PSA Literacy Feud

My PSA focuses on the classroom teacher being a role-model for Critical Media Literacy.  My Instructional Technology students (pre-service teachers) helped me create this video. (They had a lot of fun!)  What better way to promote teaching media literacy skills?  I believe that if I'm modeling media literacy skills, and requiring my students to participate, then these future teachers will implement Critical Media Literacy skills in their classrooms.  All students in the video gave permission for this video to be public.

Literacy Feud

PSA Annotated Bibliography

1.    Abilock, D. (2010, November). Seven Power Lens on 21st Century Literacy. Mulitmedia Schools, 10(6), 30.  (DEJ 2)

"The tools of visual, media, and information literacy must be taught in school because they will

(or won’t) be used at home."   This article focuses on teaching students to use the "seven powers" (senses, inference, research, contexts, evaluation, synthesis, and teaching) to ask questions and participate in discussions that are relevant to a democratic society.

2.  Semali, L. (2001, November). Defining new literacies in curricular practice. Reading Online, 5(4). Available: http://www.readingonline.org/newliteracies/lit_index.asp?HREF=semali1/index.html    (DEJ 4)

"A reconceptualized vision of new literacies education would include an explicit effort to enable students to acquire the ability to understand how visual media work to produce meanings. This effort would strive to develop literate people who are able to read, write, listen, talk, analyze, evaluate, and produce communications in a variety of media, including print, television, music, video, film, radio, hypertext, and the arts."  This article is about students being literate in not only print text, but also moving images and graphics.  We need to develop literate students in reading, listening, speaking, analyzing, evaluating and producing multimedia messages. In addition, the expansion of communication technologies have exceeded the curriculum.  So, teachers need to ask themselves, what role new literacies will play in the classroom.

3.  Learn Critical Thinking through Media Literacy Education. (2010, October). In Medialiteracycolloquium'sblog: A Study in Media Literacy. Retrieved September 27, 2011, from http://medialiteracycolloquium.wordpress.com/2010/10/25/learn-critical-thinking-through-media-literacy-education (DEJ 6)

“Teachers who recognize the goal of teaching thinking rather than just imparting knowledge help students make connections beyond the content of the coursework” (2005, pp. 2) She suggests teaching critical thinking by applying it to the study of media literacy. This practice gives students the skills and knowledge needed to “access, analyze, evaluate and communicate” (NAMLE) media messages."  In short, this article focuses on teaching students to use critical media literacy skills to develop critical thinking skills that will assist in achieving higher scores on standardized testing.

4.  Hobbs, Renee, and Richard Frost. "Measuring the Acquisition of Media Literacy Skills." Reading Research Quarterly 39.3 July (2003): 330-55. Web. 7 Oct. 2011. (DEJ 7)

Why did the authors do this study?  The researchers examined " the impact of media literacy instruction in  a secondary language arts curriculum, which was developed in one district, to determine its effects on students’ reading, listening and viewing comprehension, writing, and skills of message analysis" (Hobbs and Frost 335).   In summary, after reading and analyzing the data from this article, an instructor that correlates media literacy skills with  critical thinking skills will be able to design authentic instruction for students without the burden of worry that he/she is not meeting the necessary requirements of literacy.

5.  Hobbs, R. (n.d.). Teaching Media Literacy: Yo! Are you hip to this?. In www.medialit.org. Retrieved October 14, 2011, from http://www.medialit.org/reading-room/teaching-media-literacy-yo-are-you-hip  (DEJ 8)

  "Now that the culture is almost totally transformed by the compelling electronic and visual experiences that enter our living rooms each day, the ostrich stance seems more and more ridiculous. It's time to face up to the media culture we have created and the media culture we have consumed. It's time to help ourselves and our children to embrace and celebrate the messages worth treasuring, to analyze and understand the economic and political forces which sustain it, and to develop the skills and new habits we need to think carefully and wisely about the messages we create ourselves and the abundant messages we receive ."

This article provides information to help students acquire the necessary skills to manage in a media saturated world.  Also, the article suggests the need to think carefully about the messages that we create and receive.

