My Digital Literacy Story

My Digital Literacy Story:  

Media Literacy Autobiography

Media Literacy Autobiography Storyboard

media literacy autobiography storyboard

Any and all advice / comments are welcomed!
Thank you!!

Brainstorming my Media Literacy Autobiography

BRAINSTORMING!

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My relationship with media has pretty much been the same throughout my life. As a kid, I didn't spend a lot of time emerged in different types of media. I didn't get sucked into advertisements and want things because I saw them on TV. As a teen, much the same can be said. As an adult, I'm even more disconnected from certain media like television and radio. I do watch TV shows and a lot of football. None of the shows that I watch have an effect on my real life. I watch them then I go on about my business. I mean, it’s fake. There is no room in my life to be worrying about fictional characters/plots. I mute commercials during TV programs and I listen to Sirius radio to avoid adds and commercials. I am much, much more involved in using social media as an adult, mainly Facebook, but it doesn't sway me one way or the other. I don't let it have an impact on my life at all. I take it for its face value, and usually don't think any deeper than what I can see. This class, obviously, is not the case. I have had to deconstruct images, something that I found to be very tricky simply because it’s something that I have never had to do before. It has made me realize that there is a lot more meaning behind images and text than what just meets my eyes immediately. I have since tried to look at something and think of a few different points of view about it. Honestly, I still have a hard time deconstruction images and don’t really spend much time doing it. But, as far as using media in the classroom, I am completely on board! I am constantly looking for new ways for me to implement technology and media in my math classes. I think that this is something that I will always be working on as the technology use from students increases and we as educators are bringing more and more into our classrooms.

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What are your earliest recollections of watching television, going to the movies or listening to the radio? 
The earliest memory of going to the movies was in 1993 when I went to see Homeward Bound. I think that I remember that so much because I cried and hated the movie because it was too sad for my 6 year old heart to handle!

What commercials or advertisements do still remember from your childhood?
Honestly, as a kid, I just didn't watch a lot of TV. Nothing that I can think of made a lasting impression on me. I watched Nickelodeon more than anything. We lived in the middle of the woods and when the weather was nice, we were outside. I didn't have a TV in my room, so when I did watch TV, 98% of the time it was what my parents were watching.

Do you remember desperately wanting to buy something as a child based on an advertisement? What was it? Why did you want it?
The only thing that I can remember wanting solely off of advertisement was the PC game The Sims. I wanted it because I thought it looked cool and that it would be a fun game!

What are your earliest recollections of using social media?
AIM messenger all the way! I would say I was in middle school when we first got a desktop computer and it came with AOL. I had a few friends that I would regularly communicate on AIM with.

Describe a negative experience with social media?
The negative thing, for me, about social media is just the thoughtless posts that people make. I did my PSA about stopping, thinking, and then posting. I stand by this that wish that people would just THINK how their actions could hurt others.

Describe a positive experience with social media?
For me, the best thing about social media is being able to keep in touch with friends and family that I don't get to see often. Even my grandma has a facebook!

Describe your current media viewing habits (binge watching Netflix shows on iPad).
WHEN I do watch Netflix, I tend to watch 3-4 episodes at a time. I share an account with my sister (an we are cheap-o's so we opted for our account to only let one TV use it at a time) so sometimes I don't have access to it because she is using it. I have a kindle, which I use to surf the web, and rarely read a book. I also have a laptop, which I use for school and online shopping.

Do you have a favorite commercial or advertisement? 
No, I don't. I find commercials extremely annoying and almost ALWAYS just press mute until my program comes back on.

Have you bought something recently because of an advertisement? 
No. Maybe I'm crazy, but I am just not swayed by commercials. I buy something IF I want it, regardless of the advertisement I see for it.

What have you read or heard recently on the radio, TV or Internet that has caused you to have a strong reaction? Describe and explain.
Sadly, the attacks in Paris was the last thing that happened that had me glued to my TV. Obviously, it is a terrible event and I just gobbled up all the info I could from the news on it.

What role has media played in your life?
Not a large role at all. More as a child, but as a teen and adult, not significant at all. I watch TV, movies, and things like that, but I just take it for what it is. It's just a TV show, it's JUST a movie. I don't like fake things have real impacts on my life. If a major character is killed of, I just kinda think "OK, should be interesting to see how this plays out" where as some people think the show is ruined and the vow never to watch it again. Basically, I feel like this: I watch Grey's Anatomy for an hour and then it's over and I'm like "ok, watch you again in a week" then I go about my business. Media does not rule my life, I'm not glued to the TV or my phone, and when I don't have WiFi, it's most certainly NOT the end of the world!

Has your relationship with media changed over time?
As I have aged and matured, I am more removed from media. I have a Facebook, but I pay little attention to the stupid, rude, mean, ignorant posts that I see. I don't react on social media. That's not to say that I agree with or don't have an opinion about something. I just feel Facebook is no place to have an argument, or try to reason with people. I watch


Why is it important to incorporate media literacy into your current or future teaching practices?
It's important because it is the future. If we do not bring it into our classes, students will be less engaged and they will not have the chance to learn how to behave in the digital world.

How will you incorporate media literacy into your future teaching practices?
This is a tough one. Teaching math, I have struggled with this. I have incorporated some BB discussions into my class, as well as a few Ted Talks this semester. This is a good start, and I will always be looking for more ways to use media in my classes.

My Digital Story

My Digital Story (no revisions made)


I would like to thank you all for the positive remarks and the kinds words about the quality of my video. Thank you again!



Summary: 
This is a story of both the greatest thing in my life and the worst thing in my life combined. It's they story of how my family thrived and then dissipated. I know that there are a lot of people (children and adults) that go through similar experiences; all of which are different in their own way but all similar. This is mine.




Describe how your digital story might be used to do at least one of the following things:

1. Raise awareness- Divorce is all around us. People sometimes push it under the rug like its not a big deal. But it IS a big deal. Your life completely changes and sometimes it's just not an easy thing to "get over". I think that by bring this story to light I can connect people who feel the same or have had similar experiences and show them that they are not alone and that it is OK for adults to feel sad about their childhood family and home being ruined.

2. Build self-esteem- I like to think that if I can get through something like this, other people can, too. I hope that someone struggling like I did might see this as a little hope and make them feel like they will be alright in the end.

3. Create an alternative to a stereotype typically portrayed in mainstream media- I feel like in the media, divorce isn't properly shown. There is more to it than just a room at moms and a room at dads and twice as many presents! On TV divorced parents get along and sometimes both parents remarry and all the parents and the kids are just one big happy family. This is no always the case, and I'd like to see a little more true representation in the media.

4. Provide support for others- Again, I hope that anyone who sees this and is feeling alone or sad just knows that there are more people out there dealing with this than you may know.




Explain how digital storytelling can help individuals develop critical media literacy:

I think that by making our own digital stories, we have a better sense of critical media literacy. In order to make my story, I had to download and learn to navigate Windows Movie Maker, a program that I'd never heard of and definitely hadn't worked with. I gained new skills from this. I also feel that by watching other peoples videos, we are able to sharpen our viewing and responding skills. We now can watch with a purpose, and think about sights/sounds in a new way. Now I am able to take apart different types or media and think about with the images and sounds represent. I am able to provide positive reinforcement and give critiques based on a rubric. Basically, by being involved in digital storytelling, I think that people gain a deeper understanding of both what is actually being said and shown, and what is hiding between the lines.

