Monday, December 8, 2014
Monday, November 24, 2014
Brainstorming Final Project
Week one:
I plan on covering the topic of bullshit as covered by Postman. This is an important introduction, as it labels the need for critical media literacy.
Week two:
I want to revisit the videos created by students in order to show how they examined their culture and identity through a media lesson, learning more about how they use media while at the same time creating media.
Week three:
Week three is a strong example of different age ranges and populations creating educational videos. I think this will be useful to show that teaching critical media literacy is a necessity for the entire population, not just children.
Week four:
A quote from my response:
"We are each different; it is what makes us unique, and what separates one person's interests from the next. In the same fashion ,we use the media at our fingertips (and earlobe tips) to represent our individuality."
Week Five:
I want to reflect on different trends in media, such as the notecard reflection. I think I might be able to find a decent notion concerning trends that can add a powerful message.
Week Six:
"Research shows that when teachers use question in the classroom, they often use closed questions, which have only one right answer. Teachers often go fishing by asking questions that can only be answered in one way - the right answer" (pg 54).
This quote still stirs emotion in me. The importance of structuring cannot be stressed enough.
Week Seven:
Pulling from week seven, understanding what the common core means for media literacy and how learning outcomes can be pulled from media lessons is an important topic. I will also likely talk about cultural and individual relevance.
Week Eight:
"Today, every teacher needs to be a media composition teacher...because the power of authorship offers students of all ages a transformative learning experience" (pg 85).
This is part of the lesson for us all, is it not? We all need to learn how to be critical, and we then need to convey that knowledge to the next individual.
Week Nine:
"[Teens] act and behave in ways that conform both to their local community and to the vast array of media messages that display how teens and young adults should behave, think, and act." Pg 108
Week nine is powerful in how it speaks about the role that media plays in influencing a youth to behave, dress, and live, simply by pushing a certain "social norm." If we can agree that media influences the basics of behavior, then it also goes a long way towards showing the importance of proper education in it's regard.
Week Ten:
"There are healthy and unhealthy ways to acquire social power. Unfortunately, among some teen boys and young men, one quick and easy way to gain social power is to watch or create a drinking video."
The pitfalls of media. As with most things, there is a high road and a low road. I think this is a good way to show the negative side of media that individuals can be drawn towards as they seek recognition.
Week Eleven:
In week eleven I want to go back to my thoughts on media relevance to the individual and determining what kind of material you need to inspire someone. I had used a quote from Patrick Rothfuss, and I think I will build on that.
Week Twelve:
“…we must confront our own biases, preconceptions, stereotypes, and low expectations as we discover the capacities and talents of students who are struggling with school but who may have considerable competency at other at other skills” (pg 184).
This is part of the foundation of my personal educational philosophy. I will likely plan a conclusion that focused on the idea that using media to assist students with expressing individuality and creativity is pivotal to taking education to the individual level and preventing students from falling through the cracks.
I plan on covering the topic of bullshit as covered by Postman. This is an important introduction, as it labels the need for critical media literacy.
Week two:
I want to revisit the videos created by students in order to show how they examined their culture and identity through a media lesson, learning more about how they use media while at the same time creating media.
Week three:
Week three is a strong example of different age ranges and populations creating educational videos. I think this will be useful to show that teaching critical media literacy is a necessity for the entire population, not just children.
Week four:
A quote from my response:
"We are each different; it is what makes us unique, and what separates one person's interests from the next. In the same fashion ,we use the media at our fingertips (and earlobe tips) to represent our individuality."
Week Five:
I want to reflect on different trends in media, such as the notecard reflection. I think I might be able to find a decent notion concerning trends that can add a powerful message.
Week Six:
"Research shows that when teachers use question in the classroom, they often use closed questions, which have only one right answer. Teachers often go fishing by asking questions that can only be answered in one way - the right answer" (pg 54).
This quote still stirs emotion in me. The importance of structuring cannot be stressed enough.
Week Seven:
Pulling from week seven, understanding what the common core means for media literacy and how learning outcomes can be pulled from media lessons is an important topic. I will also likely talk about cultural and individual relevance.
Week Eight:
"Today, every teacher needs to be a media composition teacher...because the power of authorship offers students of all ages a transformative learning experience" (pg 85).
This is part of the lesson for us all, is it not? We all need to learn how to be critical, and we then need to convey that knowledge to the next individual.
Week Nine:
"[Teens] act and behave in ways that conform both to their local community and to the vast array of media messages that display how teens and young adults should behave, think, and act." Pg 108
Week nine is powerful in how it speaks about the role that media plays in influencing a youth to behave, dress, and live, simply by pushing a certain "social norm." If we can agree that media influences the basics of behavior, then it also goes a long way towards showing the importance of proper education in it's regard.
