‘The Simpsons’ Used as Learning Aid at Numerous Universities
As I’ve stressed and argued for years, The Simpsons has turned out to be an effective teaching tool, and is part of the curriculum at universities across the country.
“If the references are important enough to be lampooned by The Simpsons, these works must be important cultural milestones,” said Hofstra University adjunct English professor Richard Pioreck, a believer and a practicer. His current class deals with Broadway Theater and The Simpsons use of plays and musicals.
Next semester, he’ll teach “The D’oh of Homer,” a literature course that includes works by Edgar Allan Poe and Charles Dickens that were referenced in episodes.
“Teachers need to keep things fresh,” said Denise Du Verenay, an adjunct English professor at St. Xavier University in Chicago. Oh, and she’s also co-author of the book “The Simpsons in the Classroom: Embiggening the Learning Experience with the Wisdom of Springfield.” So she might know what she’s talking about.
“They need to reach students however they can. And using The Simpsons to grab their attention, I think, is brilliant,” she added. “Fighting against pop culture isn’t going to do anyone any good.”
San Jose State University in California and Oswego State University in New York are two other schools using the show in their lessons. In fact, “Sociology of The Simpsons” is still an accredited course at SUNY Oswego, according to their website. Sociology professor Dr. Tim Delaney wrote the book “Simpsonology: There’s a Little Bit of Springfield in All of Us” in 2008.
Simpsons showrunner Al Jean isn’t shocked by the show’s ties to education. “Some people may think we are very vulgar, but then they find there is a lot of warmth and emotion and many people are surprised at the intelligence of some of the jokes,” he said.
They might be surprised at the effectiveness of the show as well. Pioreck decided to use it after one of his daughter’s friends passed an exam on “The Devil and Daniel Webster” from watching a Simpsons episode that featured the story.
“The Simpsons do a great deal of parodying, whether it’s a complete script or a number here or there,” he said.
Some of the students might learn something about The Simpsons as well, especially considering one of Pioreck’s Hofstra students – who shall remain nameless – claims to never have seen the show before talking Pioreck’s class.
How about that for a course idea: “History of The Simpsons 101.” I’ll teach it.
[via AP]
