Hello everyone! I teach in an urban school district and was wondering if anybody could give me some ideas of current media I can incorporate in my high school classroom this upcoming year that appeals more to urban youth (my students are primarily Latino). If you could also give suggestions about how I could implement these different materials, I would be quite grateful. I'm also interested in learning about ways I can stay current with music my students listen to. Thanks!
-Dalin
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Grimm
As i continued to think about Kaylee's topic, as well as a TV show to use in the classroom, I kept coming back to my original idea of the show Grimm. In the intriguing TV series, the main character is an actual "grimm". This means he can see all of the creatures that are described in the original grim fairy tales. This gives students a new perspective of a story.
Digital Nation
I came across this series as I was searching for supplementary text for my final project. It's an extended TV documentary that explores "life on the virtual frontier," what it means to be human in the twenty-first century. I don't have time to watch the entire program at the moment, but I did watch a few of the clips from the section focusing on technology in modern education. I like what I've seen so far. Many of the issues we've discussed in class and on the blog seem to come into play in the series, so I thought I'd share it with the class.
My MCPop Ning Question
Using Disney to teach gender stereotypes
Does anyone use Disney to teach gender
stereotypes and roles? If so, how do you introduce this topic? What
activities do you do, besides analyzing character appearance and
attitudes?
Hobbs Chapter 9
As I was reading chapter 9 in Hobb's last night, I really started thinking about the entire purpose of our class and everything really came full circle for me. I realized that our students need to use media as an outlet for their learning.
I was reading Figure 9.1 on page 169, and determining my motivations for digital and media literacy. I found that mostly, I wanted to modernize my classroom and use media as a way to engage students. I think that using different medias in the classroom is a great way to connect with students and keep them interested, but I also think that it is a great creative outlet for them. If a student can create a PSA or a podcast, instead of writing a research paper, why not? It not only would allow students to use their minds in a different and more interesting way, but it is is also more interesting for us as teachers. I don't know about you, but I think grading 30 papers that are essentially the same sounds boring and awful. If I could watch or listen to videos or look at a Facebook page created for a character, that would be much more fun for me as a teacher. It may be more difficult to grade, but I think that in the end, it allows your students to do better because they can play to their strengths on projects.
On page 171, Hobbs asks the question, "Should digital and media literacy be offered as a separate stand-alone course or should it be integrated into the curriculum's existing subjects?" This is such a tough question. On one hand, I want to say that it would be so easy and fantastic to integrate it into my existing curriculum, but on the other hand, what if my students don't know how to use the different medias? Then, I'm "required" to teach them how to use it or have someone to teach them how to use it, which eats up more class time. In that case, I would say a stand-alone approach might be best
Maybe the best thing overall would be to have a stand-alone class sometime in an earlier grade...like eighth grade, then teachers could integrate the media into their curriculum with no worries from that point on. Students would come prepared knowing how to make a podcast, knowing how to use twitter, knowing how to decode a newspaper article, etc. You could still have interesting conversations on that specific media and the students' lives in class, but you wouldn't have to "teach" the media; you could just use it to your advantage.
Side Note:
I was on the MCPop Ning, and found this book, which I think I am going to purchase because it sounds like exactly what I might need to help me come up with some ideas for my classroom:
Using Social Media Effectively in the Classroom
It looks like it has a section on how to assess students' use of social media in the classroom. Hopefully this will help me to figure out how to grade students' work fairly between and across different medias.
I was reading Figure 9.1 on page 169, and determining my motivations for digital and media literacy. I found that mostly, I wanted to modernize my classroom and use media as a way to engage students. I think that using different medias in the classroom is a great way to connect with students and keep them interested, but I also think that it is a great creative outlet for them. If a student can create a PSA or a podcast, instead of writing a research paper, why not? It not only would allow students to use their minds in a different and more interesting way, but it is is also more interesting for us as teachers. I don't know about you, but I think grading 30 papers that are essentially the same sounds boring and awful. If I could watch or listen to videos or look at a Facebook page created for a character, that would be much more fun for me as a teacher. It may be more difficult to grade, but I think that in the end, it allows your students to do better because they can play to their strengths on projects.
On page 171, Hobbs asks the question, "Should digital and media literacy be offered as a separate stand-alone course or should it be integrated into the curriculum's existing subjects?" This is such a tough question. On one hand, I want to say that it would be so easy and fantastic to integrate it into my existing curriculum, but on the other hand, what if my students don't know how to use the different medias? Then, I'm "required" to teach them how to use it or have someone to teach them how to use it, which eats up more class time. In that case, I would say a stand-alone approach might be best
Maybe the best thing overall would be to have a stand-alone class sometime in an earlier grade...like eighth grade, then teachers could integrate the media into their curriculum with no worries from that point on. Students would come prepared knowing how to make a podcast, knowing how to use twitter, knowing how to decode a newspaper article, etc. You could still have interesting conversations on that specific media and the students' lives in class, but you wouldn't have to "teach" the media; you could just use it to your advantage.
Side Note:
I was on the MCPop Ning, and found this book, which I think I am going to purchase because it sounds like exactly what I might need to help me come up with some ideas for my classroom:
Using Social Media Effectively in the Classroom
It looks like it has a section on how to assess students' use of social media in the classroom. Hopefully this will help me to figure out how to grade students' work fairly between and across different medias.
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Call Me Maybe
On Friday, we will discuss the role of music and music videos in our discussion of media. As Melanie and Robert will attest, I love comparing various versions of music videos for tone. Ask her about the renditions of "Somebody That I Used to Know" we discussed in Teaching Reading to do just that!