Revisions made to PhotoStory

I shortened the time for each slide, and changed the order of some text.  This was a great project, and I've really enjoyed viewing the videos created by my classmates.

Final Copy: Multi-layered Woman (Interview with Judy White)

DEJ Week 13: The Captain cannot Steer the Ship Alone...

Question 1: Should media education have an explicit political and ideological agenda?

Throughout this semester, I’ve been espousing that critical media literacy skills should be taught in the classroom.  If I don’t agree that media education should have an explicit political and ideological agenda, then I feel as if I would be a hypocrite.  In other words, if I’m going to “talk the talk, then I need to walk the walk”.  As an educator, I need to use my critical media literacy skills to help shape the political agenda for education.  If we say that we want our students to have a voice, to analyze, evaluate, construct messages and shape their communities, then I need to model these skills by taking part in the formation of a political agenda for our educational system.  But, I need more training and need to be part of educational forums and settings that advocate media literacy.  Also, take part in research and data collecting if I want my statements and opinions about teaching media literacy skills to be valued by a wide audience. After reading the Seven Great Debates, it was evident of how fragmented our country is when it comes to media literacy in schools.  It’s daunting.

Question 2: Based on your reading to date in this course, would you teach critical media literacy in the classroom?  Why or why not?  

 The Seven Great Debates also made me pause and reflect about how I’ve been portraying media literacy in my classroom. On occasion, I believe that I’ve been using impact mediation to teach media literacy.  Often focusing on problem areas, and trying to give my students the skills to make good decisions.  The article states that this method may be ineffective, and it made me think about how imposing my opinions and beliefs about their culture, may lead students to just adopt my position without really critically thinking about the issues for themselves.  I want my students to become “critical thinking citizens”… 

 "Summers states, “Teachers who recognize the goal of teaching thinking rather than just imparting knowledge help students make connections beyond the content of the coursework” (2005, pp. 2) She suggests teaching critical thinking by applying it to the study of media literacy. This practice gives students the skills and knowledge needed to “access, analyze, evaluate and communicate” (NAMLE) media messages."      Learn Critical Thinking through Media Literacy Education. (2010, October). In Medialiteracycolloquium'sblog: A Study in Media Literacy. Retrieved September 27, 2011, http://medialiteracycolloquium.wordpress.com/2010/10/25/learn-critical-thinking-through-media-literacy-education/Summers, S. L. (2005). Get Them Thinking! : Use Media Literacy to Prepare Students for State Assessments, pp. 2, 8, 9.

"By this point, you may be asking what does this have to do with media literacy? To educate the students, who are the future of the world and public, educators need to be brought up to speed on the present and future waves of technology that will ultimately distribute and provide news media to the masses. The educators need to be taught, so they can teach the future of the world of the news tools that are available to them. It would certainly be a work in progress, but in the far-off future, it would fix the problems of media illiteracy."     Educating the Educators. (2010, December). In Medialiteracycolloquium'sblog: A Study in Media Literacy. Retrieved September 27, 2011, from http://medialiteracycolloquium.wordpress.com/2010/12/14/educating-the-educators/

"A reconceptualized vision of new literacies education would include an explicit effort to enable students to acquire the ability to understand how visual media work to produce meanings. This effort would strive to develop literate people who are able to read, write, listen, talk, analyze, evaluate, and produce communications in a variety of media, including print, television, music, video, film, radio, hypertext, and the arts."

Semali, L. (2001, November). Defining new literacies in curricular practice. Reading Online, 5(4). Available: http://www.readingonline.org/newliteracies/lit_index.asp?HREF=semali1/index.html

My conclusion from many of the readings in this course is that, yes, I want to implement critical media literacy skills.  Right now, it may be in isolation, without community, parent support or education administrative support.  But, I want to become more knowledgeable about how to get the community involved, other teachers involved, curriculum adoption committees involved, and most importantly, to be using highly effective teaching strategies that enable my students to become critical thinkers and decision makers in their communities and society.

