My PSA is about why digital media literacy in relation to campaign ads should be taught in schools. My PSA is directed at teachers to encourage them that this is a skill that should be taught, especially as election season approaches. I've attempted to use loaded language and glittering generalities. There are also some emotional appeals in place as well.
Monday, September 28, 2015
PSA Storyboard
My PSA is about why digital media literacy in relation to campaign ads should be taught in schools. My PSA is directed at teachers to encourage them that this is a skill that should be taught, especially as election season approaches. I've attempted to use loaded language and glittering generalities. There are also some emotional appeals in place as well.
Sunday, September 27, 2015
Critical Questions, Close Reading
Quote
"Cross-disciplinary integration can take many forms. In some schools, students take American literature during the same year they take American history. In other schools, students read words from 19th-Century literature concurrently while studying this historical period." -- Chapter 3, pg. 49
I absolutely love this. Maybe this is because I have both an English and Social Studies certification, but I've always loved collaborating and bringing the two subjects together to make things more clear. I'm fortunate enough to be in a school where the teachers are willing to integrate and collaborate. For example, right now I'm working with my Seventh Graders on Greek Mythology. Since they learn World History in this grade, the Social Studies teacher is studying Ancient Greece with them. So while he's talking about the history, I get to talk about the stories. It's an excellent learning experience for the students, and helps them have a greater understanding for what their studying because they have context for both.
Media Message
Ship of Fools - The Boston Globe
Deconstruction
"Cross-disciplinary integration can take many forms. In some schools, students take American literature during the same year they take American history. In other schools, students read words from 19th-Century literature concurrently while studying this historical period." -- Chapter 3, pg. 49
I absolutely love this. Maybe this is because I have both an English and Social Studies certification, but I've always loved collaborating and bringing the two subjects together to make things more clear. I'm fortunate enough to be in a school where the teachers are willing to integrate and collaborate. For example, right now I'm working with my Seventh Graders on Greek Mythology. Since they learn World History in this grade, the Social Studies teacher is studying Ancient Greece with them. So while he's talking about the history, I get to talk about the stories. It's an excellent learning experience for the students, and helps them have a greater understanding for what their studying because they have context for both.
Media Message
Ship of Fools - The Boston Globe
Deconstruction
- The author is a columnist for The Boston Globe, and clearly someone who does not agree with what the Sunderland's let their daughter do. The purpose of this article was for the author to express her opinion on this topic.
- She uses a lot of loaded language in this article. Words like "protecting", "dangerous", and "responsibility" help draw the reader's attention to what the article is saying. If someone has heard the story, and holds the same opinion as the author, these words will attract them and make them continue reading.
- This is an opinion article. Those who feel the same will agree, while others might disagree. Depending on where they stand when starting to read this article, they'll either agree, or they might become angry. This event caused a huge debate, so there are many different viewpoints of what happened. Those who might be on the fence, or without much of an opinion might be swayed by reading this.
- The value of protecting your children and taking responsibility for their actions is huge within this article. The question for this event, throughout every article has been "should the Sunderlands have let their daughter attempt this?" There are debates of whether it was neglectful to allow this to happen and other such values. There is also only one point of view in this article: the authors. She is clearly against allowing this to happen, and doesn't offer an argument for the other side.
- The other side of this argument is omitted, but there is also an interesting discussion absent too. It is mentioned briefly that Abby's older brother attempted, and succeeded, this very same feat. There is no discussion of whether he should have been allowed to do this, only that she shouldn't have been.
My students actually read and deconstructed this article, as well as a news article and a couple of videos on the subject as well. This story and the other were in our textbook, and I embraced the opportunity to give them a media literacy lesson. There are a number of things that this lesson did for my students. Firstly, it reenforced some ideas that were represented in a short story we read by giving them a real life circumstance where a rogue wave caused a shipwreck. Secondly, we did some activities on fact and opinion, and what the difference is. We also discussed loaded language and what words were present between all the different articles. This also lead to a discussion of connotation, and whether these "loaded" words made the articles and videos positive or negative.