Well, here's another set. This time it's the original version of the song "Call Me Maybe" by Carly Rae Jepsen (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWNaR-rxAic) paired with the Cookie Monster (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qTIGg3I5y8). I would love to discuss the first version as a way to look at some of the topics we have already discussed on gender, sexuality, etc.
Here's Obama's take on the song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hX1YVzdnpEc&feature=endscreen&NR=1
BTW: my vote for the music video we discuss in class on Friday is the Cookie Monster song!
Well, here's another set. This time it's the original version of the song "Call Me Maybe" by Carly Rae Jepsen (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWNaR-rxAic) paired with the Cookie Monster (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qTIGg3I5y8). I would love to discuss the first version as a way to look at some of the topics we have already discussed on gender, sexuality, etc.
Here's Obama's take on the song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hX1YVzdnpEc&feature=endscreen&NR=1
BTW: my vote for the music video we discuss in class on Friday is the Cookie Monster song!
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Denying the Digital Default
I thought it would be profitable to continue the discussion about cell phones sparked at the start of today’s class. I’ve read a mix of opinions throughout the session about the benefits and drawbacks of general technology implementation, and overall I find the pro-technology argument overwhelmingly compelling.
Incorporating cell phones in the classroom is one idea, however, that lacks real substance. This topic has come up frequently in “shop talk” with fellow teachers and even in casual conversation with friends and family. Wanting to be well-informed about the topic so that I could contribute to these discussions, I’ve read a number of opinion pieces and articles on the topic in recent years. You can trust that my skepticism isn’t an uninformed gut reaction. I think I need to make this point clear before I get too far into the post, as I may otherwise come off as a bit of a curmudgeon.
I reviewed the article mentioned during class (“Five Reasons to Allow Students to Use Cell Phones in Class” by Michael Soskil), and I found the author’s ideas poorly substantiated at best. A close reading reveals that his argument, like almost all the arguments on the issue I’ve encountered so far, is not grounded in the educational worth of cell phones. Rather, he justifies his advocation by pointing to ways that cell phones can be used to address problems with funding and information access. These are issues that no doubt need to be addressed, but are cell phones really the answer? Schools need to be adequately financed and equipped. Internet content filters need to be utilized in sensible ways that don’t hinder research and squelch student curiosity. The problem is not that cell phones aren’t allowed in the classroom. The problem is that schools are not receiving enough funds to develop technological infrastructures that allow for productive computing capacity.
Let’s consider another major facet of Soskil’s argument: “If we are preparing our students for life after school, we should allow them to use the tools they will be using when they get there.” I find this argument a bit troubling as it smacks of utilitarianism and, in a sense, anti-intellectualism. There is no doubt that teachers should consider the practical application of content when developing curriculum; however, this consideration should not dominate the conversation. Shouldn't our main objectives as educators should be to hone critical thinking skills and to foster authentic creative expression? If we accomplish this, students will naturally apply the knowledge and abilities they gained in school in everyday situations. Do these everyday situations really need to be mimicked in the classroom? When we think about incorporating technology in the classroom, our first consideration should be whether technology helps us accomplish our primary educational objectives, which should be loftier than basic utilitarian goals. Soskil states that banning cell phones is “negligent” as it fails to recognize real-world needs. I adamantly disagree. I think it’s negligent to perpetuate the notion that ideas have no value unless you can find some immediate pragmatic application for them. That mentality does not produce great ideas.
Let’s also consider, as Hobbs stresses, what Soskil omits from his argument. He doesn’t seriously address the countless behavioral problems that would accompany a lift on the cell phone ban. He also doesn’t address the issue of distraction. How can teachers expect to maintain the focus of a classroom--especially considering rapidly rising class sizes--if students are permitted to use their cell phones whenever they please? To be fair, this distraction is present, to a degree, regardless of a cell phone ban; however, imagine what it would be like without a ban in place. To counter, Soskil might make the argument that cell phones can be allowed at teacher discretion. It is obvious, though, that the logistical complications of that type of policy will inevitably give way to a general allowance of cell phone use throughout a school. And the drawbacks of that type of policy are obvious as well.
The one point on which I agree somewhat with Soskil is his counterargument to the complaints about students using cell phones to cheat on tests. It is true that worthwhile assessments eliminate this problem. Nonetheless, this is not a valid argument for cell phones. It's an argument about the low quality of the exams commonly used in American schools.
In some ways, it seems that the pressure to develop “classrooms of the future” has gone to our heads, compelling us to chase trends that are not always in the best interests of our students. We need to make sure we’re not jumping on the technology bandwagon, using technology for technology's sake. We need to deny the digital default.
If you can point me to some sources that make a legitimate educational case for lifting the ban on cell phones in schools, let me know. In the meantime, here are two articles I’ve read recently that provide some cogent rebuttals to Soskil’s argument.
Since my post has maintained a somewhat contrarian tone, I thought it would be fitting to leave you with a relevant quote from one of my favorite contrarians:
"Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end, an end which it was already but too easy to arrive at."