Week Ten:
"There are healthy and unhealthy ways to acquire social power. Unfortunately, among some teen boys and young men, one quick and easy way to gain social power is to watch or create a drinking video."
The pitfalls of media. As with most things, there is a high road and a low road. I think this is a good way to show the negative side of media that individuals can be drawn towards as they seek recognition.
Week Eleven:
In week eleven I want to go back to my thoughts on media relevance to the individual and determining what kind of material you need to inspire someone. I had used a quote from Patrick Rothfuss, and I think I will build on that.
Week Twelve:
“…we must confront our own biases, preconceptions, stereotypes, and low expectations as we discover the capacities and talents of students who are struggling with school but who may have considerable competency at other at other skills” (pg 184).
This is part of the foundation of my personal educational philosophy. I will likely plan a conclusion that focused on the idea that using media to assist students with expressing individuality and creativity is pivotal to taking education to the individual level and preventing students from falling through the cracks.
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Week 12 Reading Response
Herrrrre we go!
Now, this list relates to my own personal thoughts if I were to do a presentation in a classroom today. As I don't have to plan anything or actually have teaching responsibilities, I imagine my listing differs from others.
Now, this list relates to my own personal thoughts if I were to do a presentation in a classroom today. As I don't have to plan anything or actually have teaching responsibilities, I imagine my listing differs from others.
To promote creativity and self-expression
To strengthen student’s ability to resist the negative
messages present in mass media, digital media, and popular culture about
violence, materialism, stereotypes, and sexuality
To increase student motivation and engagement in the
classroom
To strengthen discrimination skills in distinguishing
between high-quality and low-quality messages
To build students’ ability to be active, thoughtful
“readers” or interpreters of the media messages in their cultural environment
To help students use their own voices for advocacy and
social change
To increase students’ knowledge of the mass media in society
To improve students’ writing and communication skills by
enabling them to use a wide range of message forms, symbol systems, and
technologies
To develop students’ skills in using digital technology
tools
To promote appreciation for locally produced media and
respect for diverse cultures
To build students’ appreciation for the function of
journalism, news, and of the media messages in their cultural environment
To build appreciation for film and visual media as an art
form
To support the development of student’s content knowledge
To modernize the curriculum and make it more relevant to
students
“When I shard my concerns with my then 17 year old daughter,
Rachel, she said, “Mom, I’m so glad our school doesn’t allow us to use Facebook
in school. I am totally in favor of
internet filtering in school. Without it, I would never be able to get any
homework done.” Pg 179
You know, I’m thinking about this and the use of personal
media while in school, all the while I am currently sitting in a high school
lunchroom on the eastern panhandle of WV.
I see students at different points of their day – after school, during
lunch, during class, in between classes, etc.
In regards to my experience, I’d like to share an observation I’ve made
about students and cell phone usage.
I often present kids with broad, abstract, or uncomfortable
questions, because I want them to be uncomfortable. Students hear the bullshit
college spiel all of the time, talking about financial aid, small class sizes,
finding success, blah blah blah. I try
to be real, I ask students about student loans, about parties, and the true
pros and cons when comparing different types of schools.
Most schools either ban or severely limit cell phone usage
during school and class hours. Something I’ve noticed in the schools that do
not is that, when presented with an uncertain situation, students that can
access their cell phone do immediately as a way to, in my mind, escape the
question. By grabbing at their phone, it is an easy way to deflect the
uncertainty and duck out of the question,
rather than making eye contact or perhaps answering a question that they
aren’t sure they know the answer to.
Students that cannot access their cell phones often attempt something
similar, but it is easier to direct a student who eyes are down on a paper
rather than glued to a cell phone screen, in my opinion.
I’ll be honest, I see
adults do this in regular conversation all the time as well. Isn’t this a habit
that should be curbed? I don’t believe it is healthy, productive, or
educationally sound to develop a habit where, in any situation where you feel
stress or determine the thing in question is something you cannot ascertain,
you feel you can immediately withdraw from the conversation by using your cell
phone to create a “privacy bubble,” of sorts.
“In other schools, there is a blanket rule: no R-rated films
can be screened.” (pg 181)
In a fit of conceitedness, I am going to reference my own
video, posted last week for the PSA assignment. I created the video with
teenagers as a target audience, and I purposefully used the words “dick” and
“bitch” in it. Let me ask you: what exactly would I be exposing teenagers to
that they already are not exposed to on a grand scale every single day? Let us
take these same observations and apply them to media used in the classroom.