Multi-layered Woman (final copy)

My mother watched the video last night (Nov. 16th), and she was overwhelmed.  She had tears in her eyes and just couldn't believe that I was able to capture so much in such a short video.  She was amazed that I found "images" that related to her. :)   Also, the cheerleading sweater image was actually shocking to her, because she wore the letter "r" on her sweater, to spell "RAMS".  I didn't know this, it was pure coincidence.  Her final words were, "I love it!"  My brother watched too, and he wants the link to the video.

My corrections to my video:  I added a slide that says, "My name is Judy White and this is my story...",  I understand that some might think that I (Mary Jo) am telling the story, but it's really my mom's "voice".  Also, I added that I retrieved music from itunes to my credit slide.

See the final version of my video below this posting.

Multi-layered Woman (final copy)

Multi-layered Woman (First Draft)

Dramatic Question for PhotoStory

What significant events have occurred in my mom's life to shape the woman that she has become?

Double Journal Entry # 11 " Steering the Ship"

Quote: "In summary, given the marginalization of media literacy standards/curriculum in American schools, teachers need to be able to justify the inclusion of digital tools for teaching both print and digital literacies in their classrooms. It is therefore important that teachers, particularly new preservice teachers entering the profession, learn to formulate purposes for use of digital tools to teach print and digital literacies. As teachers increasingly find that employing digital tools in their classrooms does enhance students’ use of both print and digital literacies, they will have the evidence to push for further inclusion of digital tools for teaching media literacies in American schools."

Response:  I find it disheartening that the Common Core Standards are missing critical media literacy components.  This article has "hit home", since I use digital media tools in my classroom.  I often have to defend the use of these tools to my colleagues, but my standardized test scores portray the overall outcome of using these tools.  However, many don't believe that the above average and high  5th grade test scores in RLA and Science are related to digital media tools.   I want my students engaged and ready for the 21st Century, and  if I don't provide this instruction, students are missing out on relevant skills.  The quote above mentions justification, and stating purposes for using digital tools, I need to become much better at stating purposes and formulating responses to colleagues.  Maybe I should  just have  a "planned" statement ready!

Reference:  Beach, Richard. "An American Perspective: Justifying Uses of Digital Tools to Foster Critical Media Literacy." The Journal of Media Literacy 57. Web. 5 Nov. 2011. <http://journalofmedialiteracy.org/index.php/past-issues/5-school-20>.

Additional Resource:   Maybe I should just quote Julie Frechette...

Quote: "When I speak to my colleagues about using new social media, many educators fear that crossing the digital divide weakens their claims to authority and traditional means of power. For me, social networking provides a means of connecting with students through multimodal interconnectivity in new and exciting ways. Whereas traditional pedagogies reinforce individualized learning within classroom walls during school time, social media encourages continuous collaboration and shared knowledge beyond the classroom walls through global and local hyperlinks, blogs, and web-based content. To keep students engaged in Class 2.0, educators must learn to harness the power of the integrated web to stimulate enhanced global interconnectivity in the digital age."

Frechette, Julie. "Learning Beyond the Classroom Walls: Keeping Students Engaged in Class 2.0." The Journal of Media Literacy . Web. 5 Nov. 2011. <http://journalofmedialiteracy.org/index.php/past-issues/5-school-20/98-learning-beyond-the-classroom-walls-keeping-students-engaged-in-class-20>.

STORY BOARD Multi-Layered Woman

STORY MAP : The Multi-Layered Woman

DEJ # 10 Digital Storytelling

Quote: 

"Digital Storytelling by students provides a strong foundation in many different types of

literacy, such as information literacy, visual literacy, technology literacy, and media

literacy. Summarizing the work of several researchers in this field, Brown, Bryan and

Brown (2005) have labeled these multiple skills that are aligned with technology as

“Twenty-first Century Literacy,” which they describe as the combination of:

• Digital Literacy – the ability to communicate with an ever-expanding community

to discuss issues, gather information, and seek help;

• Global Literacy - the capacity to read, interpret, respond, and contextualize

messages from a global perspective

• Technology Literacy - the ability to use computers and other technology to

improve learning, productivity, and performance;

• Visual Literacy - the ability to understand, produce and communicate through

visual images;

• Information Literacy - the ability to find, evaluate and synthesize information.