Sunday, September 20, 2015
PSA
Topic: The need for critical media literacy when viewing political campaigns
Facts:
1. "Political commercials express their opinion not simply through words. Just as music and editing help convey mood in movies, in ads they reinforce the impression the makers want you to have." (pbs.org)
2. "Advertising surrounds us and these persuasive political messages ramp up around primary and general election time in every year candidates run for office. If students aren’t educated to see through these slickly produced commercials, they’re bound to believe much of what they see and hear." (http://www.middleweb.com/18374/campaign-ads-politicians-permission-lie/)
3. "Media literacy is the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and create media. Media literate youth and adults are better able to understand the complex messages we receive from television, radio, Internet, newspapers, magazines, books, billboards, video games, music, and all other forms of media." (https://medialiteracyproject.org/learn/media-literacy/)
Audience for PSA: Teachers
Facts:
1. "Political commercials express their opinion not simply through words. Just as music and editing help convey mood in movies, in ads they reinforce the impression the makers want you to have." (pbs.org)
2. "Advertising surrounds us and these persuasive political messages ramp up around primary and general election time in every year candidates run for office. If students aren’t educated to see through these slickly produced commercials, they’re bound to believe much of what they see and hear." (http://www.middleweb.com/18374/campaign-ads-politicians-permission-lie/)
3. "Media literacy is the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and create media. Media literate youth and adults are better able to understand the complex messages we receive from television, radio, Internet, newspapers, magazines, books, billboards, video games, music, and all other forms of media." (https://medialiteracyproject.org/learn/media-literacy/)
Audience for PSA: Teachers
Life Online
"Courts have stated clearly that a student "should be free to speak his mind when the school day ends" and the school administrators' disciplinary power must be restricted to the boundaries of the school itself." -- Chapter 7, pg. 126
I know there is great debate about what should fall under the realm of the school and what shouldn't. As an educator, though, I can understand why many of the situations that were mentioned in this chapter resulted in action being taken. The problem is that many times, things that happen outside of school find their way into school. If a girl is being bullied by classmates on Facebook, that sort of thing never stays just on Facebook. It's discussed in school, and sometimes the bullying takes a physical form in school. So while the courts say that students should be able to speak freely outside of school on the internet, if it effects what takes place in school, then does that really count for what is being said here?
"Offensive content of all kinds is protected by the U.S. Constitution under the First Amendment." -- Chapter 7, pg. 128
I was completely shocked by this, especially by some of the examples that were given. I wouldn't have thought that some of these things would be protected by the Constitution. Like the making and selling of videos that show animal cruelty. It just seems crazy to me.
"It solves one of the big problems when engaging in discussion with young people: their tendency to repeat the same ideas over and over, even when the point has already been made." -- Chapter 7, pg. 132
I don't think this is just a problem when it comes to teens, but college kids as well. I remember being in seminars and the most common phrase spoken being "I agree with what so and so said" because they didn't really know what they were talking about or hadn't done the reading and happened to be called out in class. I was guilty of this a couple times, and being totally speechless when someone asked me for a reason why. So I do think this format and others like it for class discussions can be helpful.
Meme
I was thinking about how this chapter talked about how much people share things on Facebook, and how it talked about how some of those students complained about teachers and other students by making Facebook groups. This just seemed like a good example of this.
I know there is great debate about what should fall under the realm of the school and what shouldn't. As an educator, though, I can understand why many of the situations that were mentioned in this chapter resulted in action being taken. The problem is that many times, things that happen outside of school find their way into school. If a girl is being bullied by classmates on Facebook, that sort of thing never stays just on Facebook. It's discussed in school, and sometimes the bullying takes a physical form in school. So while the courts say that students should be able to speak freely outside of school on the internet, if it effects what takes place in school, then does that really count for what is being said here?
"Offensive content of all kinds is protected by the U.S. Constitution under the First Amendment." -- Chapter 7, pg. 128
I was completely shocked by this, especially by some of the examples that were given. I wouldn't have thought that some of these things would be protected by the Constitution. Like the making and selling of videos that show animal cruelty. It just seems crazy to me.