Digital Story Rough Draft

Here is the link to my digital story on YouTube:

Digital Story

Storyboard for Digital Story

Link to my Storyboard.

Chapter 9: Infusing Digital and Media Literacy Across the Curriculum

Chapter 9: Infusing Digital and Media Literacy Across the Curriculum

Connecting to others and participating in a shared dialog helps us to continue to learn- whether that be in formal or informal  situations, in face-to-face interactions, or through email, Twitter, Facebook, or blogs. (p. 168)

I definitely agree with this line. I've not had a lot of classes where I work with others closely more often than not. In this class, even though we all don't physically SEE each other, or even know each other personally for that matter, we spend so much time reading about each other and learning from one another. We know intimate details about each other from our recent stories, and we get an idea about how each other think based on our opinions and blog comments. I wish that I could somehow get my students more involved with each other like this. People in my class don't know each other's names, even though they work together frequently.

When a topic, issue, or skill is supposed to be developed across the curriculum, it may end up invisible. (p. 172)

This line stuck out to me majorly! I'm not sure exactly what the author means here. I wish she would elaborate some. I even looked up her Seven Great Debates in the Media Literacy Movement that is mentioned the the text, and she just says the same thing. Perhaps she means that if Media Literacy is "being taught" in each subject, that maybe it's really not, and students are missing out.

Over time, the ratings system has changed as depictions of sexuality and violence have become more normative. Films that were rated R in the 1980s would be unlikely to receive that rating today. (p 181)

This line leaves me a little confused. Does this mean that now we are so used to the violence and sexuality that our films are getting lower ratings because we EXPECT to see it? and so it's not that big of a deal? I think that it is unfortunate that teachers sometimes aren't able to pick what they want to show in their classrooms. But, I do understand the reasoning behind it.






Hobbs, R. (1998). The seven great debates in the media literacy movement. Journal of Communication, 48(1):16-32


Hobbs, R. (2011). Research as Authentic Inquiry. In Digital and media literacy: Connecting culture and classroom. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Corwin Press.

Chapter 8 - What in the World: Teaching With Current Events

After watching the video Journalism Revived by Sarah Stuteville and reading chapter 8 in the text book:

What is newsworthy?

News has many purposes: to inform, to persuade, to entertain. News makes the unknown known, and unfortunately, bad news is good for business. To determine what is actually newsworthy, you must consider timeliness, proximity, relevance, conflict, and human interest all while aiming for fairness, accuracy, and balance. 

Student motivation:
The text describes a class that did projects on flash mobs. They were motivated because they were interested in the topic. They worked hard and were proud of their work.  After seeing how the news crew presented their story, flaws and all, they had a much better understanding of how news works and how news can give a specific idea about a certain topic, even if that isn't what really happened.

Sarah and her two friends were motivated to change their situations based on what was happening in the world. Their chosen majors were "dead", so they motivated themselves to do what they really wanted to do. They were quite successful and definitely have an inspiring story to tell!

Authentic learning:

"refers to a wide variety of educational and instructional techniques focused on connecting what students are taught in school to real-world issues, problems, and applications"

Back to the students who studied flash mobs... This topic was very relevant to these kids. They had some knowledge but maybe didn't know all there was to know. Buy incorporating this real word issue into school, Mr. Landis made an awesome lesson, including a lot of digital tools along the way. It helped the kids become more informed in fun, hands on way, not just a lecture.

Sarah and her group were literally dropped into different parts of the world and were learning first hand how other people in other parts of the world live and the issues they are faced with and how different they are from what we deal with. They were extremely unprepared and had to just learn about and deal with these problems on the fly.



Place-based education:

"seeks to help communities through employing students and school staff in solving community problems"

According to the text, " the internet and digital technologies can turn people from passive spectators to active citizens, where people generate ideas that are relevant to their own communities." (p 154) 

It also tells us that sometimes it can be risky to develop activities that allow students to take action, and even states that most classes don't even try to offer these activities. Based on this, it could seem as though not a lot of school's are calling their students to be involved in community problems. I'm not in the public schools, so I don't know what teachers around our area are doing.

In the video, Sarah mentions The Common Language Project that she was working with. This project had people involved who WANTED to help their community. They want to write for her project, and publish information in their newspapers, and put them on the radio, and also to help them have a fundraiser. This is real community involvement and helps to get people from different walks of life involved for a common cause. 

http://edglossary.org/authentic-learning/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Place-based_education
Hobbs, R. (2011). Research as Authentic Inquiry. In Digital and media literacy: Connecting culture and classroom. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Corwin Press.

Brainstorming my Digital Story

I actually have a REALLY good idea how my story is going to play out and I'm excited to bring it to life.

1. Describe a positive scene from childhood in detail. What led up to this event? When and where did it happen? Who was involved? What were you thinking and feeling? Why is it an important event? What impact did it have on you?

A positive event from my childhood was when my family built our new house. What lead up to this event was that my father got a job transfer from Northern Virginia to Fairmont, West Virginia. This happened in October 1993. I was 5 years old, and had just started 1st grade. My sister was three months shy of 2 years old. We rented a house for some time, then they decided to build their own. So in the fall of 1998, the new house was stated. I was feeling over the moon! I was so happy to "help" and watch this house be build and I couldn't wait to have my own room! and just a BRAND. NEW. HOUSE. It's an important event because it ultimately shaped who I became as I grew up.

2. Describe a negative scene from childhood in detail. What led up to this event? When and where did it happen? Who was involved? What were you thinking and feeling? Why is it an important event? What impact did it have on you?

A negative scene from my childhood was Christmas Eve, 1996. I was in fourth grade and my dad and I were heading to the store to get some last minute items for a Christmas party. (Before I continue, a bit of a backstory... I am my dad's oldest kid, and since he didn't have a son, we did EVERYTHING together for a long time. I was definitely daddy's little girl. We lived out in the middle of nowhere and so while it seems extreme that a 9 year old was allowed and able to drive a 4 wheeler and lawnmower, that was the case for me. Remember, it was the 90s.) Anyway, as we were heading out, he tossed me the keys and told me to start the truck, something that I had done many times before. While I was doing that, he went into the garage to get the checkbook out of the parked car inside. So I start the truck, it was a standard and unfortunately when I started it up, it lurched forward, directly into the garage door, pushing the parked car forward, trapping him between the parked car and the workbench, breaking his leg. Now, was it stupid for a grown man to give a 9 year old car keys?? YES. But it is what it is and it was a freak accident. I had to call 911. The ambulance came, and he had to be life-lighted to Ruby Memorial. This is something that I will NEVER forget. It terrified me and for a long time after, I felt incredibly guilty. 

3. Describe a particular event from your teen-aged years that stands out in your memory today. This can be positive or negative. What led up to the event? What happened? Where and when? Who was involved? What were you thinking and feeling? Why is it an important event? What impact did the event have on you.

Honestly, I can't think of anything that really stands out from my teenage years. The only major event that happened was that I graduated high school, and so many other things have happened to me since then, that I don't even count that as anything. I mainly just went to school and did homework as a teenager. Since I already know that my video will not pull from my teenage years, I'm just going to leave it as this.




4. Describe a vivid or important memory from any time in your adult years. Again, this can be positive or negative. It can be about anything – family, work, whatever. The scene stands out in your mind today as being especially vivid or important. Please describe what led up to the event. Then describe the scene in detail. What happened? Where and when? Who was involved? What were you thinking and feeling? Why is it an important event? What impact has the event had on you?

