Media and the Masses

Consider my analogy: Big Brother is to 1984 as Media is to 2009. 

There is a need for critical media literacy in elementary school curriculum and teacher education programs. This point is strongly presented in chapter 46 of "Media Literacy: A Reader". Media is primarily driven by "corporate interests" (economic and political). As a teacher I will help my students and their families develop media literacy. We will work together to support alternative forms of media (non-profit media). By controlling what society watches, listens and reads, media is actually dictating how society thinks, feels and behaves. This is amoral. In fact, it reminds me of George Orwell's novel Nineteen-Eighty-Four. The book portrayed a world regulated and watched by Big Brother. I remember the term "Newspeak". That language decreased each year, resulting in a decline in free thought. While media today is not causing a decline in our language, it is influencing our thoughts and behaviors. We cannot sit back and allow the next generation to feel pressured to conform to media's vision of what is good and virtuous (E.g. power relationships, beauty, sexuality etc.). It is important that students assess the underlying messages. Students should accept positive discourse and reject negative discourse. By this, I would encourage students to even strive for positive change!

I am now planning a comprehensive media literacy unit for a grade six class. My vision is to educate my students, empower my students, and encourage a rebellion against media's propaganda. Students will become aware of how media can potentially control the masses. Students will critically analyze one topic. Over ten lessons, students will construct their own knowledge of how media can manufacture myths. Student will identify positive and negative implications of this. Students will hopefully be left empowered and speak up in some way to encourage a media reform. 

It is unethical to put profit and corporate interests ahead of the health and well-being of society at large. As an educator, it will be my duty to facilitate a critical dissection of media content. Students should then speak up and voice their thoughts. 

I feel fortunate to have taken this course. The lab component allowed me to further develop my knowledge of new media forms. Photovoice, digital photo albums, digital autobiographies, and video blogs are suitable activities to introduce to students in the upper years of elementary school. The creation of videos and critical powerpoints will also be useful when teaching in this digital age. Culminating with an in depth unit plan is the ideal way to bring together the wealth of knowledge I attained in this course. 

Media & Suicide

Media is targeting youth and affecting identity construction. In lecture, it was discussed that suicide is a "cool" topic. It is being incorporated into television without actually dealing with the real psychological background. It was then mentioned that young children understand the meaning of the term "suicide" and see it as an option. 

I found this lecture to be rather disturbing. I do not agree with the "angle" of this lecture. It was mentioned that children and youth have a "morbid obsession with death". Nobody I grew up with had such a fascination. It is really important that inaccurate generalizations are not made. 

Examples mentioned in class:

Bad Religion-Social Suicide (lyrics) - Video on Youtube

"Girl, 13, hangs herself after becoming obsessed with Emo "

suicide cult" - In the news

The Virgin Suicides - Movie Trailer 

Romeo and Juliet

suicidegirls.com - Makes suicide "sexy"

What should we do?

Suicide is an alienation from the self. Teachers need to help students develop self-esteem. A feeling of community must be fostered. Each individual needs to feel connected. As teachers we need to be positive and enriching role models. I was unaware of the vast marketing of suicide in the media. It is important to ensure that parents are aware of the content children are being exposed to when surfing the net and watching television. Should a parent or teacher determine that a child is being exposed to these images, a very frank discussion would need to take place. It is empowering to critically dissect all media messages. At the same time, I think suicide is a very serious and controversial topic to bring in the elementary school classroom. I would avoid doing so unless a member of the administration, a school psychologist or a parent requested it. 

Video Production - Teen Pregnancy

Our group began gathering video footage for our assignment. Jess primarily held the camera and I focused on interviewing. I really enjoyed listening to my peers and prompting further discussion. It is really fun to pose similar questions to a wide audience and achieve a huge variety of opinions. This is a very "democratic approach" to surveying and presenting knowledge to others. 

Most people within the Faculty of Education gladly contributed. The common movies and television shows mentioned have been Juno, Degrassi and 90210. We will definitely include important clips from these episodes in our video. In addition to this, the news coverage of Jamie Lynn Spears was also discussed. 