-- Henry David Thoreau, Walden
Just My Opinion
The more I think
about video games, the more I recognize their educational value. My initial
reaction to the article we read about the educational merit of video games was
fairly ambivalent; however, Clay Shirky’s words on page 138 of The Influencing Machine changed my
opinion. I really like his analogy about sifting through all of the books in
Barnes and Noble when illustrating the act of surfing the Internet, and I think
this also applies to the use of video games in the classroom. Are all video
games worth using in lessons? Of course not. But, this doesn’t mean there
aren’t quality games out there that could contribute to a student’s academic
progress. Teachers just need to design “filters” for video games so as to choose
the most effective ones for learning—as opposed to just pure entertainment. And,
as Brooke Gladstone explains, there are numerous filters already available,
such as online social networks and special interest communities. For example,
it took me a total of three seconds to stumble upon this webpage on CoLearners,
which is devoted entirely to the latest research on video games:
Seeing all of
the enthusiasm others have for the use of video games as educational tools has
actually raised my interest in this topic. I suppose when you boil them down to
their essential forms, books and video games aren’t really that much different.
What do you
think? Have your opinions changed (like mine) or remained the same about the
use of video games in the classroom?
Digital Storytelling Ning - Blog Post and Response
- Comment by Robert Early on Saturday
-
Hello all.
I'm currently a pre-service teacher studying practical and appropriate ways language arts teachers can use video production in their classrooms to enhance literacy skills. So far, I've compiled some great example projects (I-speak videos, poetry videos, uncommercials, movie trailers, public service announcements, news segments, and documentaries), but I'm interested now in talking to practicing teachers who have implemented video projects into their curricula.
What worked for you? What didn't work? What would you change? What would you keep? How exactly did you meet common core standards? How did you assess the projects?
I wold appreciate any insight you can share with me! - Comment by Sharanda Payseur on Sunday
-
I use digital story telling as a digital essay. My 10th graders (World Lit) find and research a world social issue. After writing the research paper, my students create movies in Movie Maker and narrate using their essays.
Here's my SchoolTube channel with some examples.
Here is my website with the requirements.
The most difficult I have is the software. MovieMaker is inherently buggy and often students lose a lot of work. Additionally, recording on laptops isn't as good quality as using desktops when using Audacity, also a buggy program.
This project is often the most stressful project all year, and the one with the best results.
Twitter in the Classroom? I think yes!
I was intrigued by our discussion today on using cell phones. I also thought Tim's Twitter account was really cool and wanted to think of ways I could incorporate Twitter into a classroom. I found this article online, which lists 50 ways you can incorporate Twitter into your class:
50 Ways to Use Twitter
The list is fairly concise, so I think you will find it useful and easy to reference!
I especially like numbers 1, 2, and 5. I think that using Twitter, as a teacher, to get news and updates out to your students would be a great way to use the media. Also, students could collaborate on assignments and get help from one another via Twitter. Wouldn't it be cool if you assigned students an assignment, and if they had a question, they could tweet you their question? I think that most students either a. don't ask for help in school because they don't have "time," or b. they don't take time to email the teacher, because they are working on the assignment now, not later.
Since Twitter is instantaneous, you could use it as almost an Office Hours set-up, where kids could tweet questions and comments and you could have short, meaningful conversations outside of the classroom.
Does anyone else have any ideas on how to use Twitter? Does anyone know of an alternate website that isn't Twitter that could be used? I feel that trying your best to stay away from mainstream media is probably in everyone's best interest.
50 Ways to Use Twitter
The list is fairly concise, so I think you will find it useful and easy to reference!
I especially like numbers 1, 2, and 5. I think that using Twitter, as a teacher, to get news and updates out to your students would be a great way to use the media. Also, students could collaborate on assignments and get help from one another via Twitter. Wouldn't it be cool if you assigned students an assignment, and if they had a question, they could tweet you their question? I think that most students either a. don't ask for help in school because they don't have "time," or b. they don't take time to email the teacher, because they are working on the assignment now, not later.
Since Twitter is instantaneous, you could use it as almost an Office Hours set-up, where kids could tweet questions and comments and you could have short, meaningful conversations outside of the classroom.
Does anyone else have any ideas on how to use Twitter? Does anyone know of an alternate website that isn't Twitter that could be used? I feel that trying your best to stay away from mainstream media is probably in everyone's best interest.
Monday, July 9, 2012
Video Games in the Classroom
Okay everyone...you are going to have to convince me. I read the Gee article...but am TOTALLY not convinced that I want to ever use video games in the classroom.
First of all, let me start off by saying that video games completely turn me off. I do not see the point and I think that they are a problem among teenage boys. Boys are spending so much time playing video games, instead of being face-to-face social or joining sports teams or clubs, etc. I just feel that if we brought video games into the classroom, it would be non-stop video games 24/7 for some of our teenage boys.
And for girls, I don't have a huge interest in them. And I don't know many girls who have a huge interest in them, either. I have been known to play a little Mario Kart here and there, but I don't own a game console, and never have. I just don't see the point. I feel like you're frying your brain when you're playing video games. I think we might have a really hard time engaging our girls. I suppose you could have two activities...one video game, and one of something else so that students can choose which one they want to do?
On page 5, Gee talks about how video games are, "a new form of learning and thinking." I agree with him on that... but, I have never had the patience to sit and put 50-100 hours towards one task (Gee, 5). I think that simulation games require your brain to work in ways that you have probably never used it before. You are using real-life skills in a digital world. I find that this may be difficult for some students and could cause a lot of frustration for everyone. I also realize that this is Gee's introduction...but he doesn't say much about HOW to integrate video games into your classroom. I guess I would have to read the rest of the book to find out.
I'm totally lost...and can't see myself using video games in my classroom. Hopefully our discussion tomorrow might change my mind.
How would you all use them in your classroom?