So far in my adult like, the event that sticks out to me most was when my parents separated in the spring of 2010. To make a very long story short, my dad has a drinking problem and was guilty of an affair; my sister and I found out in a terrible way, in the middle of the night after another fight between mom and dad. He left that night, and was MIA for a few days, then came back to get some of his stuff. I was feeling that my family  was being torn apart. I was mad at him for tearing it apart. Then I didn't know the whole story, so I just couldn't understand WHY this was happening. Yes, I was an adult, and very mature for my age. But this single event threw me for a loop. It demanded that I grow up even more even faster. I was the oldest, it was my job to hold my mother and sister together. Honestly, I can't even begin to tell you all the ways this has impacted me. My parents were married for almost 25 years, I never thought this would happen. Even today, over 5 years later, my family still struggles to deal with this, and my dad scarcely makes an appearance in mine and my sister's lives. 

5. In looking back on your life, you may be able to identify particular “turning points” – episodes through which you experienced an important change in your life. Please choose one key turning point scene and describe it in detail. If you feel your life story contains no clear turning points, then describe a particular episode in your life that comes closer than any other to qualifying for a turning point – a scene where you changed in some way. Again, please describe what led up to the event, what happened in the event, where and when it happened, who was involved, what you were thinking and feeling, and so on. Also, please tell me how you think you changed as a result of this event and why you consider this event to be an important scene in your life story today.

Graduating college was a turning point for me. But the scenario that I described above has been the biggest turning point in my entire life. It threw my entire world off kilter. It has taught me patience, understanding beyond belief, and empathy. I'm slow to anger, and I never want to make anyone feel as small and helpless as I have felt numerous times in the past 5 years. I know now that I will never be in a relationship with someone who chooses money or alcohol over their family or me. It's not worth it, and in my opinion, it just asking for heartache. I went through it and I watched my mother go through it, and I refuse to let myself do that again or to put this in a child.

The Seven Elements of Digital Storytelling

The 5 stories I watched from Story Center:
Preservation
1890 Stories
Lost and Found
Finding

Resaved --- my favorite




Element #1: Point of View

What is the point of view in each? The point of view is 1st person
Whose voice do you hear? The narrator Marie Lovejoy

Element #2: Dramatic Question

"Shortly after college, I drained my meager back account to purchase a 1974 three-quarter ton, long bed, chevy pickup."


Element #3: Emotional Content

This video is full of emotional content. It's about a young woman chasing her dreams, not necessarily in the favor of her parents. It is also about a father and daughter relationship, which is what spoke to me personally. It's about love and loss.


Element #4: Your Voice

I believe the narrator does a very nice job using  her voice. She speaks slowly and clearly, and it easy to understand. She adds exaggeration to her voice in places to make a point and to add emphasis to a particular word. She isn't monotone throughout and her voice pitch ranges, making her easy to listen to and be engaged in her story.


Element #5: Sound Track

Does your digital story have a sound track? How does it add depth to the visual images? Does it distract? 

This sound track for this story is "Take Our Time" by Abby Jo and Kristoffer. It starts out light and then suddenly has a louder harmonica solo that caught me off guard and kind of shocked me. After the initial intro, the music quietens so you can hear the voice. Overall, I don't feel like the music is at all a distraction.


Element #6: Economy

Look at the examples in this section and consider the decisions the authors made about length of clips, types of transitions and sequence of events. Are you able (as a viewer) to fill in the missing pieces? Give an example from your chosen digital story. 

Yes, I was able to fill in the missing pieces. I knew that her father had passed away from the transition of the picture of them in front of a lake to the picture of the tree. She focused on the lake picture for a little while, then slowly faded out; I feel that was major foreshadowing.


Element #7: Pacing

How does the narrator use their voice to pace the story? Give a specific example.

I think that she does a good job using her voice to pace the story. She doesn't speak too quickly, nor too slowly. She gives you time to view the images while talking, and she also pauses to allow for a more dramatic effect. A specific example is when transitions from the picture of them in the water to the picture of them in front of the lake. She pauses her voice for a moment, and that's when I knew something had happened to her father.

Chapter 6: Protection and Empowerment

After watching this video:

Three things I learned about storytelling are that we are impressionable and vulnerable in the face of a story, particularly as children,  storytelling can save us from having a single story of what books are, the consequence of the single story is that it robs people of dignity, but the most important thing I learned is that stories matter.

Chapter 6: Protection and Empowerment

But as the culture of sexuality keeps reaching down to younger and younger children, parents, teachers, and the general public wonder about media's influence on a young person's sense of personal and social identity. (p. 105)

I find this point very interesting. I do agree, but at the same time, this confuses me. I don't have children, I don't teach children, and there aren't any young children in my family that I see on a regular basis. I get my view and idea of "children" from when I am out in public and see them. It's difficult to me to explain exactly what I'm trying to say here, but because I don't actually interact with children, I don't see for myself how they use different types of media to shape who the are. 

This kind of heads-up on some of the disturbing aspects of contemporary culture is important because it helps adults understand what teens are seeing in the media that we're not. (p. 111)

This stuck out to me because I feel like it is so true. As an adult, if I see a Kmart commercial, I think "ohh back to school supplies...I can't wait!" I don't see a 'mean girl' stereotype, whereas a child might. And honestly, I don't remember what 7th grade me was thinking about when a certain commercial came on the TV.  But, again, with the lack of interaction with children, I am unable to get to see things from their point of view.

Some parents may choose not to limit their children's access to mass media, popular culture, and digital media. These parents hold a view of their children as capable and well able to manage the sometimes challenging, ugly, and difficult aspects of their environment. (p. 112)

This is a statement that I do disagree with. (Anyone with kids please don't take offence! I don't have kids so I just have to go on how I was raised and how I THINK I would raise a child!)

Children are children. They are too young to know what is best for them and I really don't think that they can make the best decisions for themselves. Even a mature child still needs parents who can help them to remain a child for as long as possible. It's all to easy to accidentally navigate to a dirty site, or watch a bad movie or cartoon because it's funny. I think children are too impressionable to be exposed to this type of vulgarity at a young age.

Something that comes to my mind is an experience that I had a very long time ago. The move The Ring Two was in theaters and I begged and begged my parents to let me and my best friend go see it. For some reason, they gave in and my dad took us to the theater. My younger sister, by 5 years, wasn't allowed to see it with us and she was very upset. The movie was very terrifying to me and I had bad dreams for a few nights after. Looking back, my I wish my parents would have stuck to their guns and NOT let me go see it. It was the last scary movie I have watched (and I'm still OK with that!)






Hobbs, R. (2011). Research as Authentic Inquiry. In Digital and media literacy: Connecting culture and classroom. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Corwin Press.

The Power of Storytelling

What I learned in retail
I chose this video solely on the name. I worked in retail for a few years when I was much younger, so  I thought it would be interesting to see what other young people feel compared to my feelings on the topic.

Tough guise
Honestly, again, I chose this based on the name. Tough guise is a good play on words that caught my attention. I wasn't sure what it would  be about, but I guessed it would be about him putting up some type of an appearance to spare himself misery.

To have lived
I figured out that if you hover a video, a small description pops up. I chose this video because the description pulled me in instantly. I'm interested to know who young people consider to be successful; is it just celebrities? or can it be normal people, like our friends and family?