Our group has been discussing the best way to organize the footage. It was decided that beginning with a media montage would be useful to prepare the viewer for the topic. Statistics will be infused in the video to help guide the viewer's experience. The footage will be split into three segments. First, students will provide examples of teen pregnancy in the media. Next, students will discuss the real world. Finally, the topic of health education will be explored. The aim will be to show that media images effect reality (rather than strictly reflecting reality). The final statements will be hopeful and optimistic. It will become clear that critical dissections of messages in the media is fundamental for healthy and confident youth. 

FROM SLUMS TO OSCARS

I recently watched "Slumdog Millionaire". A teenager from Mumbai, who grew up in the slums, is a contestant on "Who Wants to Be A Millionaire" (The Indian Production). The teen ends up winning and is interrogated under the suspicion of cheating. Throughout the film, the viewer understands how real life experiences (rather than formal education) is the source of his knowledge. This film was absolutely fantastic, and worthy of its oscar attention. 

In the first ten minutes of the film, the viewer learns much about the portrayal of the men, women and children. The men are largely authoritative, dominant, violent, and coercive. They maintain power by instilling fear in the young. The women are "tough love" mothers. They will use force to keep their children in control. Largely, their duties are to protect their children and tend to domestic needs (cooking, cleaning). The children are fresh, naive, energetic, vivacious, rebellious, and fun-loving. The children stick together. 

In addition to gender expectations and roles, the viewer learns much about the setting of India. There seems to be stark contrast between the big city and slums. The city has technology, wealth, and entertainment inspired by the West. The slums are dirty, polluted, and poverty stricken. There, children are educated in small school houses. 

I absolutely loved this movie. I immediately told my friends to see it at their earliest convenience. This Bollywood film has many of the conventions that are similar to our Hollywood favorites. There is a happy ending. There is a romantic plot line. The video footage and soundtrack were produced with great skill. The American viewer feels more cultured after "learning" about a new way of life or culture (as represented). 

India, on the other hand, was not happy about the portrayal of the culture. It is obvious that poverty, violence and corruption are not flattering by any means. In the first scene a child is shown covered in feces. The characters throughout the film are sweaty. Brutal murdering of communities occurs due to the fact that the individuals are Muslim. Without actually visiting to India, I cannot possible critique the validity of these images. If they do not accurately portray the way of life, obviously an uproar would be sanctioned. With some research, I have found out that the child stars were actually from the slums. Sadly, they were tremendously underpaid. After the Oscar event, they returned to their poor living conditions, only to be given more money after achieving an education at age eighteen. I find this problematic. The Hollywood producers should never take advantage of those in a vulnerable position. This is a horrible misuse of knowledge and power. 

This is a must see film. I encourage you to critically evaluate all aspects of the movie.

Video Production

Today we discussed video making and editing. In an example viewed in class ("The Wooden Camera"), the video footage varied in quality to simulate the differing perspectives. The video footage produced by the child was grainy and silent (sometimes out of focus). The video footage by the producer was high quality and stable. This made me more aware of the various filming strategies I could employ to make each point of view more distinct.

iMovie seems to be a very easy and user-friendly software for video-editing. I have my own Mac computer so I have already begun to cruise around the application. First, you can import video footage. Following that, video clips can be edited and rearranged. Adding titles,  music , and transitions can definitely enhance a piece and bring everything together. I look forward to this experience. By working in groups, we will be able to feed off of one another's creativity. 

PowerPoint

I have been working on my powerpoint assignment for this class. This assignment has made me reconsider the modality for presenting information in a new light. Never before have I used powerpoint to make a tutorial without a supporting commentary (live presentation). I have structured my tutorial in order to be engaging to a viewer. I used video and audio clips to bring information to life. I have used Imovie in order to create my own videos (rather than merely youtube). This really provides the needed evidence to substantiate my thesis. 

The following video appears on the second slide of my powerpoint presentation: 

Upon doing this project it became apparent that there are some compatibility issues between Mac and PC computers. I finally was able to format my CD such that it could be read universally. My peers seemed to encounter similar problems. 

Planning, Planning, Planning

We discussed video production in terms of shot divisions, camera angles and camera movements. We also looked at how to embed a video into powerpoint using Imovie.

