What Girls Do When They're Down

http://youtu.be/oar9Q22eym4

Illuminated Texts: The Gateway to In Depth Media Analysis and Creation

My activity builds on Buckingham's "Translation" concept - I want my students to "translate" a short story into an "Illuminated Text." An Illuminated Text (IT) is the retelling of a story using words, color, animation, and sound, and is created with Power Point or Adobe Flash. For an example of an IT, visit this website and click on the "QuickTime" version of Hemingway's short story, "Cat in the Rain," or click here for an Illuminated version of a portion of Orwell's "1984." Also, here is an example of an IT for which the story itself was written by the student, who then translated her own composition into an IT.

 This activity will highlight the transition from text to visual medium, and could be used as a stepping stone to a film making project. The activity would be carried out as follows:

1.) Students would read a short story or a poem. While they read they would take notes on/highlight specific words or phrases that stood out to them for their descriptive nature or for their emotional effect. Students would compare notes, and a class discussion would ensue with the teacher guiding the students in order to discover how authors move their audience.

2.) Students would then watch an Illuminated Text for the short story/poem that they read. The students would view once and just watch; during the second viewing, students would take notes/fill out a graphic organizer comparing and contrasting the two tellings of the stories. The teacher would help the students to see what each medium has to offer and how the text is visually translated onto the screen. Students should also take note of the music and what it adds to the overall tone/presentation.

3.) Have students repeat Steps 1 and 2 with a different text if additional analysis practice is needed.

4.) Students take what they've learned from other texts and select a poem or short story and translate it into an Illuminated Text. Post students' texts onto an online blog, have a class viewing day, or have a viewing with students from other grades or classes so that students will have an authentic audience.

5.) Students should write a reflection in order to review what they learned about text, visuals, music, and how the two can work together to tell a story. If appropriate, students could be encouraged to make some observations about other media where different mediums (visuals, text, music) are blended together. This portion of the reflection could be used by the teacher to gauge what students have already noticed about other blended media.

Protect Yourself, Protect Others

As a teacher, I want to reflect on their media consumption and media production in order to monitor if their are hurting others or themselves. I think this is the biggest benefit of reflection: students learn to think about the what they've learned from an activity but also, and perhaps more importantly, they learn to think about the consequences of their media choices.

In terms of media consumption, there are many things that we need to do to help students to "protect" themselves. We have to teach students how to determine credibility, how to be critical, and not to always take things for face value. When researching, students need to look for credible sources; when making purchases, students need to know how to not be swindled; when listening to/viewing advertisements, students need to know how to process the information being thrown at them. When we show media in the classroom, we need to be sure that we pick media that is truly beneficial, and will not be extremely upsetting to students. These are our responsibilities concerning our students. We also have a responsibility to the community and school administrators to keep them updated on our media use and production. The more informed everyone is, the more understanding there is with regards to using/teaching media in the classroom.

In terms of media production, we need to teach students how to protect themselves AND "protect" others. Hobbs talks about the issues that come with "self disclosure" and how some teens might be too uninhibited online. We do indeed need to teach students to share information responsibly on the Internet, and we also need to teach the responsibility that comes with anonymity on the Internet. I've heard of cases where students harass each other or teachers  but they can't be identified because they use an alternate identity or a screen name. With the Internet (potentially) comes a new identity (i.e. Hobbs' son, Roger) and we need to teach the morals of such new identities - we need to treat others with respect regardless of who we are online. When I use a classroom blog and/or Facebook page in my class, I plan on assigning my students "secret identities" - these will help students to be able to share freely and will protect students from others online, but because I know the secret identities, I can hold students accountable for their actions online. I hope that this method will set the example for Internet interactions - protect yourself and protect others.

In terms of protecting others, I was interested in Hobbs' comments on "relational aggression" and the various disturbing YouTube videos she described. I was horrified by the animal abuse videos described and saddened by the pranks and scare videos that I read about. At the end of Chapter 6, Hobbs talks about how we shouldn't make our students feel guilty about their media choices, as this will only make them resistant to what we are saying, and we should teach them "critical autonomy." I feel this is a critical element of successfully teaching proper digital citizenship, but I was unsure as to how exactly I should do this. Thankfully, this question was answered in the next chapter, when Hobbs talked about the "Ethics of Representation." Of specific note was the "ethical triangle" (Figure 7.2) and the questions that the author should ask him/herself about Intentionality, Consequences, and Social Good. I think that as I teach my students to reflect on these elements of their media use/consumption, they will become the good digital citizen that both Hobbs and myself want them to be, without ostracizing or alienating this fragile group of human beings.