The age of me
I chose this video because the description reminded me of myself. I have always been said to be mature for my age. And, like Faith, there are reasons for this. I agree with her when she said there is nothing to do but grow up, man up, and deal with it because life goes on.

Forever Young
I picked this video because I can relate. There are some days the memories of childhood, of my sister and best friend and family as a whole, sweep over me so strongly. There are other days when I want to go back in time and just be as carefree and happy as I was back when I was a child and every decision I made didn't directly impact my future.


Forever Young is my favorite video of the ones I watched.

1) What do you like about the digital story?

I like the fact that this can be relatable to everyone. Each person had a childhood, whether good or bad, and there is always something that one can look back on and long for again.

2) What did you learn from the digital story?

Something that I didn't really learn, but that was just confirmed, is that people are alike, no matter how different we are. We all come from somewhere and we all belong to and love someone. Our past experiences have made us who we are today, and that is something we can never truly escape.

3) What surprised you about the digital story?

Honestly, nothing really surprised me. As an adult, I sometimes long for the innocence and simplicity of childhood, so it's not a surprise that a teen who is exiting childhood and slowly becoming more responsible and independent would also long for these familiar feelings as well.

4) What social problem was the digital story addressing?

I think that it was addressing, and perhaps unbeknownst to the author, that fact that adulthood is stressful! Jobs, relationships, kids, mortgages, daycare, bills, housework, cooking, cleaning... the list goes on and one. There are times when we don't want to 'adult' anymore. I know that I feel like this and I guarantee that other people have felt like this too.

5) How did the digital story provide an example of how digital storytelling can build self esteem, help young people voice an opposition to social problems, or create an alternative to stereotypes of adolescents typically portrayed in mainstream media? 

I don't think my favorite video really shows this, so I will discuss Tough Guise. In this video, a young man feels that he needs to suppress his true identity to keep him safe. This is a MAJOR social problem. Regardless of a religious point of view, I believe that people should accept someone for who they are. I think this video helped this young man to tell his story, and let other people in his same situation know that things can be okay and get better. He mentioned that he quit theater because he didn't want to be associated with it due to it having a "gay" connotation. I think that is sad for him and that he should be able to freely enjoy his life and the people/experiences that will come with it.

6) Do (or how do) these digital stories provide evidence of that these young people are engaged in analysis of their own culture?

Yes, I think these videos very much provide evidence that young people are engage in the analysis of their culture. Hiding your true self to be accepted, growing up quickly because you are forced to deal with adult things... There are two great examples of kids being aware of what they need to do to survive.

7) Do (or how do) these digital stories support a healthy respect for multiculturalism and diversity?

I think these stories do show support and respect for multiculturalism and diversity. There are kids from, what appears to be, well off families; nice house, nice clothes, educated. And there are also kids from not so great off families; divorce, homelessness, uneducated parents, not having an income. These videos show a great range of people with an even greater range of messages that they are using to tell their stories.

Chapter 5: Composing With Media Across the Curriculum

After listening to this excerpt:

Three things I learned about storytelling are that storytelling is joke telling, stories affirm who we are, and storytelling can cross the barriers of time; but, the most important thing I learned, is that storytelling allow us to experience the similarities between ourselves and through others.

Chapter 5: Composing With Media Across the Curriculum

Whitehead warned educators about the danger of inert ideas, ideas that are merely received into the mind without being utilized, or tested, or thrown into fresh combinations. (p. 89)

I could not agree more with this!! I teach math, so I see this happening A LOT. My students are students who haven't done well in math in the past, and so sometimes, unfortunately, they come into my class with negative preconceived notions. (This isn't always the case, but I do have a handful of students who actually do this)

I have found that students don't have a romance for math. The only emotional connection they have to it is negative; its hard for them or they find it useless and therefore boring. No matter what I do, some students just aren't engaged in my class. They do the minimal amount of work to pass and that is it. They just see it as a barrier between them and their diploma. They are here because they HAVE to be, not because they want to be. (One day, I would love to teach a math elective so the students actually want to be there)

A perfect example of this just happened to me today. We are studying personal finance, a topic that is extremely relevant in everyone's lives. I thought that because of this, I would get more participation and they would do better than other topics. Today in class, we had a pop quiz. It was one problem that we had done together in class Monday! I thought to myself "they will do really well on this. It's relevant and we have spent over a week doing this". I was wrong; only a few people got it correct. Unfortunately, several students turned in a blank paper! I'm very upset to say the least. I feel like I am doing a bad job because I can't seem to get through to them and help them to understand HOW important math is and will forever be in their lives.

I saw this video posted on Facebook last week it is worth the watch! I made me laugh out loud for real!

This is a great video, I think, to help illustrate in a humorous way what happens when students aren't mentally engaged. When they lack the want to learn a topic, it isn't hard to space out, fall asleep, or just in general not pay attention. And, again, with math, I feel like a lot of students just hear my voice as "blah, blah, blah, blah", like the teacher in Charlie Brown.

I am constantly looking for new ideas to get my students engaged during class and to help them see math is more than just memorizing a bunch of  'boring, old, useless in real life' formulas.

Hobbs, R. (2011). Research as Authentic Inquiry. In Digital and media literacy: Connecting culture and classroom. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Corwin Press.

Media Literacy PSA

PSA

I believe that my PSA has a clear theme: Be mindful of what you post on Facebook. It is easy for a post to get caught in a downward spiral and before you know it, someone is the victim of cyber-bullying. I believe that there exists enough evidence to make my point. Anyone can log onto Facebook, or any media site really, and see negative posts and images and people arguing their opinions. It wouldn't take long to find nasty comments being made and people expressing their hurt feelings. I use a lot of color, both in the backgrounds and the text. Even though this is supposed to be emotional appealing and somewhat dark, I still want to make a positive impression on the viewers. I believe that bright colors and nice pictures will help me do this. The dramatic low music adds a nice calming, although suspenseful, aspect to the video. The last scene sums up my PSA perfectly: Think Before You Post.

Chapter 4: The Power of Representation

Chapter 4: The Power of Representation

But just as my own direct, real-world experience of the world is selective and incomplete because of my perception and interpretation processes, media representations are also inevitably selective and incomplete. (p. 73)

I think that this line speaks volumes. It is absolutely correct; no one has seen everything or done everything. There is simply no way that each of us has our own direct, real-world experience with everything that we have knowledge about. An author will make a representation based on their own thoughts, ideas, and interpretations of a topic. They use their own experience, mixed with the ideas that they have picked up from other sources.

My favorite example of real world experience vs. mediated experience that the text mentions is the difference between just listening to music and actually making the music. When you listen, you can think up all different ideas that you think the musician is trying to convey. Maybe it's obvious and you guess correctly. But maybe you never actually get what is being said. On the other hand, if you make the music, then you and you alone know exactly what your piece is saying. And unless you tell, other's might never know.

This thought can also apply to students. They mainly learning second hand, meaning someone (teacher, parent) is there to expose them to new ideas and knowledge. In fact, most of what we know is secondhand. We base our own opinions on what we think certain experiences would be like.

I've never to New York City, but from all the different representations of it that I've seen/heard throughout my life, I can close my eyes and see Times Square, Central Park, and even Ground Zero. I have an idea of what they would be like in real life, and how I would feel if I were there.