Unit Planning with Technology:
In lecture, we discussed some considerations when incorporating technology into the classroom. First, you should ask yourself "What do I want my students to learn?". Second, "What do the state standards mandate for the subject?". Third, "What is your pedagogical need? What tools of communication, resources, technologies do you need to achieve your curriculum goal?". Fourth, "How will you deal with the technological concerns (i.e. security, maintenance, technological support, achievement gap)?. Fifth, "How are you going to empower yourself and your students?"

Innovative "SMART" Teaching

New products are now available to make learning more stimulating and engaging. Today, in lab, we are exploring the use of "Smart Interactive Whiteboards" in the classroom. The smartboard is an interactive alternative to the standard whiteboard. The touch-sensitive display is a projection of the computer screen.

City TV Calgary covered this new technology in a morning news briefing.


I began to search on the web for ideas of how to incorporate this new technology in the classroom. There are actually numerous websites available where teachers have posted lesson plans and interactive websites they have found to be useful. This is an example of such a link:

http://www.theteachersguide.com/InteractiveLitSitesSmartBoard.htm

The very fact that teachers are sharing their successes with others, shows how technology is also serving to unite eachother. The Internet is allowing educators to help eachother flourish!

Barbara Kruger is a conceptual artist. She uses large photographs with overlaid captions. The messages critically express messages that challenge the viewer to consider the power structures in society. "I Shop Therefore I am" was one image we discussed. A large black and white hand is holding the caption. To me, this is expressing how in order to truly exist in our world, you need to be a buyer and user of material objects. This is an unhealthy outlook of our role in the world. Consumer goods are increasingly taking on a stronger psychological role in a person's life. The ownership of a particular object serves as a status symbol to shape one's identity. I think it would be a valuable activity to bring in images like these to critically extrapolate meaning with students.

Apple Computers & Critical Pedagogy

I used today's lab period to continue to finish up my digital photo album. I was just going through Apple's website and found an interesting link related to education. The web address is posted below. This is important as it shows that even companies understand the need to integrate technology into the classroom. Obviously, their points are economically driven. Even so, there is value to the various resources, such companies are making available.

http://www.apple.com/education/teachers-professors/

The most meaningful part of today's lecture, was viewing the critical pedagogy video. I have included the link below, in order to revisit this at a later juncture. The sentiments have been echoed in a coursepack reading of a different class I am studying. In Ethics, we have been learning about "Liberation Theology". The quote below, coincides perfectly with our class discussions:

Richard Shaull explains,"There is no such thing as a neutral education process. Education either functions as an instrument which is used to facilitate the integration of the younger generation into the logic of the present system and bring about conformity to it, or it becomes the practice of freedom, the means by which men and women deal critically and creatively with reality and discover how to participate in the transformation of the world."

The alleviation of oppression and inequality should be a fundamental aspect of our education. Education can and should promote change. By not actually taking a stance on education the teacher is accepting and validating the current system with its oppressive elements. It is important to create a truly inclusive and dialogical classroom that embraces difference and strives for change.

Cater to the Clientele

As teachers, we must understand today's students. We need to adjust our teaching to meet their needs and interests.



Look to the students for inspiration. Redefine teaching in a way that uses technology to enhance the learning experience.




We are living in a new world. We are teaching in a :

Discovery, Dialogic inquiry
Invention, Interactivity
Global audience
Internet
Technology, (Neil Postman's term "Technopoly"!)
Authorship (by the masses)
Literacy redefined

Wiki, Whiteboard
Online
Revision of curriculum approach
Learner-centered
Digital divide, Democracy

Buying and Selling Culture Through Talk Shows

Commodification is "the process of increasing the realm of what is possible to sell and buy" (Macedo and Steinberg, 354).

In lecture, we were asked to respond to the chapter that touched us most in the week's reading. It was almost unanimous that the section on "Talk Show Commodification" was most intriguing. Talk shows definitely boost consumption and consumer culture:


(1)The production and distribution of the program itself is a marketable commodity.
(2)The host is branded into a celebrity figure (Eg. Oprah and created own magazine)
(3)Intertextual commodification exists through advertisements, product placement, and merchandising.
(4) The topic of the episode often commodifies key information for the viewer to become a better consumer (Eg. Make-up, clothing, best gifts for the holidays).
(5) The guests on shows are often commodifying his or her identity as a celebrity, a book, or knowledge/content.

