Thank you, everyone, for a great semester. I really enjoyed this class!
Sunday, December 14, 2014
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
Final Project Brainstorm
I chose option 2 for my final project, because I feel like I have learned a lot from this course and want to share that. I went through my blog postings for each weekly reading, and I copied something from each posting that I feel reflects concepts and ideas I have learned or built upon through exploring in-depth for this class.
Reading 1: According to Kellner and Share (2005), "The process of empowerment is a major aspect of transformative education and it can take many forms, from building self-esteem to creating alternative media that voice opposition to social problems." (p. 371)
Reading 2: Film-making is an exciting way to teach students about technology and keep them up-to-date with what is available. The fringe benefit is that the educator must also be savvy in the ways of technology. In other words, if my students have to learn it, then I have to master it! Youth who begin using technology early will be more proficient as they grow older. It also allows us to monitor their etiquette and utilize teachable moments as often as possible to create an environment of ethical use of technology.
Reading 3: I now understand how important it is to recognize and deal with transgressions appropriately in order to maintain the lesson being taught.
Reading 4: Many people expressed that they hate navigating copyright, and I joined in on that opinion right away. I always feel very stressed about the media that I choose to use when creating digital media projects. Last year I had to complete a digital story for another class, and I remember very clearly the instructor making the point of how important it is for us, the educators, to follow the rules. If we don't follow the rules, why should our students follow the rules? I think the important take away for those of us who complained about this is that we need to practice!
Reading 5: "Media literacy has long been understood as a mechanism to reduce the gap between...the classroom and the living room" p. 29
Reading 6: "Teaching and learning involves genuine dialogue. Digital and media literacy education emphasizes personal agency and an awareness of the way symbols are used to construct a culture. It cultivates a deep appreciation of history, economics, technology, and politics as forms of social power (Hobbs, 2011, p. 62).
Reading 7: What it comes down to is this: I am on the fence. Until I have my own experience with the common core, I am going to remain a skeptic.
Reading 8: “Media composition practices promote intellectual curiosity. As a learner mysely, I was lucky enough to fall in love with learning…Romance comes first. Emotional involvement with the subject matter compels our interest (p. 88-9)”
Reading 9: "Some people think that media companies (like TV networks, radio stations, magazine, websites, or Internet service providers) simply sell radio or TV time, online banner ads, or space in a print publication. But this is inaccurate. Media companies are in the business of selling human attention, and it's sold in units by the thousand, depending on age, income, race, geographic region, and other characteristics of the audience (p. 114)"
Reading 10: "More than 90% of American kids age 8 to 15 have seen online porn, and in fact, the porn industry takes active steps to attract children by "typo-squatting" -buying the domain names of frequently misspelled URLs. At least 265 names of cartoon characters are linked to porn sites...(p. 128)"
Reading 11: The point of all this is that news can be extremely important, and good journalism will always be the heart of disseminating news. Students can learn to understand the lives and the struggles of people very different from them through exploring the journalistic process. Sarah Stuteville said in her video that when she began her journalistic world journey, her profession of journalism was being declared dead. However, Stuteville took matters into her own hands and showed the world that journalism was alive and well, and that young people were next in line to take the reigns and take journalism to new heights. Our students can also be journalists, and they can also prove to the world that journalism is not dead.
Reading 12: "Media texts and technology tools provide all of us, young and old, with resources for a lifetime of learning and entertainment - and they both represent and shape our culture's values and priorities, offering us a daily array of tensions and taboos (p. 186)"
Reading 1: According to Kellner and Share (2005), "The process of empowerment is a major aspect of transformative education and it can take many forms, from building self-esteem to creating alternative media that voice opposition to social problems." (p. 371)
Reading 2: Film-making is an exciting way to teach students about technology and keep them up-to-date with what is available. The fringe benefit is that the educator must also be savvy in the ways of technology. In other words, if my students have to learn it, then I have to master it! Youth who begin using technology early will be more proficient as they grow older. It also allows us to monitor their etiquette and utilize teachable moments as often as possible to create an environment of ethical use of technology.
Reading 3: I now understand how important it is to recognize and deal with transgressions appropriately in order to maintain the lesson being taught.
Reading 4: Many people expressed that they hate navigating copyright, and I joined in on that opinion right away. I always feel very stressed about the media that I choose to use when creating digital media projects. Last year I had to complete a digital story for another class, and I remember very clearly the instructor making the point of how important it is for us, the educators, to follow the rules. If we don't follow the rules, why should our students follow the rules? I think the important take away for those of us who complained about this is that we need to practice!