First of all, let me start off by saying that video games completely turn me off. I do not see the point and I think that they are a problem among teenage boys. Boys are spending so much time playing video games, instead of being face-to-face social or joining sports teams or clubs, etc. I just feel that if we brought video games into the classroom, it would be non-stop video games 24/7 for some of our teenage boys.
And for girls, I don't have a huge interest in them. And I don't know many girls who have a huge interest in them, either. I have been known to play a little Mario Kart here and there, but I don't own a game console, and never have. I just don't see the point. I feel like you're frying your brain when you're playing video games. I think we might have a really hard time engaging our girls. I suppose you could have two activities...one video game, and one of something else so that students can choose which one they want to do?
On page 5, Gee talks about how video games are, "a new form of learning and thinking." I agree with him on that... but, I have never had the patience to sit and put 50-100 hours towards one task (Gee, 5). I think that simulation games require your brain to work in ways that you have probably never used it before. You are using real-life skills in a digital world. I find that this may be difficult for some students and could cause a lot of frustration for everyone. I also realize that this is Gee's introduction...but he doesn't say much about HOW to integrate video games into your classroom. I guess I would have to read the rest of the book to find out.
I'm totally lost...and can't see myself using video games in my classroom. Hopefully our discussion tomorrow might change my mind.
How would you all use them in your classroom?
Lynn's Ning Post
I am taking a Film class that focuses on using media in connection with
the school curriculum. My interest is in Foreign Films and hope
to synthesize the films with reading material and writing prompts in a
community college English setting. I am seeking any sources that I could
use for both a paper and eventually in my own classes.
I didn't get much feedback, but Ryan suggested I join a secondary education group, which I plan to do. I believe this is a useful source but I need time to really go through and read all the posts.
I didn't get much feedback, but Ryan suggested I join a secondary education group, which I plan to do. I believe this is a useful source but I need time to really go through and read all the posts.
Social Networking in the Classroom
I am creating my wiki chapter based on getting students to create their own media to enhance their own learning. Through my research I have found many different activities, and even used activities that I m doing in this class, and other classes of my own. These actives range from blogs, to glogs, to creating a song.
One problem I have ran into is the idea of using a social networking website in the classroom. First of all, I do not have Facebook. I believe it creates problems in relationship, and people share personal information that should absolutely not be on the internet. I recognize that it does have it upsides, but my obstacle s how to I rationalize using it when I do not favor it myself.
I have talked about using twitter, because you can follow writers, famous actors, and educators, but it is hard for me to too see a real benefit from using faceook.
How much die should the instructor have in the group is Facebook is used?
Would students have a separate account for class, and if not how could the teacher control what the other "bad stuff" on their profile is?
Just a few thoughts to consider, I would love some feedback from someone who has any idea how to make this a successful task in the classroom!!
One problem I have ran into is the idea of using a social networking website in the classroom. First of all, I do not have Facebook. I believe it creates problems in relationship, and people share personal information that should absolutely not be on the internet. I recognize that it does have it upsides, but my obstacle s how to I rationalize using it when I do not favor it myself.
I have talked about using twitter, because you can follow writers, famous actors, and educators, but it is hard for me to too see a real benefit from using faceook.
How much die should the instructor have in the group is Facebook is used?
Would students have a separate account for class, and if not how could the teacher control what the other "bad stuff" on their profile is?
Just a few thoughts to consider, I would love some feedback from someone who has any idea how to make this a successful task in the classroom!!
Sunday, July 8, 2012
What is Disney telling our young girls?
What is Disney telling our young girls?
I am doing my Wiki project on gender roles and stereotypes found in Disney films. When I first started researching the topic, I thought it was a bit ridiculous how far people were reading into this. I mean, everyone I know has seen Disney films and no one I know claims that these films had an impact on their life as an adult. Sure, every young girl dreams of becoming a Princess when she grows up, but then she grows up and wants something different. Males see the characters in Disney films, but don't pay too much attention to them, because they are more interested in characters like G.I. Joe or Transformers. I just felt that every article I read was making too big of a deal of the appearance and effect of Disney Princesses.
But after I watched the documentary "Killing Us Softly" in class the other day, I realized that popular culture has a HUGE impact on who we are as people. I began to see the validity in the claims that the people were making about the negative impact Disney films are having on young girls and boys.
I also read this article, which was recommended to me on the MCPop ning:
What's Wrong with Cinderella?
Our world is so inundated with what it is to be a Princess, that young girls want to grow up faster and faster. I remember a controversy a few years ago at the mega-retailer Abercrombie, when they began selling thong underwear for girls ages 7-12. Parents were outraged! But, if you look at it further, you are forced to realize that our society is forcing us to act like this. The images we come across daily are sending us sub-conscious messages about who we should be and how we should act.
I really loved the discussion we had about advertisements the other day and was hoping to further the discussion.
Does anyone feel that they are affected by these ads in their daily lives?
I think we like to think that we are above the influence of ads, but we aren't. I think that every single person has to be influenced in some way by advertisements, and that the influence can be positive too, it doesn't have to always be negative.
What do you think?
I am doing my Wiki project on gender roles and stereotypes found in Disney films. When I first started researching the topic, I thought it was a bit ridiculous how far people were reading into this. I mean, everyone I know has seen Disney films and no one I know claims that these films had an impact on their life as an adult. Sure, every young girl dreams of becoming a Princess when she grows up, but then she grows up and wants something different. Males see the characters in Disney films, but don't pay too much attention to them, because they are more interested in characters like G.I. Joe or Transformers. I just felt that every article I read was making too big of a deal of the appearance and effect of Disney Princesses.