"It solves one of the big problems when engaging in discussion with young people: their tendency to repeat the same ideas over and over, even when the point has already been made." -- Chapter 7, pg. 132
I don't think this is just a problem when it comes to teens, but college kids as well. I remember being in seminars and the most common phrase spoken being "I agree with what so and so said" because they didn't really know what they were talking about or hadn't done the reading and happened to be called out in class. I was guilty of this a couple times, and being totally speechless when someone asked me for a reason why. So I do think this format and others like it for class discussions can be helpful.
Meme
I was thinking about how this chapter talked about how much people share things on Facebook, and how it talked about how some of those students complained about teachers and other students by making Facebook groups. This just seemed like a good example of this.
Sunday, September 13, 2015
Deconstructing Media 2
Both deconstructions make good points, though I'm not sure that I agree completely with them. Mostly, I have issues with the Alltel deconstruction.
My first thought when watching the ad wouldn't have been that it was racist, though it is clearly stereotyping immigrants. I would say that the point of the ad is for the viewer to relate to the family who are having to rent out their room, as they are attempting to sell phone plans. I do agree that there is stereotyping of immigrants, though it is never explicitly stated what immigrants we're talking about. I don't see an attempt to make people want to be like the family shown, and not the immigrants, but that they want you to prevent from becoming them by having this phone plan and saving money.
I would have to argue that most companies probably support making profits over customer satisfaction. This ad is not unlike any other for advertising internet service. It could easily be related to HughesNet ads, which focus that they can provide internet service anywhere. In a place like West Virginia, which is mostly rural, this approach is appealing. Having had this internet service, I could also argue that customer satisfaction is not their top priority despite what their ads might say. Therefore, I would imagine that the claim made in this deconstruction is accurate, because internet service won't be able to reach everyone.
/index-2.jpg)
When I saw this ad, it made me laugh, which I believe is the technique being used here. Afterwards, though, I realized what's being said here: that the father has to label his children to know who is who. This is the stereotype we see often, that dads aren't as good as mothers when it comes to their kids. This is completely inaccurate, as mothers could just as easily have difficulty telling the difference between their children.
My first thought when watching the ad wouldn't have been that it was racist, though it is clearly stereotyping immigrants. I would say that the point of the ad is for the viewer to relate to the family who are having to rent out their room, as they are attempting to sell phone plans. I do agree that there is stereotyping of immigrants, though it is never explicitly stated what immigrants we're talking about. I don't see an attempt to make people want to be like the family shown, and not the immigrants, but that they want you to prevent from becoming them by having this phone plan and saving money.
I would have to argue that most companies probably support making profits over customer satisfaction. This ad is not unlike any other for advertising internet service. It could easily be related to HughesNet ads, which focus that they can provide internet service anywhere. In a place like West Virginia, which is mostly rural, this approach is appealing. Having had this internet service, I could also argue that customer satisfaction is not their top priority despite what their ads might say. Therefore, I would imagine that the claim made in this deconstruction is accurate, because internet service won't be able to reach everyone.
When I saw this ad, it made me laugh, which I believe is the technique being used here. Afterwards, though, I realized what's being said here: that the father has to label his children to know who is who. This is the stereotype we see often, that dads aren't as good as mothers when it comes to their kids. This is completely inaccurate, as mothers could just as easily have difficulty telling the difference between their children.
Research as Authentic Inquiry
"Children and young people grow up in mediaspheres that adults can find difficult to understand. Similarly, many young people find the preoccupations of the adult world to be remote, disconnected from their lives, and incomprehensible." --Digital and Media Literacy, Chapter 2, pg. 29
This quote stuck out to me while I was reading because I've had so many moments that have happened that relate to it. Because of my age, I often feel like I'm straddling the line between a young adult and an adult. I read the same books and watch a lot of the same shows that my age group of students do. We listen to the same music and take interest in the same things. But at the same time, I'm still an adult with adult worries. It's funny, though, because my middle school kids see me as an adult. There was a conversation that took place with my 6th Grade class that involved the game Assassin's Creed. I made a comment that I had played the game and understood what the student was trying to explain to me. He was completely baffled that I, his teacher, had actually played a game that he enjoys because teachers aren't supposed to like those same things.