Analyzing Analysis

I thought that this section gave some excellent ideas about how to really get kids thinking about media, about what it's doing, how it is doing it, and why. It's one thing to bring in various media to enhance your lessons, but it's another thing entirely to get stuents talking about media in a way that helps them to develop as thinkers.


How might you use the critical questions discussed in the book to inform your classroom conversations? 
     The questions regarding audience and author, message and meaning, and representation and reality are concrete ways to steer the class discussion in the way that is most profitable for students. Class discussions will often go on tangents, but by have the critical questions in mind and finding the answers to these questions as our goal, class discussion/small group discussion will be a beneficial use of time.
    Besides these questions, I like the idea of question-ing having a bigger presence in my classroom. I know from experience that when I am legitimately interested and curious about a topic that I an slightly but not totally familiar with, I am more engaged in learning about that topic and I am more motivated to seek answers and to share those answers in a meaningful way. I have learned about inquiry-based learning in other classes, but I like how Hobbs pointed out the need for students to make inquiry when it comes to media, and not just be passive consumers of media.
 
How might you modify the questions posed to better suit the goals and requirements of your own classroom setting?
     Given that I am going to be an English teacher, I thought that these questions were very appropriate to use when discussing traditional literature as well as other media in my classroom. If anything, I would want to expand or go beyond what is listed. For example, if we were discussing poetry, I would not only ask "What creative techniques are used to attract and hold attention?" but I would ask "Why? Why do these techniques/literary devices attract attention? What is the link between the techniques and the meaning? How is form related to function?" (These deeper questions can be used in discussing other media, but I know that form and function are closely tied when it comes to poetry, and thus I saw opportunity for modification in the questions when thinking about teaching poetry.) Also, I think it would be good to include questions that would help students to see the relevance of the media to their own lives, questions like, "So what? What  (if any) are the implications  that this media has for a high school student? Does this connect to any other texts, to the world, or to myself?"

 What ways could you utilize the Seeing and Writing readings to discuss media analysis and evaluation with your students?
      I would love to get a hold of the Rushdie essay that Scott Sanders refers to in his own essay "Homeplace," read both, and ask students to use the critical questions to further analyze the two men's views on "Place" and from there, students could draw their own conclusions about their idea/definition of "home." As was exhibited in our reading, however, essays are not the only medium that offers ideas about "home" and "place." I think text sets (essay, short story, movie clip, and a photograph, for example) are good to get students thinking critically about ideas. This can get overwhelming, however, if students are not familiar with the conventions of each type of text. For well-educated students or students that are familiar with the conventions of at least a few different types of media, text sets (like the one assigned from "Seeing and Writing") are perfect for exposing students to new ideas. For students/grade levels who are not familiar with what exactly they are supposed to look for in a photograph (or other medium) in order to make meaning, it would be good to use the two essays as subjects for analysis and work up from the essays to more and different types of media.

Navigation and Networking

This article synthesized a lot of what I have learned about teaching with technology in other teaching classes, and it was nice to have those ideas reinforced and legitimized. 

I am excited to use what I read in this article in my future English classroom. Part of my philosophy of teaching involves empowering my students, helping them to see that they have a voice and teaching them how to listen to the voices around them. As the article states clearly, now more then ever before people have the opportunity to really make a difference in the world because of the Internet and the rapid spread and availability of information and ideas. And this concept is perfectly embodied by the term "participatory structure."

In regards to how I would incorporate the things that I read about navigation (deftly moving from one type of media to another) and networking (deftly working with other people and sources online to gain/share information), the following list includes ideas I had for how to do this:

1.) Give my students the opportunities to be the experts on various types of media. I would like to spend some time introducing my students to various types of media by letting students share what they are already are familiar with. I also want to assign an "Unfamiliar Genre Project," in which students explore and create using a genre that they have not previously utilized. I want my students to know that I realize that they are knowledgeable in this area already, but also push them to expand their media boundaries.

2.) I want to have a lesson about trolling. Trolling undermines trust and shows a lack of respect for others on the Internet. I think that a lesson on trolling (what it is, why it is bad, why people would do it, how to distinguish) would cover a lot of areas that the authors of the article expressed concern about. It will help students to learn morals regarding online actions as well as help students realize that when it comes to networking, being respectful, balanced, and trustworthy is beneficial to all users.

3.) I appreciated that Jenkins realized that traditional reading and writing skills are just as important as ever, and that media literacy should be taught alongside (not in place of) traditional literacy skills. And as we found in "Seeing and Writing," the skills that we use when reading and writing print text often carry over into reading writing digital texts. I want my students to realize the validity and importance of ALL types of media are valid and valuable (which was emphasized in the CMPLE) and that the skills needed to read/create in one type of media are often applicable in other medias. This reflects the principle of Transmedia Navigation - students need to be able to effectively move from one type of media to another, just like the skills needed to do so also transer.