Digital Photo Album: "LEARNING FROM THE LAND"

BubbleShare: Share photos - Easy Photo Sharing

I have a deep appreciation of art. When I come across a sculpture, intentionally or by surprise, I stop and ask myself a few questions. What am I looking at ? Who produced this? What is it saying to me? Learning occurs outside of the classroom. Analyzing sculptures is an enjoyable pursuit that is enriching and meaningful. To explore autobiographical moments of learning, I have used BubbleShare to upload various images of sculptures which have moved me. To follow, are written descriptions and analyses which explain the significance of each learning moment. Since I am an educator, below each of my personal reflections I will also include how I could incorporate these encounters in my future classroom. My personal growth is always causing me to be a more critical and creative teacher. 

1. "Girl in Wetsuit" was created by Elek Imredy. It was given to the Vancouver Park Board in 1972. Upon biking through Stanley Park this summer, I came across the beautiful figure. At first, it reminded me of my childhood fascination with water. For example, many children can relate to the lovely fantasy life of Ariel, being a mermaid swimming, through the sea and communicating with animals. In fact, the artist was inspired by the famous Copenhagen mermaid. The rock has a water ring. This is because at high tide, the water level covered much of the bolder. The piece is symbolic of Vancouver's dependence of the sea. 

Classroom Connections: water currents, exploration, trade, ecosystems, folk tales and fairy tales

2. Here we see eight totem poles produced by First Nations People. These sculptures are messages from the past. They could be truthful and/or mythological in nature. These sculptures surprised me! I was walking through lush greenery, when I came across a huge crowd of tourists snapping away. When looking at a totem pole, the viewer is amazed by the amount of time and effort that would have gone into carving each piece. 

Classroom Connections: Design a personal totem pole (symbols to represent family, way of life).  Research a tribe or totem pole to present to the class. 

3. Michelangelo's David, is a magnificent Renaissance work. Produced in 1504, we see David contemplating his challenging opponent, Goliath. This photograph is of the smaller version located in the Piazza Della Signoria, Florence. I encountered this work when studying in Florence for a summer. David's dominating presence is felt, when seeing the gigantic production in the Galleria dell'Accademia. The imagery is symbolic of the political message of the Florentine government. 

Classroom Connections: What is a hero? Biblical lessons. Provide examples of visual imagery and propaganda today (TV. Advertisments etc). 

4. "The Munchkin" is a funny sculpture I came across when approaching the Villa Rotunda, outside of Vicenza. The architect of the palace is ofcourse Andrea Palladio. The final stretch of pathway had a long fence with numerous "characters". Each sculpture was amusing. This munchkin in particular made me laugh. The work was produced to signify the exact opposite of admirable leadership traits. Rather than a tall, strong and robust male figure, we see the jovial, silly, jester. These palaces provided a retreat from the rigid life in Venice. Wealth among the common folk could not be expressed austentaciously (to compete with the leadership). Perhaps the many munchkins are symbolic of the retreat and takeover from below? The sculptures all make you laugh and provide entertainment.

Classroom Connections: Personality traits. Moral Education. 

5. LOVE was a symbol for peace after the Vietnam War. Robert Indiana produced this work with simple symmetry, colour and form in the 1960's. This photograph was taken in Manhattan. I have enountered this popular pop-art work in many other cities as well. The reading of the piece evoke different feelings in each viewer. While the intent was politically rooted, I am drawn to think about the human condition. 

Classroom Connections: 

Moral Education: What is love? How is the meaning of "love" different depending on the speaker/ subect matter ("I love you Mom." or "I love grilled cheese.")

Holidays: Valentine's Day (Commercial vs. Religious). 