In the area of technology literacy, students who create digital stories improve their skills

by using software that combines a variety of multimedia tools including working with

text, still images, audio, video and oftentimes, Web publishing. In the area of

technological literacy, Digital Storytelling can provide a meaningful reason for students

to learn to digitize media content by using scanners, digital still cameras, and video

cameras. In addition, as students create the narration and soundtrack for a story, they gain

skills in using microphones, digitizing audio and working with music and sound effects."

Reponse:  Early in this course we often asked questions and made comments about 21st Century literacy.  Also, we tried to define the different types of literacies and where these types of literacies would fit into our curriculum as instructors.  I believe that this particular article does an excellent job of providing a guide for instructors to define and implement the various forms of digital literacy.  I think it would be very interesting to poll k-12 teachers, and ask how they are meeting or using 21st century skills in their classrooms?  I think that many answers would consist of, "I use computers."   However, if you read the quote above, you note that 21st Century skills are aligned with technology.  It's not using the technology that makes you a 21st Century teacher, it's teaching students literacy skills and critical thinking and using technology as a tool to achieve goals.

Resource:  Robin, B. R. (n.d.). The Educational Uses of Digital Storytelling. In Digital Literacy . Retrieved October 20, 2011, from http://digitalliteracyintheclassroom.pbworks.com/f/Educ-Uses-DS.pdf


Additional Resource:   http://blog.simplek12.com/education/21-signs-youre-a-21st-century-teacher/
I chose this additional resource because it provides a great list that identifies you as a 21st Century teacher.


21 Signs You're a 21st Century Teacher (2010, October 27). In I love Ed Tech. Retrieved October 28, 2011, from http://blog.simplek12.com/education/21-signs-youre-a-21st-century-teacher/

Interview with Mom (Judy) - TRANSCRIPT

TRANSCRIPT

DEJ # 9 The Pedagogy of Digital Storytelling

Quote:   "Raimist and Jacobs expanded the CDS model of digital storytelling into a critical process where students were taught not only the technical skills necessary for creating and sharing their own digital stories, but also were provided with a framework they could use to interrogate themselves and engage with other contexts for purposes of responsive content creation."
Response:   I found this part of the article interesting due to the fact that as educators we often get caught up in the technical part of the technology and lose focus on guiding our students to create the content.  It can be very frustrating when trying to get the right equipment, the right program, etc... before implementing a project.  I believe that this deters educators from trying new ideas in their classrooms.  This is why it is so important that technology tools and skills begins in kindergarten and continues each year, according to a technology framework. When students and teachers feel competent with technical skills, then content creation may flourish.
Reference:  Raimist, R., Doerr-Stevens, C., & Jacobs, W. (2011). The Pedagogy of Digital Storytelling in the College Classroom.International Journal of Media,Technology and Lifelong Learning, 7(1). Retrieved October 20, 2011, from seminar.net


Additional Resource:  I've chose this article because it describes where digital storytelling comes from, how digital storytelling can be used to support instruction, and  how students use digital storytelling to improve multiple literacy skills.
Digital Literacy in the Classroom
Robin, B. R. (n.d.). The Educational Uses of Digital Storytelling. In Digital Literacy . Retrieved October 20, 2011, from http://digitalliteracyintheclassroom.pbworks.com/f/Educ-Uses-DS.pdf

Digital Stories from an Oral History

Person to interview:  Judith Pearl White, my mother
Why?  My mother is 72 years old, a mother of six, 5 grandchildren, and 4 great-grandchildren.  My mother has shared numerous stories of her childhood, but no one has ever captured her life in a digital format.
Possible questions to ask:

• Where were you born?  Who were your parents? grandparents?  siblings? 
• What types of jobs did your parents have during your childhood? teens? adult?
• How many different places and where have you lived from birth to now?
• Where did you attend school?  Elementary, Middle, High, College, 
• What types of jobs have you had during your life? Salaries?
• When and where were you married?
• What are the significant differences in the economy over the past 50 -60  years?
• What were your parents'/grandparents' expectations of you?
• What president made the greatest impact on you?  Why?
• What kinds of entertainment were made available during your teens?
• Was religion important in your family?
• What is the ethnic or cultural background of your parents?
• What family celebrations were important in your life?