4.) I foresee bridging the Participation Gap as being a formidable obstacle, and to be honest, I'm not quite sure how to deal with this. I would welcome any suggestions. Because honestly, how can I teach about/with media if I am teaching in a severely-underfunded inner city public school. I didn't really get a lot of ideas from the article (maybe I missed it?), so...any thoughts anyone?

5.) I want my students to use media to make change in the world. I feel that now that we live in a Participatory Culture, I feel that it is a responsibility of the rising generation to use their skills and know-how for a purpose for which they feel passionate about. If the resources are available, then I want my students to learn how to use those resources to do something productive. Playing RPGs is great because students are learning useful skills, but those skills are pointless until they are put to good use. I want my students to come to understand (perhaps during my persuasive/informational text unit) that they need to take a stand and at the very least, learn about important issues and make their own voices heard. 

This reading was incredibly interesting and extremely empowering/uplifting, and I can't wait to get out into the classroom and bring lessons and knowledge about media with me.

An Academic Jigsaw Puzzle

     Doing a jigsaw puzzle is tricky. You might have to search and search for the piece you are looking for. You might be tempted to use a scissors in an effort to force a piece to fit where you want it. But when the pieces have been put together correctly, the whole picture comes into view and there is much rejoicing in the land.
   
     Putting together the English/Language Arts Common Core Standards and the CPMLE felt a bit like doing a jigsaw puzzle. I had to pour over both documents, looking for similarities and differences, compliments and contradictions. In the end, I felt restricted, and I struggled to make these two sets of standards come together. It seems that the ELACCS placed most emphasis on print texts and print writing. When technology was encouraged, it asked me to teach students how to "...make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest." (This reminded me of how businessmen in a board room use a Powerpoint presentation to show financial ups and downs.) It also, at one point, encourages teachers to teach students how to write digitally and how to read digital texts, but these requirements were small portions of the "Reading" and "Writing" sections. This may seem that it fits with the CPMLE, but I feel that it would require the scissors to really put these two together.
     
     This is because the CPMLE doesn't just ask us to teach kids how to read and write digital media. I believe that it is really asking us to teach students how to think about and analyze media in all forms. The CPMLE talks about "active inquiry" and "critical thinking" in detail. It "expands" on existing definitions, and aims to develop "informed, reflective, and engaged citizens." This document seems so much more active, and seems to ask much more of students than does the ELACCS. How do these two go together?
     
     I believe that the answer lies in reading between the lines of the ELACCS, specifically the "Reading" and "Writing" portions. As discussed in our reading from "Seeing and Writing 4," texts can be analyzed just like photos, paintings, and other types of media can be analyzed. The ELACCS asks students to be able to: "read closely," "determine central ideas," "assess point of view," and "analyze structure." Even though this section directs teachers as to what they must teach in regards to "Reading," it is clear that the mastery of these skills/knowledge is essential to meeting the goals recommended by the CPMLE.
    
     In the writing section, the ELACCS talks bout how media should be used as a source, and that students should be able to locate and analyze credible sources. The ELACCS also requires students to "write arguments to support claims," "convey complex ideas and informations," and "develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences." These requirements, while centered on print writing in the ELACCS, are the tools necessary to create any type of media as recommended by the CPMLE. This document encourages students to do lots of critical thinking, "to use document-based evidence and well-reasoned arguments to support their conclusions," and to "enable students to express their ideas..." No scissors are need to make these pieces fit together: the CPMLE and the ELACCS seems to encourage the same goals, despite referring to different types of media or "texts."
    
     The question then becomes one of implementation: How should I implement the recommendations of the CPMLE and the requirements of the ELACCS at the same time? I appreciate the fact that the CPMLE states that MLE should be taught in various settings and in multiple grade levels. Thus, I believe that I should use/teach media as frequently as I use/teach traditional reading and writing techniques. The end goal of my teaching, as more explicitly stated in the CPMLE, is to help students to become critical thinkers and "informed, reflective, and engaged participants" of a "democracy," and, by extension, the world around them (made ever bigger by access to the World Wide Web). I am excited to teach students how to read, write, speak, and listen in a manner that is analytical and evaluative, and that requires critical thinking. I recognize that this is much effectively accomplished if I incorporate the use and creation of various types of media in my teaching. 


     Indeed, the picture that this completed jigsaw puzzle creates is quite beautiful to behold.