6. Henry Moore is an English sculptor. I was first introduced to his work as a young child at the Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto. I later learned that this is actually the world's largest collection of his work. My fascination with his work was due to the fact that the pieces were abstractions of the human figure. The pieces were suggestive and allowed me to use my imagination to speculate about the artist's intent. As I grew older, and learned about Moore in school, it became clear that the gigantic pieces were to resemble natural objects. I have always found the pieces to be "bone-like". Over the course of my life, I have come across Moore's pieces in Montreal, New York and other big American metropolises. This past summer I went on a ten day travel excursion to Israel. Without knowing anyone, I decided to embark upon a travel program. Upon viewing this sculpture, at the Jerusalem Museum, I felt really close to home and really close to my youth. I was so thrilled to remember my childhood moments when I first viewed Moore's work. 

Classroom Connections: Ask students, "What special memories do you have with your parents?", "When looking at this piece, what does it make you think of?", "What do you think the model would have really looked like?" 

7. On my first day in Israel, I came across this landmark. There was an unusual street post as well as numerous cut-outs of soldiers. I immediately began thinking about how lucky I am to live in such a safe and peaceful country. Each day I wake up, listen to the radio, and then embark upon my day. The thought of fighting and war never seems like a possibility. I asked people around me about the very spot I was standing at, "What is this place?". I quickly learned that it was an ancient battle site. Below ground were tunnels for soldiers to protect themselves. This moment was a rude awakening for me. The "perfect" world was tarnished. 

Classroom Connections: "Why do people and countries fight?" , Remembrance Day connections, "Compare and contrast your life here with how your life would be if you were born in _______ country."

8.  Paul Lancz's sculpture "Tenderness" is located at the corner of Peel and Sherbrooke. Last summer I took a sculpture class, where for the first time I took a hammer and chisel and got dirty! As part of the class, I was supposed to walk around the city and search for an inspirational piece that spoke to me. I looked high and low. I spent days at galleries and walking the streets. Upon returning home exhausted, I encountered "Tenderness". The mother and child are depicted as deeply devoted to each other. The figures are deeply connected and resonate mother-child memories in the viewer. This piece made me think about how all animals on earth require emotional nurturing as well as physical support before becoming fully independent.

Classroom Connections: Cycle of life, Explore a species and its growth (maturation stages), Eric Carle's "The Very Hungry Caterpillar"

 

9. I came across this sculpture in Yorkville. The piece is of a large hockey player. Immediately, it made me think about how athletics bring about such simple joy in the athlete. Hockey is merely the movement of a puck into a net. Basketball involves tossing a ball into a basket. Tennis involves keeping a ball in motion between two or four individuals. Despite the fact that our world is constantly being transformed by new technological innovations, our recreational games have remained simple. This piece also made me think about how passionate so many Montreal inhabitants are of hockey. Being a fan is deeply engrained in many people's identities.  

Classroom Connections: Importance of recreation for health (discussion); Sports and Identity; Comparison of games that students enjoy versus parents (generational changes)

Plebian Paparazzi

Entertainment television shapes society's perception of what is "desirable". It is necessary to teach our students to crtically interpret the underlying economic and ideological messages. Particularly, the vision of the "lush life" seems to be captivating viewers at large. Television producers and advertisement agencies are well aware of the positive correlation between viewing, ratings and commercial expenditure. 

Our class discussion on January 19th was particularly amusing. There we were,  one hundred educated individuals in our twenties, discussing the latest occurences on the most popular television shows: Gossip Girl, Sex and the City, OC, 90210... the list was endless. It was quite clear to us that television is directly linked to capitalism and politics. 

So what is with this fascination all about? People gain pleasure by observing the elite rule their world. While there are many miserable characters, which would support the belief that money does not bring happiness, there are also many positive fascinations. Today there seems to be a desire to live out a celebrity lifestyle. People want to be the center of the universe. People want to look their finest. People want to be tracked and followed. (In a sense, Facebook is the plebian's paparrazi). People want to posses the latest technology. People want to be consumed by personal relationships. 

Aren't producers brilliant! These shows are largely geared to pre-teens and teenagers. At this stage, young girls have disposable income. Part time jobs are often used to save up for the prom dress and new shoes. Young girls really are absorbed by personal relationships; Females need to feel accepted in a peer group and to appear desirable to their male counterparts. 

It will be necessary to dissect media messages with our students. Lanky actors and the fascination with superfluous goods need be scrutinized. As a teacher, it is our goal to have each student develop a positive self-concept. Understanding that television images are constructed and fabricated is essential. 

