A Note on film vs. video for teaching Asian cinema

Across the country, more and more professors are using video in Asian studies courses. With its wide availability and relatively low costs, video has become a major force in education today. Many professors are using video in Asian studies to teach "cinema" as well as language and that is where the problems start. The use of video as the primary source for visual information is improper, and, in fact, detrimental. I understand the budget constraints placed upon professors and programmers, who are seemingly forced to use VHS in the classroom. However, this is a short-sighted view of the educational experience and cheats students who attend places of higher education.