"However, Alvermann and her colleagues point out that youth are ready and willing to talk with adults about popular culture if adults show a willingness to learn." --Digital and Media Literacy, Chapter 2, pg. 33
This quote sort of goes in line with what I was saying above, and I have to agree. I'm very open to listening to what my students have to say. Like with my 6th Grade student above, we were discussing sentences from our grammar book. One of the sentences mentioned the Gutenberg Printing Press, and I was telling them about it. This particular student actually knew a lot about it because he'd done a project on it the year before. Not only that, though, he had played Assassin's Creed, and in one of the games, there is a task that involves the Gutenberg Printing Press. He immediately went into explaining the concept of the game and the task because I showed interest in what he had to say, even though I already knew about it from playing the game myself.
"Today, many teachers across the curriculum are developing creative strategies to make teaching the research paper more relevant." --Digital and Media Literacy, Chapter 2, pg. 34
I loved the ideas presented in relation to this quote, as these are the sorts of projects I would enjoy doing with my classes and seeing other teachers do. In my own class, I'm working on a research project that involves Greek mythology and turning one of the myths into a comic. When I read the idea, I was fascinated with it, because I thought it would be a fun way to incorporate research and what we're studying in class. I'm hoping this project works as well as I think it will, and that I can find ideas like it to do in the future.
This quote stuck out to me while I was reading because I've had so many moments that have happened that relate to it. Because of my age, I often feel like I'm straddling the line between a young adult and an adult. I read the same books and watch a lot of the same shows that my age group of students do. We listen to the same music and take interest in the same things. But at the same time, I'm still an adult with adult worries. It's funny, though, because my middle school kids see me as an adult. There was a conversation that took place with my 6th Grade class that involved the game Assassin's Creed. I made a comment that I had played the game and understood what the student was trying to explain to me. He was completely baffled that I, his teacher, had actually played a game that he enjoys because teachers aren't supposed to like those same things.
"However, Alvermann and her colleagues point out that youth are ready and willing to talk with adults about popular culture if adults show a willingness to learn." --Digital and Media Literacy, Chapter 2, pg. 33
This quote sort of goes in line with what I was saying above, and I have to agree. I'm very open to listening to what my students have to say. Like with my 6th Grade student above, we were discussing sentences from our grammar book. One of the sentences mentioned the Gutenberg Printing Press, and I was telling them about it. This particular student actually knew a lot about it because he'd done a project on it the year before. Not only that, though, he had played Assassin's Creed, and in one of the games, there is a task that involves the Gutenberg Printing Press. He immediately went into explaining the concept of the game and the task because I showed interest in what he had to say, even though I already knew about it from playing the game myself.
"Today, many teachers across the curriculum are developing creative strategies to make teaching the research paper more relevant." --Digital and Media Literacy, Chapter 2, pg. 34
I loved the ideas presented in relation to this quote, as these are the sorts of projects I would enjoy doing with my classes and seeing other teachers do. In my own class, I'm working on a research project that involves Greek mythology and turning one of the myths into a comic. When I read the idea, I was fascinated with it, because I thought it would be a fun way to incorporate research and what we're studying in class. I'm hoping this project works as well as I think it will, and that I can find ideas like it to do in the future.
I found this one incredibly funny, especially since I was having SO MUCH trouble finding a meme that worked with what I wanted to say. I'm also terrible at making my own. I should probably be better at this given that I'm part of the younger generation, but I'm really not, so I think this one works perfectly. I do thing Memes can be good for analyzing and deconstructing media, because this is something they're familiar with. I think that really any activities that involve the use of media are good for capturing the attention of students, because it's something that's familiar for them, and using those sorts of things in the classroom is very uncommon, so it's something that doesn't feel like school work to them.