The work 'thrift' itself has the connotation of something that perhaps we don't want anymore, or something that is cheap. I believe, however, that it can have a different meaning when it comes to learning and knowledge. Thrift is a good word to describe the process of how experiences and knowledge are shared. I picked this image of "thrift" because I feel that we all have a lot of secondhand knowledge. As mentioned above, all the things that we "know" don't come from our own experiences. Someone or something passes their knowledge on to us, and chances are, we will pass it on to someone else. We are constantly 'giving our experiences away' to other people, and we are also constantly being given someone else's. Learning is a never ending process, and without the sharing of our own real-world experience, ideas, thought, and interpretations, all we would ever know is what we have actually lived through.




Hobbs, R. (2011). Research as Authentic Inquiry. In Digital and media literacy: Connecting culture and classroom. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Corwin Press.

PSA Storyboard

With my story board, I want to bring attention to negative and insensitive posts on Facebook. I see all kinds of insensitive postings, that somehow express beliefs that not everyone shares. Lately there has been so many events that have happened that are making a stir on social media. People are taking this events and turning them into memes, mocking them, and just all around jabbing fun at someone else's expense.

What I don't think people really realize is that what they post can have an affect on their Facebook friends, some of whom are family, or even children. People need to stop and just think before they hit that share button. Hopefully, with my PSA, I can keep at least one person from posting something harmful.

The audience for my PSA can be all people on social media. Young people aren't the only one's who post things that are insensitive to other people. Adults are just as guilty.

Persuasive techniques that I am attempting to use are plain folk and individuality. The main technique that I am using is emotional appeal.

Chapter 3: Critical Questions, Close Reading

Chapter 3: Critical Questions, Close Reading

• Critical questions are different because they're fundamentally interpretive- there are multiple answers possible. (p.54)

I find this interesting and I definitely agree. In the text, it mentions that teachers use questions a lot as a form of learning and to get information from the students. Unfortunately, teachers use a lot of closed questions; questions which can only be answered in one way--the correct answer. I believe that I fall into this category. Most of the time, in Math, there really is only one correct answer to a question. I find myself at a loss of what to say when a student answers incorrectly in class. I usually go with "not quite" or "you're on the right track...keep working".

I know I need to incorporate some critical, open-ended questions into my discussions. The only time I really get to use these types of questions is when I am asking a student HOW the got the answers. For as black and white as math usually is, thankfully there is sometimes more than one way to ARRIVE at the answers. When I ask for an explanation, students usually struggle. They give me a few words, and even then, it seems like they are presenting the findings in a questioning way. It seems to me they have not been asked to verbally explain their critical thinking skills in a math setting.

This is something that I would like to work on in my own classroom to help to make my students more comfortable thinking critically and answering critical questions. If I could do this, I believe that my students will be more confident in answering the not-so-open-ended questions.

Barking Seals:

I selected this cartoon because I feel like it really aids in the closed question idea of math. A student having a thought or idea that is off target, and the teacher only being able to say that they are wrong due to the fact that there literally is only one correct answer to this problem. Unfortunately, through my own schooling and my teaching, I have found that there isn't a lot of room for interpretations of correct answers. You either get the question right, or you get it wrong. There usually isn't any room to read between the lines and each student offer up their own ideas and reasoning.

DECONSTRUCTION: Five Critical Questions

1) Who is the author and what is the purpose:
The author is an unknown cartoonist. The purpose, I believe, is to get a laugh out of the audience regarding the topic of math. Even as a person who likes math, I can easily see how this cartoon can be found humorous. Unfortunately, because math does seem to have a bad reputation, it's easy to just joke about being "bad at math" and leaving it at that. People use this as a reason to justify the fact that they struggle with or dislike math. And when you don't like something, it's all too easy to agree or identify with a satirical image based on that topic.


2) What creative techniques are used to attract and hold attention?Humor is definitely used. I even chuckled at this. Another technique used is relativity. A lot of people, not only students, can related to this child.


3) How might different people understand this message?
I think there are a few ways this cartoon can be understood. One point of view is from a person who is good at/likes math. That particular person could see this as nothing more than a funny little cartoon about math. They might laugh and then never give it a second thought. Another point of view is from someone who doesn't like/ struggles with math. This person could see it and scoff, thinking how true it is and that, because the struggle is real, it isn't very funny. The angle from which I see it is from a math teacher's point of view. I did laugh, but I don't particularly think it's funny. I think more along that lines that it's too true for it's own good. It's no secret math is hard, and it's no secret it's probably the most hated subject.


4) What lifestyles, values, and points of views are represented?
The point of views that I feel are represented are listed above. As far as lifestyles and values go, since this is just a drawing in black and white, I feel like not a lot jumps out at me. I think this image is what the text means when it says that the power of communication comes from the way that messages represent reality in some way. Show this to a calculus 3 class, I bet they chuckle. Show this to a remedial math class, I bet they don't.


5) What is omitted?
Because this is a "funny", there are obviously things omitted. For example, the truth about how a lot of students actually have negative feelings about math. Also how teachers, like myself, struggle with trying to not just tell the student they are wrong, but to try to help them understand WHY.



I think that this deconstruction brings to light different ways to see this media message. If I were to show this to my students, I am sure that I would get 28 different interpretations of what it's message is. As I continue to teach math at the college level, I will look for ways to ask my students open-ended questions regarding the topics that we are studying. Obviously, if we are solving equations or using specific formulas, there is only one correct answer. However, I will strive to find ways to get my students to use their critical thinking and reading skills in a math setting and to help them better verbally explain their problem solving process.

***

Hobbs, R. (2011). Research as Authentic Inquiry. In Digital and media literacy: Connecting culture and classroom. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Corwin Press.

Idea of PSA

ATTENTION: THE FOLLOWING IS A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT!

***

--Identify the topic for your PSA:

The topic for my PSA will be posting violent or hateful content on social media. I decided to use this topic because it is something that I feel very strongly about. Especially on Facebook, my main social media site, I see all kinds of insensitive postings, that somehow express beliefs that not everyone shares. Lately there has been so many events that have happened that are making a stir on social media. Several probably come to your mind instantly. People are taking this events and turning them into memes, mocking them, and just all around jabbing fun at someone else's expense. Some of the examples that I see over and over again are marriage equality, images using the American and Confederate flag, political rants, sporting incidents, and the biggest seeming to be anything to do with someone with the last name Jenner.

I get tired of seeing people make fun of these topics, and much more, just because they don't agree with them. I have opinions on these topics, just like everyone would. However, I don't, nor do I even feel the need, to blast my Facebook profile full of pictures depicting my beliefs.

When I see someone do that, I feel like want attention and people to agree with them and sadly I feel like they think: "my way is the way it should be, because it's my opinion, and I'm not wrong because what I believe is correct and I refuse to open my eyes and accept that it's not 1950 anymore".

What I don't think people really realize is that what they post can have an affect on their Facebook friends, some of whom are family, or even children. People need to stop and just think before they hit that share button.


--Identify the Audience for your PSA (Teens, Teachers, Administrators, or Parents):

The audience for my PSA can be all people on social media. Young people aren't the only one's who post things that are insensitive to other people. Adults are just as guilty.