Please 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?
Please 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?
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.
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?


Plan to interview my mother at her home, during the week of October 23.

DEJ # 8 Teaching Media Literacy: Yo! Are you hip to this?

Quote:  "Now that the culture is almost totally transformed by the compelling electronic and visual experiences that enter our living rooms each day, the ostrich stance seems more and more ridiculous. It's time to face up to the media culture we have created and the media culture we have consumed. It's time to help ourselves and our children to embrace and celebrate the messages worth treasuring, to analyze and understand the economic and political forces which sustain it, and to develop the skills and new habits we need to think carefully and wisely about the messages we create ourselves and the abundant messages we receive ."

Response:  Is it possible to put the above quote on a t-shirt?  :)  This particular article has made the largest impact on my thinking in terms of critical media literacy skills in the classroom.  The article managed to cover many concepts that I've been pondering during this course.  

• How do we do this as teachers?  
• What has to happen to make us feel comfortable discussing issues with our students that are of importance to them?  
• Why hasn't critical medial literacy been pervasive across the U.S.? 
• If we ignore it, our children will ignore it?
• Why do we use newspapers in our classrooms to teach vocabulary, etc..and not analyze messages?
• Why have students create videos that have been scripted and produced by the teacher?   
• How do teachers become trained to incorporate media literacy skills in their classrooms?                     

I'm ready to travel to the few places in the U.S. to understand how critical media literacy skills are being implemented in school districts k-12.   

Hobbs, R. (n.d.). Teaching Media Literacy: Yo! Are you hip to this?. In www.medialit.org. Retrieved October 14, 2011, from http://www.medialit.org/reading-room/teaching-media-literacy-yo-are-you-hip

 Related Resource:    Renee Hobbs

I've provided a link to the Media Education Lab site founded by Renee Hobbs.  Since this article impacted my thoughts, I felt it was important to find and read other articles by this author.

(n.d.). In Media Education Lab. Retrieved October 14, 2011, from http://mediaeducationlab.com/about/renee-hobbs

Forever Young: Favorite Reel Works Video - Week 8

Click on the link below to watch the video:   Forever Young
Favorite Reel Works Video


1.  What do you like about the digital story? 
This story immediately grabbed my attention due to the fact that it was based on a topic that is relevant to most people.  Whether good or bad memories, our childhood plays an important role of who we are and childhood stories/memories are often referred to in conversation.    Using the format of actually writing to "your childhood" was an interesting way to approach writing.  In the future, I will use this format with my students.    Specific moments in the digital story that caught my attention were; whimsical music, childhood photographs, a box of memories, references to easy decisions, being carefree, easy solutions to problems, maturation takes away our childhood, and the child clinging to the adult's leg.

Actually, it probably grabbed my attention because my 16 year old is moving away from childhood, and I'm not ready. :)

2.  What did you learn from the digital story?

•   The theme and point of view were articulated through the use of images, video, music and narration.
•   The story was simply put, and the message was easily understood without an overload of information.
•   The narrator's voice set the tone and mood of the message.  
•   A short media message is able to convey a main idea to an audience and it's not always necessary to    require lengthy essays.

3.  How can digital storytelling promote critical media literacy?     To begin with, this particular digital story is a personal narrative. Using this type of storytelling in the classroom allows students to view experiences of other students to gain a better understanding of their personal point of view. Also, our "digital generation" students are creating media that allows for discussion and expression of emotions.Motivation, engagement and interest would be present due to the fact that students are creating an authentic project to be viewed, critiqued and judged by their peers.  In addition, communication skills are developed through students creating narratives, and expressing their opinions.  Finally, students are creating and presenting a digital story using the following literacy skills; research, writing, organization, technology, problem solving and assessment.