Reading 5: "Media literacy has long been understood as a mechanism to reduce the gap between...the classroom and the living room" p. 29
Reading 6: "Teaching and learning involves genuine dialogue. Digital and media literacy education emphasizes personal agency and an awareness of the way symbols are used to construct a culture. It cultivates a deep appreciation of history, economics, technology, and politics as forms of social power (Hobbs, 2011, p. 62).
Reading 7: What it comes down to is this: I am on the fence. Until I have my own experience with the common core, I am going to remain a skeptic.
Reading 8: “Media composition practices promote intellectual curiosity. As a learner mysely, I was lucky enough to fall in love with learning…Romance comes first. Emotional involvement with the subject matter compels our interest (p. 88-9)”
Reading 9: "Some people think that media companies (like TV networks, radio stations, magazine, websites, or Internet service providers) simply sell radio or TV time, online banner ads, or space in a print publication. But this is inaccurate. Media companies are in the business of selling human attention, and it's sold in units by the thousand, depending on age, income, race, geographic region, and other characteristics of the audience (p. 114)"
Reading 10: "More than 90% of American kids age 8 to 15 have seen online porn, and in fact, the porn industry takes active steps to attract children by "typo-squatting" -buying the domain names of frequently misspelled URLs. At least 265 names of cartoon characters are linked to porn sites...(p. 128)"
Reading 11: The point of all this is that news can be extremely important, and good journalism will always be the heart of disseminating news. Students can learn to understand the lives and the struggles of people very different from them through exploring the journalistic process. Sarah Stuteville said in her video that when she began her journalistic world journey, her profession of journalism was being declared dead. However, Stuteville took matters into her own hands and showed the world that journalism was alive and well, and that young people were next in line to take the reigns and take journalism to new heights. Our students can also be journalists, and they can also prove to the world that journalism is not dead.
Reading 12: "Media texts and technology tools provide all of us, young and old, with resources for a lifetime of learning and entertainment - and they both represent and shape our culture's values and priorities, offering us a daily array of tensions and taboos (p. 186)"
Reading and Discussion #12
My top 5 motivations for digital and media literacy education are:
1. to strengthen students' ability to resist negative messages preset in mass media, digital media, and popular culture about violence, materialism, stereotypes, and sexuality
2. to build students' ability to be active, thoughtful "readers" or interpreters of the media messages in their cultural environment
3. to modernize curriculum and make it more relevant to students
4. to help students use their own voices for advocacy and social change
5. to improve students' writing and communication skills by enabling them to use a wide range of message forms, symbol systems, and technologies
I read the chapter and selected three quotes that interested me/caught my attention:
"A passionate teacher, armed with a good idea, can be tremendously inspiring to other colleagues (p. 168).
This quote caught my eye in two different ways. First, I chose is because I liked and agreed with it. However, after I thought about it for a little while I realized the exact opposite can also happen. I will draw from my own media experience to create the point. I have always been a fan of the move "Freedom Writers". This media experience may not be completely accurate, since the movie is clearly dramatized to add more emotional effect. The point is that in this movie, the teacher has a good idea and plenty of enthusiasm. When she approaches her colleagues and principle about her idea, they scoff at her and even try to stop her from helping her students learn more through media literacy. Maybe this is not representative of schools as a whole, but it is easy to imagine why an enthusiastic teacher with a good idea can be viewed as the enemy just as often as the leader or source of inspiration. Many people will see someone like this and think that these "good ideas" just mean more work for them. It's important to find allies to your cause before introducing an idea that requires effort and change on the part of people who may be happy with their complacency.
"When it comes to cell phones, educators in some schools are discovering that policies based on respect and courtesy have a bigger impact than those based on control on prohibition (p. 179)
This quote made me want to say "WELL DUH"! But I realize it's not that obvious to everyone that allowing students the autonomy to make their own decisions based on doing the right this is usually the best way to get positive results. I have seen both sides of the coin. When I worked with troubled youth in placement, the policy was control and prohibition. Students were court ordered to the program, so they were there for bad decisions they made. They were not allowed to have cell phones, electronics, or internet access. Their access to television and media was almost completely cut off. These students took matters into their own hands quite often - sneaking in cell phones, finding ways around the school network firewall, or simply running away in order to have contact with loved ones. Fast forward to the position I hold now with Upward Bound, and it could not be more opposite. When students come to campus for Saturday sessions or the summer program, they are allowed to have cell phones, iPods, tablets, etc. They are simply asked to be respectful and courteous, and they are given guidelines to follow. I've had much less trouble with this group of students. I rarely see them using their cell phones inappropriately, and when I do it becomes an important teachable moment.