--Research the topic and 3 facts or statistics you will use to shape your PSA:
I will use the following sources to get my information:

What to do if you're being bullied on a social network. (n.d.). http://www.bullying.co.uk/cyberbullying/what-to-do-if-you-re-being-bullied-on-a-social-network/

Cyberbullying Statistics. (2013). http://www.internetsafety101.org/cyberbullyingstatistics.htm

Shontell, A. (2013, July 9). 7 People Who Were Arrested Because Of Something They Wrote On Facebook.  http://www.businessinsider.com/people-arrested-for-facebook-posts-2013-7?op=1

Guenther, J., & Zehnder, A. (2013, July). Social Media: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. https://ascent.usbank.com/insights/social-media-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly

Chapter 7: Life Online

Chapter 7: Life Online

• At least 26 names of cartoon characters are linked to porn sites, which means that kids searching for their favorite movies and TV shows accidentally stumble upon porn. (p.128)

First of all, I definitely didn't know this. Secondly, this makes me sick. This is obviously done intentionally by the porn companies. But why? Why do they feel the need to purposefully put innocent children at risk online? It's disgusting and disrespectful and I wish it weren't true.

• As a parent, my daughter and I had a conversation about why it's not appropriate to share with other friends a captured stream of highly personal instant messaging with another person that was conducted with the expectation that it was a one-to-one conversation. (p. 137)

This statement really surprised me. This is something that I have never given any thought, but something that I am guilty of, both receiving and sending. Just today I received a text which contained a screen shot conversation and I was asked for my opinion. I have sent conversations as well as pictures that I have taken a screen shot of and not given it a second thought. I think that from now on, I will be more mindful to the subject.

• Scary Maze Game Videos

This isn't a reaction to a specific quote, but to this apparently familiar prank. It is one that I've not heard of. I suppose I can see how it would  be funny to prank a family member or a close friend. Get a few laughs at someone else's expense. Then I think from the subject of the prank's point of view. I would be mad if someone did this to me. I wouldn't think it was one bit funny. I hate horror films and bloody, gory, nasty images, so I would be upset to say the least. And to pull this prank on a small child? Shame on parents. 

I made this meme to show the truth of the anonymity that the internet really does provide. It allows users to hide behind their computer and be whatever/whoever they want to be. It is all too easy to lie about your identity, to post harmful and hateful images and texts, and to not have to pay for your deceptions (at least not immediately). While reading this chapter, I instantly thought of a song by Brad Paisley titled "Online". It's joking mentions a lot of ways lies make their way into people's online personification. If you have never heard the song, I highly recommend watching the video; it's definitely worth a look.

Hobbs, R. (2011). Research as Authentic Inquiry. In Digital and media literacy: Connecting culture and classroom. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Corwin Press.

Research as Authentic Inquiry

Chapter 2: Research as Authentic Inquiry

• People trust the sources that match our existing opinions and we distrust information that challenges our beliefs.

I agree wholeheartedly with this. It is so easy to accept information as fact if it goes along with your opinion. Because of that, one might easily be swayed to include this particular information in their research, even if the source isn't  reputable. No one wants to feel like they are wrong by having what they thing challenged by information they don't agree with. 

• When we get information from others, we consider factors like likability and attractiveness, which affect our decisions about the credibility of people, information, and ideas.

Overall, I disagree with this statement. It might hold true  when it comes to a friend of a family member; you value their opinion, so you listen to what they say. But think of all the ways in which you obtain information. The news, for example. You don't personally know the reporters, and probably aren't lusting after them, but because of their position, you take what they say seriously. The same thing goes with teachers. We've all had at least one no-so-favorite teacher. But because it's literally their job to convey to us information of some sort, we respect them and listen to and learn from what they have to say.

• Oral explaining- with both students and teachers participating- develops reasoning skills that support reading and writing practices across the disciplines.

Absolutely! I teach math, so sometimes it's hard to incorporate reading, writing, especially research, and even group work into my class. Just this Friday, at the end of class, I gave a 5 question true/false pre-quiz that the students were able to use their notes while completing. The first few minutes, the room was so quite you could hear a pin drop. I then said that they could work together. All at once, the room grew loud and there was major collaboration going on. I answered specific questions that some of the groups had, and for a brief moment, it seemed that I had lost control of the level of chatter. I was pleased with the results after grading them, and I really believe that allowing the students to work together and talk out the solutions helps them more than they think. I love talking with my class instead of just lecturing at them.

I think that using Memes to support authentic inquiry and critical media literacy is a great idea! There are so many pictures that memes are made of, and each picture has it's own backstory. It would be easy to just pick a meme that you have a little knowledge of and research to find the real story behind that particular picture. For example, I have no idea where this guy is from. I just liked the "one does not simply..". I think that teachers should try this in their classroom. It could be a fun, not so run of the mill way to get students involved in learning. To what extent? I think that should be up to the teacher. If a class really likes it and does well and  wants to do it again, or build more the it's foundation, then the teacher should have the right to do as they see fit. Just like in the text, teachers should be able to incorporate new, innovative ways to engage their students in learning. 

Hobbs, R. (2011). Research as Authentic Inquiry. In Digital and media literacy: Connecting culture and classroom. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Corwin Press.

Critical Autonomy

1) The following discussion is in response to this video and the accompanying deconstruction:

• Do you agree with the claims made in the deconstruction?

I agree with some of the claims made in the deconstruction. I agree that the video is in a middle class setting, with happiness, business, and success all around; making this video targeted at people whose lives fit this description. I agree that connectivity is NOT equally accessible in rural and urban areas, and the fact that with the merge came job losses. In the deconstruction, it mentions Frontier. My dad worked for Verizon when they were bought out by Frontier, and for a little bit of time, it was uncertain if he would have a job after the buy out. Thankfully, he did. Even though he literally worked for the company, the internet service at our house was spotty. Every time it would rain, we would lose service for at least a day, until the cables dried out. He was disappointed with his own company when he was told that the DSL just wasn't up to par for our area and we would just have to deal with it. So I most definitely agree that the claim "over promise, under commit" could easily be changed to "over profit, under serve".

• Is the Century Link ad really a cover for a company that is making profits over customer satisfaction?

Yes, I think so. I think that the company overall is mainly concerned with making a profit. Not to say there aren't individuals who actually care about the customers. In some locations, Century Link may have a monopoly on the phone/internet service, so they aren't concerned that their customers will go elsewhere. They make nice, neat little happy commercials that show people loving their service, when in reality, these videos don't tell the whole story.

• Based on this video, does the Alltel ad really promote racism of stereotypes of immigrants? Why or why not?

I do think that the Alltel ad promotes stereotypes of immigrants. I think that sometimes people think that just because someone is different than our "normal", they are weird. And we tend to change the meaning of 'weird' to mean whatever we want it to mean. In this add, they placed "weird" people in the middle class, one boy, one girl, mom and dad family's house. They could have easily put an American Grandma in there, knitting a blanket, holding her cat. Isn't that some people's image of a Grandma? But they chose to poke fun at these men. Honestly, the ad may not have been too bad had they left out the chicken. I thought it was rude, and it really made me feel a stereotype was happening.

2)  After browsing the Deconstruction Gallery,

• I came across this video and it really stuck out to me:

It is Axe's "Make Love, Not War".  At first after watching it as a whole, I thought it was kind of sweet how you thought the men were going to fire a weapon of some soft but then they surprised us by doing an act of love. If you just watch it for it's face value and move on, that is what you see. But, as I started to really think about it and deconstruct it, I saw that I was mistaken.