Magazine Cover
Emotional Appeals
Since we're talking about children and their education, emotional appeals seems to be the best technique. I do this with the use of images. All the kids look happy and excited about education, radiating that Common Core is a positive thing for them. I also use the tossing of graduation caps to imply that, by being part of Common Core, children will succeed.
Glittering Generalities
Discussing education and the positive future of education go into this category. Again, the pictures of children succeeding and being excited about education reenforce this idea.
Loaded Language
Words like "future" and "truth" and "facts" are meant to grab attention. There's also the statement of what the "child's" teacher has to say. Not just any teacher, but possibly what the one your child is going to have has to say about the curriculum. These are meant to positively reenforce the idea that Common Core might not be such a bad thing.
Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Reflecting on our Love/Hate Relationship with Media
Media Reflection
Print is probably my favorite form of media, but I have to agree with several comments made about how print media gets ruined (like books getting damaged) and the amount of waste it produces. When I made my own post, I didn't think about those things until I looked at what is posted. I found this true with a lot of what my classmates posted. My first thoughts were always positive, and how much I loved certain things about that type of media. In fact, it was like this for all the media forms except for sound media, which was the exact opposite. I was surprised at how many "hate" posts there were for digital media, though, considering the majority of us in this class are digital media majors. I wasn't expecting this.
Personal Reflection
As I've said, Print is very possibly my favorite media form. I often choose books over television, whether I'm reading a physical book, or something on my Nook. When I was reading the comments, though, most people refer to books in the physical sense, and not the digital. Reading on a Nook or a Kindle is still print based text, it just brings technology into the equation. I'll admit that I hated eReaders at first. I tried having a Nook and hated it so much I returned it. But now as a teacher, with limited time and bag space, I've come to LOVE my Nook and how easy and convenient it can be. If I'm sitting at home and I finish a book, all I have to do is go online and download the next book instead of driving an hour to the bookstore to get to next chapter. Even though I might be reading on a screen, though, this is still print media.
I will admit, though, that I have my hates. For starters, how easily books can be damaged. It is my biggest pet peeve. If I loam a book to someone, I expect them to take care of it, and if it becomes damaged in any way, I have to have a new one. It irritates me to no end when paperback covers get ripped off or pages get water damage. I feel the same about students who don't take care of textbooks. Unfortunately, though, no matter how much we might care for our precious books, they can only ever hold up so long before they eventually start to fall apart.
Print is probably my favorite form of media, but I have to agree with several comments made about how print media gets ruined (like books getting damaged) and the amount of waste it produces. When I made my own post, I didn't think about those things until I looked at what is posted. I found this true with a lot of what my classmates posted. My first thoughts were always positive, and how much I loved certain things about that type of media. In fact, it was like this for all the media forms except for sound media, which was the exact opposite. I was surprised at how many "hate" posts there were for digital media, though, considering the majority of us in this class are digital media majors. I wasn't expecting this.
Personal Reflection
As I've said, Print is very possibly my favorite media form. I often choose books over television, whether I'm reading a physical book, or something on my Nook. When I was reading the comments, though, most people refer to books in the physical sense, and not the digital. Reading on a Nook or a Kindle is still print based text, it just brings technology into the equation. I'll admit that I hated eReaders at first. I tried having a Nook and hated it so much I returned it. But now as a teacher, with limited time and bag space, I've come to LOVE my Nook and how easy and convenient it can be. If I'm sitting at home and I finish a book, all I have to do is go online and download the next book instead of driving an hour to the bookstore to get to next chapter. Even though I might be reading on a screen, though, this is still print media.
I will admit, though, that I have my hates. For starters, how easily books can be damaged. It is my biggest pet peeve. If I loam a book to someone, I expect them to take care of it, and if it becomes damaged in any way, I have to have a new one. It irritates me to no end when paperback covers get ripped off or pages get water damage. I feel the same about students who don't take care of textbooks. Unfortunately, though, no matter how much we might care for our precious books, they can only ever hold up so long before they eventually start to fall apart.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)