But after I watched the documentary "Killing Us Softly" in class the other day, I realized that popular culture has a HUGE impact on who we are as people. I began to see the validity in the claims that the people were making about the negative impact Disney films are having on young girls and boys.
I also read this article, which was recommended to me on the MCPop ning:
What's Wrong with Cinderella?
Our world is so inundated with what it is to be a Princess, that young girls want to grow up faster and faster. I remember a controversy a few years ago at the mega-retailer Abercrombie, when they began selling thong underwear for girls ages 7-12. Parents were outraged! But, if you look at it further, you are forced to realize that our society is forcing us to act like this. The images we come across daily are sending us sub-conscious messages about who we should be and how we should act.
I really loved the discussion we had about advertisements the other day and was hoping to further the discussion.
Does anyone feel that they are affected by these ads in their daily lives?
I think we like to think that we are above the influence of ads, but we aren't. I think that every single person has to be influenced in some way by advertisements, and that the influence can be positive too, it doesn't have to always be negative.
What do you think?
John Green, Fahrenheit 451, and the Internet
In a recent USA today article, John Green (a YA author and YouTube vlogger) announces the book club selection for a group called the Nerdfighters. He has chosen Fahrenheit 451 and looks forward to using the internet as a means to discuss literature. Green proves the point that the internet and social media outlets can enhance the study of literature if used correctly. Here is an excerpt from the article (link below):
Green, whose novel about teens with cancer, The Fault in Our Stars, hit No. 4 on USA TODAY's Best-selling Books list in January, is looking forward to discussing Bradbury's themes — "the ways context and sustained engagement add meaning to human life in a place (the Internet) that is not exactly known for sustained intellectual engagement."
Social networks "are often home to precisely the kinds of factoids and half-truths that Bradbury worries about," he says. But while the Internet "contains a lot of videos of squirrels riding skateboards, it can also be a place that facilitates big conversations about books."
http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/story/2012-07-02/john-green-book-club/55989684/1
Side note: I highly recommend incorporating any and all of John Green's books into your current/future classroom libraries. Be sure to purchase them in hardcover; they will not stay on your shelves long, and students will devour them.
If you teach The Great Gatsby or Catcher in the Rye-- he has videos on YouTube that teach teens literary critical analysis skills using both texts. I have included one of the Gatsby videos.
Green, whose novel about teens with cancer, The Fault in Our Stars, hit No. 4 on USA TODAY's Best-selling Books list in January, is looking forward to discussing Bradbury's themes — "the ways context and sustained engagement add meaning to human life in a place (the Internet) that is not exactly known for sustained intellectual engagement."
Social networks "are often home to precisely the kinds of factoids and half-truths that Bradbury worries about," he says. But while the Internet "contains a lot of videos of squirrels riding skateboards, it can also be a place that facilitates big conversations about books."
http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/story/2012-07-02/john-green-book-club/55989684/1
Side note: I highly recommend incorporating any and all of John Green's books into your current/future classroom libraries. Be sure to purchase them in hardcover; they will not stay on your shelves long, and students will devour them.
If you teach The Great Gatsby or Catcher in the Rye-- he has videos on YouTube that teach teens literary critical analysis skills using both texts. I have included one of the Gatsby videos.
Saturday, July 7, 2012
The Fast and the Furious
I was listening
to this week’s NPR program On the Media,
during which there was a segment about the competition among news outlets to
break a story first. This story comes in the wake of the gaffes by CNN and Fox when
they reported that the Supreme Court struck down the healthcare reform law. Some
of the most recent reporting mistakes include CNN stating that Hosni Mubarak
was killed, CNN stating that 20 bodies were found in a Texas home, and NPR
stating that Gabrielle Giffords died during the Arizona shooting. Jerry
Schwartz, the news feature editor for the Associated Press, explained that this
competition among news sources has been taking place for a long time. Schwartz
remembers when reporters would disconnect payphones to prevent other reporters from
calling in the news. What I find really interesting is that none of this really
matters. Schwartz even admits that in the grand scheme of things, it never
mattered who broke the news first or last. Being the first to break news was
simply a matter of pride to feed the reporters’ insatiable egos. It was just
one big game for them. However, in today’s digital age, news outlets survive on
how many people view their online content because this affects advertising
dollars. Therefore, it doesn’t pay for news outlets to sit on their hands and
wait to verify information. As long as people go to their web pages, incorrect
news is just as good as accurate news. If they jump the gun and report
something that’s not entirely or not at all true, they simply have to post another
story correcting the facts. This might make sense financially for news
corporations, but it’s negatively affecting the readers. Personally, I think
this deceptively reckless behavior is leading to the public’s distrust of the news.
I know I question the legitimacy of news stories all the time because I hear
contradictory or questionable statements. Brooke Gladstone compares the media
to a flock of birds flying from one electrical wire to the next, willing to be
shocked every now and then for landing on a bad story. Well, if this analogy is
true, then we, as the masses, are the birdseed because our shallow consumption
habits are feeding and perpetuating this behavior.
http://www.onthemedia.org/2012/jul/06/
Thursday, July 5, 2012
A Huxleyan Future?
This kind of statement may seem hyperbolic at first; however, after careful consideration, we all have to admit that we can think of plenty of examples to support his conclusions. Still, Postman seems a bit extreme on this point. Is this some kind of Luddite evangelism, some kind of paranoid prophesying, or was he expressing legitimate fears?
Having read his study, I find his warnings warranted. Regardless of your feelings on that point, though, I think we can agree with his central contention that trends in TV and digital media have an enormous impact on public discourse and education and that these trends are, for various reasons, often contrary to the needs of the public.