DEJ # 7 Measuring the Acquisition of Media Literacy Skills

Why did the authors do this study?  The researchers examined " the impact of media literacy instruction in  a secondary language arts curriculum, which was developed in one district, to determine its effects on students’ reading, listening and viewing comprehension, writing, and skills of message analysis" (Hobbs and Frost 335).
How did the authors do this study?  The authors used nonequivalent groups research design;  a quasi-experiment, which consists of using a test group and a control group from a different community, instructors using similar instructional practices, with similarities in school size and demographics. The grade level, length of instructional time, pre and post tests, and shared materials were consistent.
What did the authors conclude from the data analysis?   The results were indicative that media literacy instruction improved the students' ability to comprehend, analyze and evaluate information.  In reference to writing, there wasn't a significant difference between the treatment and control group  "These results indicate that the infusion of media literacy into the grade 11 English class did not detract from the teachers’ ability to support and strengthen the growth of students’ writing development"(Hobbs and Frost 344).

What is the significance of the study?   This study allowed the authors to voice their findings that media literacy integrated into a curriculum can be just as rigorous and valid as traditional literacy.  

How do these findings influence your position on media literacy and school curriculum?  This research was conducted with seven, grade 11 teachers with the same objectives, activities and texts in real-world contexts.   However, we need to do further research into instructional strategies, teacher attitudes and other existing variables to further promote media literacy integration in the curriculum.  

After reading and analyzing the data from this article, an instructor that correlates media literacy skills with  critical thinking skills, will be able to design authentic instruction for students without the burden of worry that he/she is not meeting the necessary requirements of literacy.

Hobbs, Renee, and Richard Frost. "Measuring the Acquisition of Media Literacy Skills." Reading Research Quarterly 39.3 July (2003): 330-55. Web. 7 Oct. 2011.

Week 7: Create a Product- Super Hero Trading Card

In this lesson, students analyze and discuss familiar superheroes and super-villains to expand their understanding of character types and conventions.Then students consider social issues that confront their everyday reality and respond by incorporating those issues into the creation of their own superheroes or super-villains as well as the settings the superheroes or super-villains operate in.

Week 6 Lesson Plan: Is Superman Really All That Super? Critically Exploring Superheroes

Trading Cards:  Super Heroes

RLA.0.5.1.8  differentiate and apply comprehension strategies in literary and information texts to draw conclusions, predict, use context clues and summarize

RLA.O.5.1.10  compare and contrast text connections to self, to other texts and to world cultures in literary and informational texts

RLA.0.5.3.4  create an age-appropriate media product that demonstrates format, purpose, and audience

Students will be gathering, evaluating and analyzing data to communicate their discoveries in ways to suit their purpose and audience.

Can integrating media literacy into your classroom activities help prepare your students for taking the WESTEST?
 Yes, if you are teaching the higher levels of Bloom's Taxonomy effectively then you will be able to prepare your students for testing.  My personal belief is that if you find engaging, relevant, authentic activities for your students that promote critical thinking skills, foster the development of these skills, your end result will be independent thinkers and learners.

Double Journal Entry #6 " Learn Critical Thinking through Media Literacy Education"

Quote:  "Summers states, “Teachers who recognize the goal of teaching thinking rather than just imparting knowledge help students make connections beyond the content of the coursework” (2005, pp. 2) She suggests teaching critical thinking by applying it to the study of media literacy. This practice gives students the skills and knowledge needed to “access, analyze, evaluate and communicate” (NAMLE) media messages."

Response:  Creating (designing, constructing, planning, producing and inventing), Evaluating (checking, hypothesizing, critiquing, experimenting  and judging), and Analyzing (comparing, organizing, deconstructing, interrogating and finding) are all terms from Bloom’s Revised taxonomy that students must understand, and be able to “do” to be successful on standardized tests.  As classroom teachers, we actually have charts posted in our classrooms with Bloom’s terms, and titled “Must Know Words to Achieve Success on the WESTEST”.   Most WESTEST questions are not based at the beginning level of Bloom’s which includes terms such as recall and identify.  The depth of knowledge required to answer standardized test questions falls in the range of 2-4.  These questions require the use of critical thinking skills such as analyzing, evaluating, judging.   So, why not teach critical media literacy skills instead of  repetitive drilling of facts and trying to” teach to the test “ a few weeks before the actual test date?  