"Media texts and technology tools provide all of us, young and old, with resources for a lifetime of learning and entertainment - and they both represent and shape our culture's values and priorities, offering us a daily array of tensions and taboos (p. 186)"
This quote was at the very end of the book. It did not surprise me. Rather, I felt this was a great way to round of the discussion part of this course. This quote sums up the important of media and technology in our daily lives. Media becomes more and more important to the shaping and sustaining of our cultural views and beliefs. Media can both help and hinder a cause depending on the source. It is so very important that our students are taught to differentiate the messages sent by the media and read everything with a skeptical eye before making informed decisions. Media is only going to become more and more ingrained in our daily lives as technology progresses.
1. to strengthen students' ability to resist negative messages preset in mass media, digital media, and popular culture about violence, materialism, stereotypes, and sexuality
2. to build students' ability to be active, thoughtful "readers" or interpreters of the media messages in their cultural environment
3. to modernize curriculum and make it more relevant to students
4. to help students use their own voices for advocacy and social change
5. to improve students' writing and communication skills by enabling them to use a wide range of message forms, symbol systems, and technologies
I read the chapter and selected three quotes that interested me/caught my attention:
"A passionate teacher, armed with a good idea, can be tremendously inspiring to other colleagues (p. 168).
This quote caught my eye in two different ways. First, I chose is because I liked and agreed with it. However, after I thought about it for a little while I realized the exact opposite can also happen. I will draw from my own media experience to create the point. I have always been a fan of the move "Freedom Writers". This media experience may not be completely accurate, since the movie is clearly dramatized to add more emotional effect. The point is that in this movie, the teacher has a good idea and plenty of enthusiasm. When she approaches her colleagues and principle about her idea, they scoff at her and even try to stop her from helping her students learn more through media literacy. Maybe this is not representative of schools as a whole, but it is easy to imagine why an enthusiastic teacher with a good idea can be viewed as the enemy just as often as the leader or source of inspiration. Many people will see someone like this and think that these "good ideas" just mean more work for them. It's important to find allies to your cause before introducing an idea that requires effort and change on the part of people who may be happy with their complacency.
"When it comes to cell phones, educators in some schools are discovering that policies based on respect and courtesy have a bigger impact than those based on control on prohibition (p. 179)
This quote made me want to say "WELL DUH"! But I realize it's not that obvious to everyone that allowing students the autonomy to make their own decisions based on doing the right this is usually the best way to get positive results. I have seen both sides of the coin. When I worked with troubled youth in placement, the policy was control and prohibition. Students were court ordered to the program, so they were there for bad decisions they made. They were not allowed to have cell phones, electronics, or internet access. Their access to television and media was almost completely cut off. These students took matters into their own hands quite often - sneaking in cell phones, finding ways around the school network firewall, or simply running away in order to have contact with loved ones. Fast forward to the position I hold now with Upward Bound, and it could not be more opposite. When students come to campus for Saturday sessions or the summer program, they are allowed to have cell phones, iPods, tablets, etc. They are simply asked to be respectful and courteous, and they are given guidelines to follow. I've had much less trouble with this group of students. I rarely see them using their cell phones inappropriately, and when I do it becomes an important teachable moment.
"Media texts and technology tools provide all of us, young and old, with resources for a lifetime of learning and entertainment - and they both represent and shape our culture's values and priorities, offering us a daily array of tensions and taboos (p. 186)"
This quote was at the very end of the book. It did not surprise me. Rather, I felt this was a great way to round of the discussion part of this course. This quote sums up the important of media and technology in our daily lives. Media becomes more and more important to the shaping and sustaining of our cultural views and beliefs. Media can both help and hinder a cause depending on the source. It is so very important that our students are taught to differentiate the messages sent by the media and read everything with a skeptical eye before making informed decisions. Media is only going to become more and more ingrained in our daily lives as technology progresses.