Another point I think we can all agree on is Postman's assertion that educators need to play a forcefully proactive role in making sure that entertainment and media don't influence education, but rather that education informs entertainment and media. He notes, "it is an acknowledged task of the schools to assist the young in learning how to interpret the symbols of their culture. That this task should now require that they learn how to distance themselves from their forms of information is not so bizarre an enterprise that we cannot hope for its inclusion in the curriculum; even hope that it will be placed at the center of education" (163).
As we begin to develop and rework lessons to incorporate media, I think we need to keep Postman's prophecies in mind. Whenever we implement film or news or any other type of media, our intent should be to produce critical consumers of media, not the type of passive partisan puppets that are fueling the pseudonews polluting the airwaves right now.
Are we headed for a Huxleyan future? That might be a bit of a stretch. Still, it's best to err on the side of caution, right?
Re/Mediating Classrooms
Recently, I read an intriguing article on "re/mediating" classrooms. The piece, by Donna E. Alvermann of the University of Georgia, is titled "Seeing Themselves as Capable and Engaged Readers: Adolescents and Re/Mediated Instruction." Since it had obvious connections to our class, I thought I'd share my thoughts on the article. If you're looking for validated research to rationalize your inclusion of film and other media resources in your lessons, this article would be useful.
Alvermann's study focuses on using "re/mediation" to reduce aliteracy, which she defines as "the capacity to read but electing not to do so." Aliteracy, according to the author, is caused by a perceived lack of relevance in school-related (or other) reading. Three key pedagogical targets are highlighted that are central to addressing this problem: (1) building self-efficacy, (2) establishing real-word relevancy, and (3) incorporating re/mediated instruction (a pun on remediation). Re/mediation is explained as "refashioning curricular and instructional conditions so that they include multiple forms of media," including music, film, and digital media. She supplies several examples of of successful implementation of this technique in classrooms with high percentages of academically disengaged students. I was amazed to see the transformative impact this simple change had on struggling students. We assume that these students just don't want to learn, but this just isn't the case. The reality is that they aren't receptive to lessons because they don't see personal relevance or practical application in them. Like it or not, our hyper-individualistic society has conditioned students to immediately dismiss things they don't consider "important." As teachers, we have to proactively respond to this unfortunate reality. Using a popular song or a high-interest film--even a video game--to explain a concept can have a tremendous positive impact on student engagement.
As I read this article, I realized that I don't use this type of technique often enough. I tend to use this kind of activity as something different, a break from the norm of traditional instruction. I really need to start thinking of it as an everyday strategy.
If you're interested in reading the article, follow the link at the end of the post. It's definitely worth a few minutes.
The Woodmans
I just had the pleasure of watching the most incredible
documentary. It is called The Woodmans and
it is avent garde in the texture and beauty in the filming. The summary is as
followed from Netflix: “The intimate documentary profiles the Wodmans, a family
dedicated to the making of art in all forms, and their reaction to the suicide
of their most famous member, daughter Francesca, whose startling, sexual
photographs established her legacy.”
The filmmaker draws you into this incredibly artistic family
through glimpses of the pieces that each member creates. Their lives seem
perfect, the children are exposed to art pretty much at birth and their
playground were art museums in Italy. As a result, there is a great
appreciation in art and a need to create. Unfortunately, what seems to come
with this great ability is a deep sadness.
The film documents the entire family, but focuses on
Francesca’s photography, which is well before its time in technique. This is
not a film to show in a classroom of minors as there is nudity in the form of
art. It is however a great for students studying film because many of the
techniques used in film are also used in art and photography. But not only does
it have artistic value, it also touches on loss and how one reflects on that
loss in addition to how one becomes a person who survives losing someone you
love.
Trailer http://youtu.be/qu9LSFFnn54
Photography by Francesca
Woodman
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
"Media Malpractice" & Argument
I recently watched the documentary Media Malpractice which outlines the problematic media coverage in the last presidential election. The director, John Ziegler, constructs a two part argument: 1. Obama was elected because of media favoritism and slant and 2. Palin was targeted and maliciously mocked in an effort to undermine McCain's campaign. The documentary has a significant bias and frequently falls short of sound logic, but it would be an excellent teaching tool for a unit on argument.
What was most interesting was not the documentary itself, but an interview I found on the Huffington post website. John Wellington Ennis includes a transcript and video clips from the interview. The interview would provide a perfect opportunity for students to unlock tone, bias, and slant.
Ennis prefaces the interview by explaining how Ziegler walked in. He states, "He arrived casually contemptuous." The interview is followed by corrections/retractions that Ziegler allegedly requested. The most fascinating part of the corrections is the interviewer's decision to include Ziegler's own email. The choice is extremely manipulative, though effective. Ziegler's tone and word choice in his email are rather incriminating and do nothing to endear him to readers of the article.
UPDATE: The originally posted version of this article included a statement that Mr. Ziegler refused to shake my cameraman's hand upon arrival. Upon clarification, my cameraman has informed me that after Mr. Ziegler first waved off shaking his hand when offered, he then made a repeated thrust at Mr. Ziegler of his hand to ensure a proper greeting. We regret the error.
2nd UPDATE: Mr. Ziegler was not satisfied with the previous retraction on the handshake claim by my cameraman, so I am now printing his exact words so that how cordial he is cannot be called into question:
What was most interesting was not the documentary itself, but an interview I found on the Huffington post website. John Wellington Ennis includes a transcript and video clips from the interview. The interview would provide a perfect opportunity for students to unlock tone, bias, and slant.