References:
Learn Critical Thinking through Media Literacy Education. (2010, October). In Medialiteracycolloquium'sblog: A Study in Media Literacy. Retrieved September 27, 2011, from http://medialiteracycolloquium.wordpress.com/2010/10/25/learn-critical-thinking-through-media-literacy-education/
Summers, S. L. (2005). Get Them Thinking! : Use Media Literacy to Prepare Students for State Assessments, pp. 2, 8, 9.


Additional Resource: 
 "By this point, you may be asking what does this have to do with media literacy? To educate the students, who are the future of the world and public, educators need to be brought up to speed on the present and future waves of technology that will ultimately distribute and provide news media to the masses. The educators need to be taught, so they can teach the future of the world of the news tools that are available to them. It would certainly be a work in progress, but in the far-off future, it would fix the problems of media illiteracy."     


I found this article relevant due to a current issue in education today.  Educators need more training that is pertinent to what is happening in today's world.

Educating the Educators. (2010, December). In Medialiteracycolloquium'sblog: A Study in Media Literacy. Retrieved September 27, 2011, from http://medialiteracycolloquium.wordpress.com/2010/12/14/educating-the-educators/

Double Journal Entry #5 : "I want to be a Mermaid!"

Quote:  "Strategies for critical analysis of media messages have been created that target teens; however, results so far indicate that teens are better-educated, but still fall victim to eating disorder behaviors and low self-esteem in terms of body image. "


Response:  This quote substantiates the need for critical media skills to be taught in educational and residential settings.  As a parent and teacher, I can validate that the concepts of physical, emotional and social well being are being taught in most physical education and health classes.  Instructional activities include; posters, brochures, commercials, advertisements, music deconstruction, and numerous other activities that promote healthy lifestyles.  But, some students that are creating these powerful messages are on the top of the victimization list.  In addition, mass media tactics mainly pursued by companies that are focused on stock piling assets, are overpowering intended educational outcomes.  Teachers and parents need to be informed, and assist teens with gaining a "voice" to represent themselves against mass media tactics to persuade teens to accept stereotypes.  This problem is difficult, and not one that has an easy solution.  A final thought, if teachers and parents are accepting and promoting stereotypes, how do we get our teens to evaluate and analyze media to make changes?


Reference:  Sauer, H., & Robles_Pina, R. (2003). What Adolescent Girls are Reading and the Way They Shape Body Image. In Advancing Women . Retrieved September 22, 2011, from www.advancingwomen.com


Additional Resource:  Beauty and Body Image in the Media
"Perhaps most disturbing is the fact that media images of female beauty are unattainable for all but a very small number of women. Researchers generating a computer model of a woman with Barbie-doll proportions, for example, found that her back would be too weak to support the weight of her upper body, and her body would be too narrow to contain more than half a liver and a few centimeters of bowel. A real woman built that way would suffer from chronic diarrhea and eventually die from malnutrition. Jill Barad president of Mattel (which manufactures Barbie) estimated that 99% of girls aged 3 to 10 years old own at least one Barbie doll.3"
Reference:  Gerber, R. (n.d.). Beauty and Body Image in the Media. In Media Awareness Network. Retrieved September 22, 2011, from http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/issues/stereotyping/women_and_girls/women_beauty.cfm
Barbie boots up. (Time, Nov 11 1996).http://www.time.com

Magazine Cover - 21st Century Woman

Double Journal Entry # 4 Defining New Literacies in Curricular Practice

Quote:  "A reconceptualized vision of new literacies education would include an explicit effort to enable students to acquire the ability to understand how visual media work to produce meanings. This effort would strive to develop literate people who are able to read, write, listen, talk, analyze, evaluate, and produce communications in a variety of media, including print, television, music, video, film, radio, hypertext, and the arts."


