could include, the role of women and men in Pakistani TV dramas by finding some specific examples. And/or discuss the role of the father in the film, ‘Monsoon Wedding’. Teach some techniques of how to reposition male characters – focusing on empathetic portrayals, putting themselves in that character’s situation.
Do an exercise to develop some male characters on issues.
Discuss how women are portrayed in ‘Bushra’ and do an exercise to develop positive female characters.
NOTE:
Students need to understand that in order for an EE product to be effective in inspiring others to change their behaviour, the transitional character must triumph against the odds over adversity. The tragic ending or the melodramatic victim narrative is NOT Behaviour Change Drama.
Learning Outcomes:
Transitional Character Stories Refinement
Class Description:
Students will receive comments on their draft transitional characters and then the class will go through a review and feedback process.
Some aspects for story enrichment may be:
The class will discuss the importance of and how to get feedback for EE programs.
Students will look at their story outlines for the different plots and identify linkages between them.
Learning Outcomes:
Elements of the Script: The Scene, Conflict and Dialogue
Class Description:
In this class, the students will gain clarity on the fundamentals of developing a scene based on a set up, realisation and outcome. They will look at how a scene is set up for radio, in particular understanding conflict and its significance for drama. They will look at two examples of how conflict is treated in a scene. Both examples are from a Tanzanian TV series, ‘Siri ya Mtungi’.
The first example is an excerpt from Episode 7 of ‘Siri ya Mtungi’ and looks at how actual physical conflict can be portrayed when transitional character, Duma, receives an unexpected visit, and unexpected news, from his landlord and villain, Masharubu, who is also his girlfriend’s dad.
The second example focuses on the verbal conflict, mainly between two co-wives in a polygamous household: Transitional Character, Nusura, and the elder co-wife, Farida, and the interposition of a third character, husband Kizito.
Students may read additional material from American script doctor, Dr Linda Seger, on infusing writing with conflict, and the different types of conflict in drama.
The students will look at how place and time and contextual activity are woven into the relationship between characters, while making sure that key moments in the scene make it unique and holds one’s attention. (Presentation) Explain to the class how TV and Radio script differ with examples. Students can read/act out sections of the scripts. They will also learn the fundamentals of how to write dialogue for TV or for the Radio.
Learning Outcomes:
Elements of the Script: The Sequence
Class Description:
The students will learn how to work through the elements of a script by studying examples from films. The students will learn to connect scenes in a fluent sequence of dramatic action, for example, a wedding sequence that has a beginning, middle and an end.
Students can look at a sequence from Mira Nair’s ‘Monsoon Wedding’ that deals with questions of intimacy and abuse, and gender roles, within the context of family. The sequence starts with a kiss when the bridal couple Aditi and Hemant resolve their ‘differences’, and ends when Lalit, the father of the bride, kisses his adoptive daughter, Ria, who had been the victim of molestation. (1:26:20 to 1:44:31)
NOTE:
The sequence can be looked at from the point of view of masculine role model, particularly Lalit’s transition, and gender and power roles in the context of family.
Students can also view a presentation on Motivation in a Transitional Character, entitled “In Her Skin”. There is also a short piece from Dr Linda Seger on the necessity of building a character with a motivation and a goal.
The students will review with examples such as, ‘Siri ya Mtungi’.
Students will develop sequences for their own project for feedback during class.
Learning Outcomes:
Script Review: Constructive Feedback and Revision Working Session
Students will share scripts (could read out or in writing) with the class for feedback. There will be a set of reflection questions that other students use when providing constructive feedback. Students will revise scripts in class.
Learning Outcomes:
What can be measured for EE Programs
Class Description:
A brief discussion about what questions to ask when pretesting an EE program.
The students will present on the different things to measure when looking at EE programs.
Also, student groups will work on refining their project in class.
Learning Outcomes:
The Pakistan Film and TV Industry – Possibilities for EE
Class Description:
Introduce established players in the film and TV industry to students of the EE-SBCC course. Presentations by quest speakers from the Pakistan film and TV industry on the way forward for Entertainment-Education in Pakistan.
Learning Outcomes:
Final Presentations of Projects
Class Description:
Each student will present the project to the whole group and the feedback they heard from the intended audience and how they refined the projects. Also, during this class students will share their projects with each other for feedback. The reviewing by students will be based on the following questions: Does it invite change, as intended? Does it convey empathy and advocate for a more just society? Is it local, textured and dynamic? This exercise will give an opportunity to vote (anonymously) on which projects they would produce.