Ennis prefaces the interview by explaining how Ziegler walked in. He states, "He arrived casually contemptuous." The interview is followed by corrections/retractions that Ziegler allegedly requested. The most fascinating part of the corrections is the interviewer's decision to include Ziegler's own email. The choice is extremely manipulative, though effective. Ziegler's tone and word choice in his email are rather incriminating and do nothing to endear him to readers of the article.
UPDATE: The originally posted version of this article included a statement that Mr. Ziegler refused to shake my cameraman's hand upon arrival. Upon clarification, my cameraman has informed me that after Mr. Ziegler first waved off shaking his hand when offered, he then made a repeated thrust at Mr. Ziegler of his hand to ensure a proper greeting. We regret the error.
2nd UPDATE: Mr. Ziegler was not satisfied with the previous retraction on the handshake claim by my cameraman, so I am now printing his exact words so that how cordial he is cannot be called into question:
I saw your update. Do you even remotely care about being a lying sack of crap? I told you what happened with the "handshake" and you still lie about it. I have no idea what delusions your cameraman is under but I can assure you that I did not avoid shaking his hand. Once again, do you not recall that I was on the phone with you when this person unknown to me tried to introduce himself and I had no hands available?! You people are absolutely amazing. You have no standards, no principles, no argument other than trying to do anything you can, no matter how petty or inaccurate, to make someone look bad. Is that really all you have? Really? Wow.The book Engaging Readers & Writers with Inquiry by Jeffrey Wilhelm discusses a teaching tool called "Critical Review Responses." Simply put, this activity has students read reviews of pieces they read in class. This could easily be tweaked to fit a lesson on nonfiction film. Media Malpractice, reviews, and possibly this interview could work together as a text set that encourages students to look for patterns, ask questions, and determine reliability.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-wellington-ennis/sarah-palins-greatest-def_b_179260.html
The Active Role of the News Consumer
After reading the next chunk of The Influencing Machine by Brooke Gladstone, I was struck by her ideas on objectivity and the ultimate desires of news consumers.
Gladstone asserts, "News consumers say they want objectivity but they choose news outlets that reflect their views" (115).
If we are making choices to consume news that will reflect our views, are we really getting a rounded view of current events? Should we be consuming "comfortable" news that doesn't challenge our personal beliefs and viewpoints? I think that this idea ties into our conversation on Friday. When we attempted to rationalize using news in the classroom we cited the fact that we are molding future citizens. Shouldn't we teach our young people how to choose their news? I believe that an awareness of disparate viewpoints is a very necessary tool.
Gladstone also stated, "Today reporters aren't supposed to make the world better. Their job is to tell you what's going on, so you can make it better" (112).
It is no longer the job of reporters to better the world; instead, they are responsible for educating the masses so they will have the power and knowledge to transform society. This is an immense responsibility with scary implications if we don't adequately prepare students.
Gladstone asserts, "News consumers say they want objectivity but they choose news outlets that reflect their views" (115).
If we are making choices to consume news that will reflect our views, are we really getting a rounded view of current events? Should we be consuming "comfortable" news that doesn't challenge our personal beliefs and viewpoints? I think that this idea ties into our conversation on Friday. When we attempted to rationalize using news in the classroom we cited the fact that we are molding future citizens. Shouldn't we teach our young people how to choose their news? I believe that an awareness of disparate viewpoints is a very necessary tool.
Gladstone also stated, "Today reporters aren't supposed to make the world better. Their job is to tell you what's going on, so you can make it better" (112).
It is no longer the job of reporters to better the world; instead, they are responsible for educating the masses so they will have the power and knowledge to transform society. This is an immense responsibility with scary implications if we don't adequately prepare students.
Marco Torres
I’m currently
reading New Literacies in Action by
William Kist, in which the author profiles five different middle school or high
school teachers who have transformed their teachings by weaving new literacies
(also known as digital literacy) into the fabric of their classrooms.
I was
particularly blown away by a teacher named Marco Torres. As a way to help his
social studies students study and interact with their social surroundings,
Torres incorporated intensive video composition projects into his curriculum.
However, what started out as simply a social studies activity expanded into a
popular extracurricular organization called the San Fernando Educational
Technology Team (SFETT). Unfortunately, Torres ran into problems with the
district and lost his teaching job for eight weeks because he didn’t have the
credentials to teach what the school perceived as computer skills.
I’m so impressed
by how Torres handled himself in this situation. He wasn’t fazed at all when
his job security was threatened. Torres took a risk for the sake of his
students and never backed down against the administrative pressures. Today, the
SFETT is a cross-curricular organization that allows students to create
multimedia projects for all of their different classes.
As I thought
about this particular school, I couldn’t help but raise the following
questions:
·
Why
do you think schools tend to view each subject as mutually exclusive? Do they not
recognize the overlap among the various disciplines, or do they simply choose
to ignore this fact for practical purposes?
·
Do
schools foster an environment for risk taking (for both students and teachers)
or have they become a place of complacency?
·
Do
you know any teachers who think outside the box and take risks for the sake of
their students? What exactly do they do to make their classroom experiences
unique?
I understand
that it might be idealistic and irrational of me to think about risk taking in
this way, but I firmly believe that students will never be willing to take
necessary risks and challenge themselves if teachers and schools cannot model
this sort of behavior.