I thought the fact that the men in the helicopter and the tank looked American, while all the men with chains and missiles were foreign. It gives the idea that the Americans were fighting the good war while the foreign men were the enemies. Another aspect I felt was that it was degrading women. What woman in a war torn country is going to run toward a stranger solider seeking intimacy? None. 

Obviously it's a commercial, so it can be as unrealistic as possible. I felt that as a whole, it was making Americans, specifically men, look more prevalent and strong and in the right than any other people in the world. 

Reflecting on our Love/Hate Relationship with Media

Print

• The "big idea" I got from this padlet is that... are you ready for this??...People still LOVE books!! This is exciting to me. With all the new ways to read, one could be concerned that books will become obsolete. I don't think that will happen, at least in my lifetime.

• People HATE the fact that print media is so wasteful. While all IS recyclable, it can be difficult to do so. You have to store it somewhere, then haul it somewhere, and then dispose of it in it's proper container. This process isn't practical in everyone's life, and like some mentioned, this service isn't available where they live. 

Visual

• It is interesting to see all of our "like" ideas on visual media. They range from pictures and videos, to TV shoes and computer programs. One common theme that I see is that we all like a visual image that is pleasing to the eye. 

• It seems we all have similar dislikes with visual media. TV/videos that expose people and reality TV that people get so caught up in are the two main ideas in this aspect of visual media.

Sound

• As I expected, the main thing we love is music! All kinds of music! 

• What we don't like is when our music is interrupted! Whether that interruption be a commercial on the radio, the fact that we didn't hear it clearly, or cant understand what the speak is saying, we hate it. 

Digital

• Without a doubt, everything that we all love about digital media can be described in three words: The Endless Possibilities. We all use digital media for a variety of reasons; personal, educational, and professions. And as much as we all know, the cool thing is that there is NO WAY any one of us knows all there is to know, Which means that we can, and will, continue to learn new digital media. 

• Two interesting topics I see that we hate is the fact that digital media is easily used for inappropriate reasons and that not all people in the world have easy access to the internet.

Personal Reflection

The media form that I like most is print; the printed thing I like most being a book. I have two bookshelves stuffed with books; fiction, nonfiction, romance, suspense, thrillers, and my collection of old math books. I have a kindle which I purchased thinking I would just read all the books in the world... Well in the almost three years, I can count on one hand the number of books that I have actually read. And all of them were just some random free book, not even necessarily something that I would have ever read otherwise. I just can't give up my books! The sense of satisfaction that I get from physically seeing the progress I make in a book and closing it after the last page is a feeling that just can't be replaced by some clicking and scrolling.  A lot of us mentioned there is just  something  about having that book in our hand. No batteries, no cords, and no electricity needed. A book can go anywhere and it never loses service.

Magazine Cover

I decided to go with an indecisive point of view for this magazine cover. I know we are supposed to pick our stance on CC and design based on that; however, I don't work in the public school system and have not had any personal experience with CC. I have only heard what others have said. So, having said that, my stance is on the fence. It could theoretically go either way. Ignoring all the negative comments I've heard, I am bring a neutral magazine cover. Ideally, it would allow someone to read both sides of the debate, and then form their own opinion on facts, and not just what they have heard.

With the text I present, I want to grab attention with my main idea. I want the reader to see the words 'common core' and instantly be drawn in. From the text on the side, I want to give the reader an idea as to what they can expect to find inside. With the picture of the woman, I am showing a "normal" person thinking about this idea. Since 'on the fence' is an idiom, the picture of the fence (which is representing the common core debate) is bringing the whole concept together by giving the reader a concrete view of the abstract idea in their head; which side of the 'fence' are they really on.

• The first media language technique that I used is humor. I believe that the way the title is written is a witty way to combine words with some common math  characteristics. Under the title is a set of parallel lines, another item commonly found in math. I suppose not all would find this funny, or even make the connection, but it's fun either way. 

• The second technique I used is individuality. With providing this unbiased image, I believe I give the reader a change to be their own person and make their own opinions based on facts. 

• The last technique I incorporated is emotional appeal. The common core usually sparks debate, so in this image, I try to offer a calm backdrop with no bold claims or accusations being made.

Critical Media Literacy: Core Concepts and Debates

The following quotes, taken from the following article regarding
critical media literacy, are listed and discussed below

Despite decades of struggle since the 1970s by individuals and groups, media education is still only reaching a small percentage of K /12 schools in the US.

I agree with this statement. This article is from 2005, the same year I graduated from high school. Being completely honest, I rarely used the internet for school work. The only computer related class I took in HS was keyboarding. There definitely didn't seem to be much, if any really, emphasis on media education. So I would say that my, and all the other students in my class, media literacy was limited to our desktops at home using MySpace and AOL instant messenger.

Although there are new media and literacies in the current constellation, books, reading, and print literacy continue to be of utmost significance.

Again, this article is dated, but this statement still holds true! I prefer to read ( for leisure and for school) from a book rather than to stare at a screen for hours on end. I've had a kindle for 3 years, and probably have only read 2 books on it. I still  have subscriptions to magazines as well. I think that books and other print literacy are here to stay, no matter how much more technology evolves.

The ability for students to see how diverse people can interpret the same message
differently is important for multicultural education, since understanding differences
means more than merely tolerating one and other.

This is probably my favorite line out of the whole article! This is so true and even I am still learning how to completely understand this quote. With all the ways people can interact with others from all over the world, it is important to understand that everyone thinks differently and just because you see something and it speaks very clearly to you on way, doesn't mean that someone else will get that same meaning. I like all of our blog postings because I love seeing all the different interpretations of the directions, assignments, and reading. They open my eyes to completely different views that I might have never thought of.

The following discusses my thoughts after watching this video regarding looks

At first, the video made me feel like the speaker was being rude by saying that beauty is a slender, pretty, white women. It made me instantly feel like I needed to defend everything/everyone who doesn't fit this description. As she went on, however, I see her point and can say that I even agree with her bigger, whole message. 

The video absolutely supports Postman's excerpt. He claims that people need to be able to see through all the BS and see what is real, what is useful. This talk is coming from a woman who "has it all". Beauty, money, fame, success... what does she have to be unhappy about we might ask? They way that she breaks down the stereotypes of what people can assume about her is a wonderful example of cutting the crap.

This video definitely makes me think more along the lines of what you see on the outside isn't always what is going on in the inside. As noted in the video, image is powerful, however, image is superficial as well. Image is constructed by professionals; they BUILD it to make us see what they want us to see. I feel it is definitely important to teach CRITICAL media literacy skills so that students have the ability to think for themselves and not just see what other people want them to see. Below are three quotes from the article that I believe support the fact that critical media literacy skills need to be taught.

Media do not present reality like transparent windows or simple reflections of the world because media messages are created, shaped, and positioned through a construction process. This construction
involves many decisions about what to include or exclude and how to represent reality.

..discussion of the representation of class, gender, and race in media such as television or film requires analysis of the codes and stereotypes through which subordinate groups like workers, women, and people of colour are represented, in contrast to representations of bosses and the rich, men, and white people.

Textual meanings do not reside in the texts themselves: a certain text can come to mean different things depending on the interdiscursive context in which viewers interpret it

What do you see?

I choose this picture because it is a popular illusion with two possible answers. Do you see a beautiful woman shy of the camera? Or do you see an old woman with a big nose? Once you see your initial interpretation, it isn't impossible to see the other one. I believe that media is similar to this. Everyone sees the same initial picture, but can and will interpret it differently. 