Weekly Reading and Discussion #11
The video of Sarah Stuteville can be connected with the importance of digital media literacy, as well as the importance of teaching students through current events. Sarah tells a story of how her own minor hardship led her to explore and connect people in the world through their own determination to survive and thrive through hardship. Sarah points out during the video that while she was traveling the world and telling the stories of all these different people, she met people who experience and endure hardships that she can only try to imagine. I spent some time reflecting on what is newsworthy in relation to this discussion, and I realized that anything can be newsworthy. The news is the process of making the unknown known. Anything unknown could be considered news when revealed, although the importance of it can be questionable. Different people will find different levels of importance in any kinds of news.
This discussion brings me to the current turmoil in Ferguson, MO. I feel this situation is warped by the news, because there are so many different people weighing in on the issue and interpreting the situation according to their own beliefs. I feel the news media is not accurately covering all of the situation, and many news outlets seem to be placing uneven emphasis on the "bad" news over the "good" news in Ferguson. However, the biggest reason I feel this discussion ties into Ferguson is the issue of empathy. I have been noticing a lot of people judging the events of Ferguson openly, and this has been concerning to me. I can't say I come close to understanding what life is like for the people who are so angry and hurt that they riot in their own hometown in response to the Ferguson ruling. Sarah Stuteville set out on a mission to give a voice to many people enduring hardships and struggles. I feel like someone needs to get into the middle of things in Ferguson and do the same - give a voice to these people! Those on the outside need to come closer to understanding why people are so hurt and angry, and what hardships they have faced to lead them to this crucial time.
The point of all this is that news can be extremely important, and good journalism will always be the heart of disseminating news. Students can learn to understand the lives and the struggles of people very different from them through exploring the journalistic process. Sarah Stuteville said in her video that when she began her journalistic world journey, her profession of journalism was being declared dead. However, Stuteville took matters into her own hands and showed the world that journalism was alive and well, and that young people were next in line to take the reigns and take journalism to new heights. Our students can also be journalists, and they can also prove to the world that journalism is not dead.
Student motivation is also important in this area. The book tells the story of Mr. Landis, who overheard his students talking about flash mobs and decided to turn it into a means to explore current events and tie in many other lessons while allowing students to explore something they are genuinely interested in. The motivation for students to learn about this idea was already present, and Mr. Landis used it as a spring board to launch his class into a deep lesson about news and the media. Teachers who are in touch with and pay attention to their students' interests will find this an easy way to initiate much of the learning that occurs in the classroom. Teachers can tie current events into the lives of students by choosing topics that extrinsically motivate the students to learn more and push forward.
This discussion brings me to the current turmoil in Ferguson, MO. I feel this situation is warped by the news, because there are so many different people weighing in on the issue and interpreting the situation according to their own beliefs. I feel the news media is not accurately covering all of the situation, and many news outlets seem to be placing uneven emphasis on the "bad" news over the "good" news in Ferguson. However, the biggest reason I feel this discussion ties into Ferguson is the issue of empathy. I have been noticing a lot of people judging the events of Ferguson openly, and this has been concerning to me. I can't say I come close to understanding what life is like for the people who are so angry and hurt that they riot in their own hometown in response to the Ferguson ruling. Sarah Stuteville set out on a mission to give a voice to many people enduring hardships and struggles. I feel like someone needs to get into the middle of things in Ferguson and do the same - give a voice to these people! Those on the outside need to come closer to understanding why people are so hurt and angry, and what hardships they have faced to lead them to this crucial time.
The point of all this is that news can be extremely important, and good journalism will always be the heart of disseminating news. Students can learn to understand the lives and the struggles of people very different from them through exploring the journalistic process. Sarah Stuteville said in her video that when she began her journalistic world journey, her profession of journalism was being declared dead. However, Stuteville took matters into her own hands and showed the world that journalism was alive and well, and that young people were next in line to take the reigns and take journalism to new heights. Our students can also be journalists, and they can also prove to the world that journalism is not dead.
Student motivation is also important in this area. The book tells the story of Mr. Landis, who overheard his students talking about flash mobs and decided to turn it into a means to explore current events and tie in many other lessons while allowing students to explore something they are genuinely interested in. The motivation for students to learn about this idea was already present, and Mr. Landis used it as a spring board to launch his class into a deep lesson about news and the media. Teachers who are in touch with and pay attention to their students' interests will find this an easy way to initiate much of the learning that occurs in the classroom. Teachers can tie current events into the lives of students by choosing topics that extrinsically motivate the students to learn more and push forward.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)