Response:  New literacies are in demand in educational environments and the workplace environment.  So when do we cease with the overload of content standards, and teaching to expose students to content because we must fulfill a monthly curriculum map and held accountable for test scores?  Very little room is left in curriculum planning that allows the "human factor" to have a voice in designing instruction.  Our focus is often narrow during the planning phases of instruction and we tend to leave out student engagement, authentic experiences and preparing our students to participate and have a voice in an ever-changing global society.  Promoting and providing teachers the opportunities to participate in and understand new literacies has to take place before the gap between traditional literacies and media literacies can begin to close in the curriculum. 

Semali, L. (2001, November). Defining new literacies in curricular practice. Reading Online, 5(4). Available: http://www.readingonline.org/newliteracies/lit_index.asp?HREF=semali1/index.html


Additional Resource:  I chose this as an additional resource since I've had the opportunity to converse and listen to R. Neil Shambaugh at a National Professional Development School Conference.


  "The payoff to innovative change is student engagement with the learning activities and room for personal expression and responses to the assigned tasks."

Shambaugh, R.N. (2000, August). What does it mean to be x literate? Literacy definitions as tools for growth. Reading Online, 4(2). Available: http://www.readingonline.org/newliteracies/lit_index.asp?HREF=/newliteracies/shambaugh/index.html

Magazine Deconstruction Week #4

1. What are the differences between the two covers? What techniques are used to attract your attention? Pay attention to body language, clothing, camera angle, lighting, color, eye contact ect. How do the difference influence what you think and feel about the person.  Arnold looks younger in the Fitness cover, his dark glasses, serious face, light hitting one side of his face, shadows are on the scarred side, maybe indicating "good boy, bad boy" image.  You can't see his eyes behind glasses, depicting mystery.  The Esquire magazine shows a few wrinkles, possibly indicating experience.  He is cast in and surrounded by red, white and blue colors, and font.  His eye contact indicates that he is "talking to you".  Pointing finger, just like Uncle Sam saying, " I want You"!  He is smiling indicating happiness, and an invitation that extends he is open to communication. This picture suggests that he is intelligent.  The fitness picture doesn't make me feel as if he is ready to represent anyone in politics.  

1. What do you find appealing or not appealing about the cover of the magazine?   I find the fitness cover more appealing than the Esquire. The Esquire picture gives me an uneasy feeling, maybe because I'm viewing this picture after what has transpired in the news recently?

2. What elements in the design make it appealing or not appealing?  Both covers use colors to attract the viewer, font size and color, in-style clothing, and lighting that highlights specific body features.

3. What elements are included on the cover to sell this magazine? Consider title, imagery, sensationalized headlines, exclusive articles, secrets, gossip, free gifts, and celebrity news.  Fitness:  Promises of quick fixes to fitness, Staying out of the gym could indicate saving money, and exclusive interview with Arnold.  Esquire:  The patriotic font and clothing, the headline: Man at his Best, with a beautiful, scantily dressed woman beside Arnold.  The headline by Scott Raab, ..the dead body in the foyer.. and the promise of telling you what the best music is available to buy.

4. Describe the type of content in one issue. Fitness:  Fitness equipment, supplements, exercise routines, and an interview with Arnold.

5. What products or services are advertised in the issue?   The overall of theme of becoming physical fit.

6. What lifestyle, values and messages are being promoted by the contents in the issue?  Stressing that it is seen as a sign of power and popularity to be fit, well-dressed, and tough.  Also, if you use Joe Weider products you too, can look like Arnold.

7.Describe the demographics for what you think may be the magazine’s intended target readership. Consider age, sex, interests and socioeconomic status: Middle-aged Men, middle to upper class, interested in fitness, politics, fashion and trends.

8. What features of the magazine indicate to you that this is the intended readership?   The almighty powerful icon, Arnold is used on both covers.

9. What personalities or celebrities are used to promote this magazine?  Arnold Schwarzenegger

10. Are these personalities or celebrities promoting or challenging stereotypical messages? How?Definitely promoting stereotypical messages.  For example, strong men, well-dressed, and groomed make great politicians.