The standpoint that I most closely align with would have to the "media literacy" movement. A combination of all the readings that I have done so far in the digital media program, in addition to my personal life and teaching career, I can see that there is a great need from students to be taught how to utilize and understand critical media literacy skills. Technology is quickly making its way into classrooms and homes across the world. Students need to be up to date to assure they aren't left behind. They also need to be taught how to take in and feel/think about all the media they see/hear. 

Media Deconstruction

Media Deconstruction

Authors and Audience:
1. Who produced this document, and for what purpose?

This was produced by the magazine The Blaze in order to grab reader's attention and to tell them "why common core is a threat to our kids, our freedom and our future."

2. When was this produced, and what was it's historical context?

It was produced Math 2014. I believe the context of common core is negative. I've not heard anyone say anything good about it, so this image fits well with what a lot of people already think. 

3. Who is the target audience?

The target audience, I believe, are parents and educators.

Messages and Meanings:
4. What are the messages communicated?

The message that I see being communicated is that common core will make all our kids think alike and we will lose individuality.

5. What techniques are used to attract and hold attention?

First of all, images with kids always grab the readers' attention! The large, bright text and the very bold statement made on the front of this magazine are definitely also used to pull the reader in.

6. How might people interpret this message differently? 

I think there are two main ways this can be interpreted.
1) Common core will make our kids all the same in a school setting and they will lose all freedom and individuality.
2) Common core will help all our students learn what they need to know by allowing them to work together and come up with the same ideas.

7. Who might benefit from (and who might be harmed by) this message? 

I think that parents can both benefit and be harmed from this message. I think that if parents were to see this, some might slow down and take a few minutes to be actively involved in their child's education (if they aren't already). I think this can harm parents because if they just see this image and read the cover, they aren't filled in on the facts and maybe they just make assumptions that might not necessarily be true. They are prematurely misinformed and perhaps even mad about something they don't understand. 

Representation and Reality:
8. What information or perspective is left out of this message?

I think what is left our of this message is the actual guts of the story. There is just one very bold claim stated and that is it. No reasoning, no supporting facts, nothing.

9. Is this an accurate and credible representation?

Because I am absolutely unfamiliar with the common core and what it is all about, I have to say that if I were going on ONLY what I  have heard from other people, which is that this will just educated kids for the standardized tests that are required, then I would have to say that I agree with my initial interpretation of this image. Is it a credible representation? Maybe, maybe not. But it is definitely cleaver and has the potential to really grab attention!

10. How does this reflect the perspective or bias of its creator?

Obviously, the creator of this image and the author of this article thinks that the common core is a threat to the American society. The picture and the statement make that very clear. 

The text of this message is the image and the actual written words. Children in a classroom and the claim that the common core is a threat to our kids, our freedom, and our future. The subtext of this image is how the viewer interprets the image and the silent meanings of the words and pictures.

One persuasive technique that I think this image uses is emotional appeal. Education is always a touchy subject and has the power to make people feel anything from happy to irate. Another technique I see being used is glittering generalities. This image makes a direct claim that something is threatening several aspects of our American society. No matter what the "threat" would be, this makes people mad and gets them riled up, regardless of the subject.

EDUC 6810 Introductory Post

Hello all! My name is Amanda Smith and I live in Mannington, WV. I am currently an adjunct in the Math department here at Fairmont State. This is my fourth semester teaching, and to date, I’ve taught College Algebra, College Algebra Support, Tech Math Lab, and Fundamental Concepts of Mathematics. This semester I am teaching MATH 1007 & MATH 1107, Fundamental Concepts of Math lecture and support.

I graduated from FSU in May 2009 with a BS in Mathematics/minor in Office Administration. Since then, my career path has been all over the place! I worked at a car auction, I was the transfer specialist in Enrollment Services here at FSU, I was a substitute teacher in Marion County for a year, and had a very brief stint at a bank. In July of 2014 I was asked to become an adjunct for FSU and I have finally found my calling! I enjoy teaching math, working with adults, the environment of higher education, and the freedom and ability to make each class my own.

I’m pursing a Master’s in Education with a concentration in Digital Media, New Literacies and Learning. This is my second semester in the grad program, so I expect to finish my degree in the spring of 2017. I have only taken two classes so far (summer 2015: EDUC 6301 & EDUC 6809). With my degree, I plan to become a full-time Mathematics professor (perhaps at FSU).

When I'm not too busy with teaching and taking classes, I enjoy almost anything outside. I have a new found love of kayaking, and spent several weekends this summer in the water somewhere in WV. Hiking, biking, swimming, and camping also take up a majority of my free time in the summer. I have one cat and one dog, who are both rescues and best of friends.

I would like to walk away from this class with the ability to bring new ideas and methods involving technology into my classroom. Teaching Math is sometimes very black and white on a chalk board, so I would like to discover new and exciting way to present the material that makes learning fun and efficient!

Media Ecology and Learning Case Final

Media Ecology and Learning Case Final

Media Ecology and Learning Case Rough Draft

Media Ecology and Learning Case

Changing Literacie; Changing Pedagogies

Chapter 7:

From this perspective, it may be that the new generation of teachers is well placed to develop innovative uses of new technology in the classroom.-Cathy Burnett (Carrington & Robinson, 2009, p. 115)

This is talking about how immersion in digital environments may lead to new ways of thinking and using texts in the new generation of teachers. I definitely agree with this idea that someone who has grown up with digital technology is more apt to bring it to their classroom. (On the other hand, however, I do believe that an older teacher can also bring new technologies into their classroom. They may have to work a bit hard or spend a little more time learning the new ways, though.)


Chapter 8:

Literacy teachers and teacher-educators must develop their own flexible and expanding digital literacies to support classroom integration of such literacies.- Rosie Kerin (Carrington & Robinson, 2009, p. 145)

I could not agree more with this! I believe that teachers and teacher-educators must absolutely have their own skills that change, adapt, and evolve over time. Having a solid set of fluid skills are necessary in this rapidly changing world of technology. If a teacher is 'old-school' and refuses to learn new technologies to present in their classroom, they are doing the student a mighty injustice.


Chapter 9:

Are such practices a distraction to literacy education, or are they a part of literacy itself? - Kevin Leander (Carrington & Robinson, 2009, p. 147)

This line is referring to popular visual texts, including video gaming, web surfing, and uploading short films, among young people. This is the million dollar question. This is what we are trying to decide and trying to learn new ways to teach these new practices. There are situations in which these  visual texts can be a distraction to education. Looking at the bigger picture, however, I think that they are part of literacy, but to what extent, appears to remain unknown.




How can I use digital technologies that reflect digital practices used in the world outside of school? That is a good question! I'm not 100% sure. With teaching college Math, there isn't a lot of wiggle room when it actually comes to trying new things during class. I would have to incorporate a new technology into the lesson so that the students work on it out of class. Realistically, a blog or a wiki sounds doable and I would love to try to make one, or both of these, a part of my fall semester. (if anyone reading this has ANY suggestions, please feel free to share!!) I don't feel prepared at all to do this yet; however, if I could come up with a plan soon, I would give myself several weeks to familiarize myself with either a blog or wiki and feel confident that when the fall semester started, I would be ready to go!






References:

Carrington, V., & Robinson, M. (Eds.). (2009). Digital Literacies: Social Learning and Classroom Practices. London, United Kingom: SAGE Publications.