Monday, July 2, 2012
Setting the Bar Higher for Students
"Low expectations create problems when teachers don't expect that young people will care about civic issues. When this occurs, some teachers may rely on lecturing, explanation, and recitation, which one scholar has conceptualized as defensive teaching strategies. This happens when teachers control knowledge and classroom interaction, summarizing texts on behalf of students in order to guarentee a particular interpretation." (p160).
Hobbs, Chapter 8, has been one of my favorite chapters to date. After reading this chapter, I remember during my undergrad days when the "www" was just created. I was a Journalism major and assigned the University President as my beat for the semester. I met with him each week to receive his glamorous updates about what he wanted me to write about. Many of the articles we wrote for class were published in the University's paper that competed with the town's local paper. On a few occassions I did not shed the positive light on the President or his chosen topic for the week. I did not change his quotes, or misreport information, I simply gave the facts. I usually received my best grades for these assignments. (haha) Eventually he began to ask to see my articles before I submitted them to class. This made the remainder of the semester less interesting. Although my professor was not happy with the arrangement, he needed a paycheck and agreed to it. One of the articles that I wrote concerned the ability to interact with other schools around the world. (Imagine!) The article did not take a positive spin in the Presidents eyes because my article pointed out that there was little purpose for University to spend the money to fund the program. Students could sign up to be part of this "amazing" experience, but again no purpose.
After reading Hobbs, I began to research some of the sites mentioned in the text. Imagine my excitment with nothing substantial to compare it too. I am in the classroom often, but have never observed a teacher using any sources similar to these. While I think that teachers are missing out on a great teaching opportunity, I also understand their hesitation of the unknown as many have had the same experience with media as I have. What I found most amazing was how easily these sites can be navigated and implemented in the classroom. Why wouldn't you want to use them? Then I came to my next realization - so many do not know about them. I have often had similar thoughts of - Can my students handle the difficult topics of global issues or other current events? Will the students be engaged? How will I handle their reactions to these topics? Will I be able to handle their reactions? Students encounter similar issues on television, but how in tune with what is really going on are they? I was excited to explore scratch.mit.edu and Ayiti: the Cost of Life because this seemed to partially answer some of my questions. It allowed students to explore these ideas in a familiar medium. Pulitzercenter.org offered many tools for teachers and students to use with their curriculum and even made connections to the standards. I am eager and excited to eventually be able to use them in my classroom, but I am just as eager to see them being used by current teachers.
Hobbs, Chapter 8, has been one of my favorite chapters to date. After reading this chapter, I remember during my undergrad days when the "www" was just created. I was a Journalism major and assigned the University President as my beat for the semester. I met with him each week to receive his glamorous updates about what he wanted me to write about. Many of the articles we wrote for class were published in the University's paper that competed with the town's local paper. On a few occassions I did not shed the positive light on the President or his chosen topic for the week. I did not change his quotes, or misreport information, I simply gave the facts. I usually received my best grades for these assignments. (haha) Eventually he began to ask to see my articles before I submitted them to class. This made the remainder of the semester less interesting. Although my professor was not happy with the arrangement, he needed a paycheck and agreed to it. One of the articles that I wrote concerned the ability to interact with other schools around the world. (Imagine!) The article did not take a positive spin in the Presidents eyes because my article pointed out that there was little purpose for University to spend the money to fund the program. Students could sign up to be part of this "amazing" experience, but again no purpose.
After reading Hobbs, I began to research some of the sites mentioned in the text. Imagine my excitment with nothing substantial to compare it too. I am in the classroom often, but have never observed a teacher using any sources similar to these. While I think that teachers are missing out on a great teaching opportunity, I also understand their hesitation of the unknown as many have had the same experience with media as I have. What I found most amazing was how easily these sites can be navigated and implemented in the classroom. Why wouldn't you want to use them? Then I came to my next realization - so many do not know about them. I have often had similar thoughts of - Can my students handle the difficult topics of global issues or other current events? Will the students be engaged? How will I handle their reactions to these topics? Will I be able to handle their reactions? Students encounter similar issues on television, but how in tune with what is really going on are they? I was excited to explore scratch.mit.edu and Ayiti: the Cost of Life because this seemed to partially answer some of my questions. It allowed students to explore these ideas in a familiar medium. Pulitzercenter.org offered many tools for teachers and students to use with their curriculum and even made connections to the standards. I am eager and excited to eventually be able to use them in my classroom, but I am just as eager to see them being used by current teachers.
Video Games and the Broadcast News, Unlikely Bed Fellows
I personally have never been one to play video games; however,
I have played Mario Cart on occasion with my daughter on her Game Cube. My
husband and I would purchase educational type games for our daughter to play
when she was younger, but I’m not sure how much she actually got out of them.
The Hobb’s text
suggested a website called http://scratch.mit.edu/,
which I checked out and The Hunger Games
trivia game that was created by a student, seems to be well received by the
trilogy’s readers. The game requires the player to recall portions of the book
and the creator has requested that after completion you blog how many answer
that were answered correctly.
The portion of the text concerning TV programming ands as a
fan of TV, I was surprised with the statics concerning the facts people learn
through watching their favorite TV program. However, the portion of the chapter
that covers using the news as a source concerns me. I believe the BBC is a
perfect choice when dealing with adult learners, but the better choice all
around may be PBS’s News Hour, since this
may be a little more sterilized then the BBC.
I am at present, reading an article recommending using news broadcasts in an
ESL classroom. If interested the article is called, “Using News Broadcasts in
the ESL/ EFL Classroom” and was published by Teachers of English to Speakers of other Languages and I will be
posting an abstract of the article on our discussion board.
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