One last note: 

Depending on the political climate, the messages being disseminated on television vary. For instance, portrayal of the family structure and ethnicity has become more diverse. As teachers, we must stay informed as to what shows are being watched by our students. At this juncture, our age gap is small enough to easily be up to date. In future years, it will be necessary to ask our students key questions: "How often do you watch tv?", "What do you like to watch?", "Why do you like the show so much?". We will then need to do our own homework. It will be necessary to observe and analyze the pieces for hidden messages. Clips could then be presented to the class to discuss and analyze. The teacher should guide this process to help students develop acute media literacy. 

"A spoon full of sugar..." for Inner City Schools

Teaching in an inner city school made me realize that as a teacher, I will sometimes need to infuse the curriculum with "a spoon full of sugar". That is right, I am quoting Mary Poppins and her lovely chant, "Just a spoon full of sugar makes the medicine go down in the most delightful way." The sugar I used to make learning fun, exciting and engaging was TECHNOLOGY!

My most recent field placements have been in inner city schools. Some students came to class hungry and without school supplies. Obviously, students from economically disadvantaged homes have not been exposed to the many new technological innovations of the twenty-first century. In order to ensure that each child develops the skills base to succeed in today's society, it will be critical to prepare each student with the basic foundations. 

"Literacy" is a noun used to describe one's ability to read, write and interpret text. Macedo and Steinberg encourage us to reconsider the term "literacy"  and broaden it to include "the intellectual tools and capacities to fully participate in one's culture" (5). With this understanding, students should be able to type, scrutinize information for its validity (wiki, blog, journals), and stay "safe" (chat rooms). In addition to accessing information and communicating with technology, students must learn to analyze and evaluate information.

During my field experience, I had my students work in collaborative groups of four. Each group had one laptop computer. While listening to my cues, students navigated through Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, IMovie and the Internet. Each program was carefully integrated into a unit. Rather than tacking on computer literacy, I chose to weave media skills into the curriculum. Word was used for typing up good copies of Language Arts activities. Excel was used for graphing during a Mathematics unit. IMovie was used to create a scientific television show. My students LOVED using computers and looked forward to the lessons. Technology was the sugar that sweetened the learning journey greatly.

Media constructs messages that have bias and "hidden messages". Television and film provide visual manifestations and prejudice. Representations of class, gender and race are rarely neutral. It is necessary to teach our students to think critically. As part of a moral education unit, I asked student to describe the "Big Bad Wolf". I then showed my class a few video clips taken from the Little Red Riding Hood and The Three Little Pigs. The grade two class came up with an excellent list of coded constructions.

In the Little Red Riding Hood, patriarchal power, violent masculinity and male dominance is expressed. My students made these observations:

-Male vs. Female (Big & Strong vs. Little & Weak) = GENDER

- Bad vs. Good (Dishonest vs. Honest)

-Black vs. White (Evil vs. Innocent/Socialized) = Race/ Skin Colour/ Ethnicity

- Ugly vs. Beautiful (Appearance correlated to inner traits)

In the Three Little Pigs, the Big Bad Wolf's presence exudes similar traits:

-"I'll Huff and puff and blow your house down." Rich vs. Poor (Greedy takeover vs. Bricks/Sticks)

-Big vs. Small ("Little pig, Little pig, let me in.")

-Strong vs. Weak

Brainstorming meaning as a class was very successful. Depending on one's culture, the interpretations can be different. While most students were familiar with the Big Bad Wolf image, new students to the country were unaware of the character and his associated traits.

It is essential to teach students to be critical thinkers. It will be necessary to reframe education to include new technologies. I especially see this as a priority in inner city schools. Resources must be made available to ensure that these students will have equal opportunities to become active democratic participants of society.  

The Birth of the Blog

Today, we learned about the advantages of creating our own blogs. Creating a blog seems to be relatively quick and easy to set up. Thinking toward the future, I could see maintaining a blog for my classroom. Parents could follow the course content and post comments. Pictures, newsletters, and upcoming events could be regularly updated. Students could also exercise responsibility by taking turns to post information.