What are we trying to protect students from? We have all been adolescents, we
have all gone through that incredibly colorful period of teenage angst, and we
all know that it isn’t freshly scrubbed and smelling of lemons. It is a
combination of every emotion and every scene you can think of: sex, anger,
violence, depression, nudity, life, death, love, hate, everything.
And we know this. Yet, for some reason, we try to hold on to
this slim fragment of our imagination that if something occurs in the
classroom, it must represent this white glove pinesol view of learning. Teens
can’t see a woman’s breasts in a movie, god forbid! That doesn’t promote
learning and might incite a riot.
What about the alternative? What if we embraced what the
teens are going through (because, like I said, we went through it to) and
instead curbed the media to speak the language and life that the audience
knows? Wouldn’t that make it more relevant? Last time I checked, my teenage
years weren’t a rerun of Leave it to Beaver.
“…we must confront our own biases, prerconceptions,
stereotypes, and low expectations as we discover the capacities and talents of
studnets who are struggling with school but who may have considerable
competency at other at other skills” (pg 184).
As I have referenced in previous blog postings, I often come
across students who find themselves destined for college majors that they have
absolutely no fit with, being driven towards preselected areas by parents,
teachers, peers, our counselors. Part of
my job, or at least how I interpret it, is to make sure students are entering majors
appropriate for their interest and skill levels. Based on my conversations with other
admissions counselors, I’m in the minority in helping students in this regard.
I think this is something that media can help
with. Student media projects that aim to discover more on career areas, college
majors, or particular jobs, can help take the veneer off of certain areas that
a student might be interested in. I’m not talking about the shitty “look at the
occupational outlook handbook and find a major” project that ends up with
everyone becoming lawyers, doctors, and computer scientists, but real work
exploring the who, how, and what. Maybe something like this will help students
realize that if they freaking hate math, they shouldn’t do computer science. If
they don’t like blood or science, maybe they shouldn’t do pre-med. And I’m not saying that we should dissuade
students from their dreams. If a student truly does have a passion for a
certain area or subject, then an appropriately led project should serve as a
fuel for that passion, not as a discouragement.
Friday, November 7, 2014
PSA
Right. Sooo I had some fun with this. I wanted to use humor as a hook and might have gotten a little carried away. As a result:
WARNING: VIDEO CONTAINS SOME MILDLY GRAPHIC LANGUAGE
I wasn't sure how I wanted to present things. I looked at some other videos about online bullying, and most of them were kind of drab, so I wanted to change pace a little bit.
I feel like the humor takes away from the power of the message, but at the same time makes it more likely for a wider audience to actually view and remember it. I think it is a battle between two different factors: a serious video that hits home well that no one watches, or a funny video that people share that doesn't send as strong of a message. Obviously I chose the latter.
I noticed a lot of people went for a dramatic flair, so I exaggerated a little with the multiple camera angles for an additional sarcastic effect. I also tried to use some memes and "internet speak" to draw the target audience in. I used webcam shots of me speaking to add a personal effect as well. I've been told I have a good smile, so I exaggerated on that also to produce an initial and closing hook.
I hope you enjoy! Sorry if I got off track, but I had fun making it!
WARNING: VIDEO CONTAINS SOME MILDLY GRAPHIC LANGUAGE
I wasn't sure how I wanted to present things. I looked at some other videos about online bullying, and most of them were kind of drab, so I wanted to change pace a little bit.
I feel like the humor takes away from the power of the message, but at the same time makes it more likely for a wider audience to actually view and remember it. I think it is a battle between two different factors: a serious video that hits home well that no one watches, or a funny video that people share that doesn't send as strong of a message. Obviously I chose the latter.
I noticed a lot of people went for a dramatic flair, so I exaggerated a little with the multiple camera angles for an additional sarcastic effect. I also tried to use some memes and "internet speak" to draw the target audience in. I used webcam shots of me speaking to add a personal effect as well. I've been told I have a good smile, so I exaggerated on that also to produce an initial and closing hook.
I hope you enjoy! Sorry if I got off track, but I had fun making it!
Weekly Reading #11
The Ted video is a good example to show of using current events to inspire and teach others, applied on a larger stage than most projects will ever go. I think that it shows the importance of current events in the use of connecting to others, as we are ever-trapped in the mindset of the present: what do I have to do today? What is happening right now? What lies in store for me outside of my bedroom door? By connecting individuals to inspirational, emotionally compelling, or extraordinary current events, you and providing a lucid connection between these lessons and emotions and the most obvious state of mind: the present consciousness.
When we teach lessons about civil rights, or about racism and racial oppression, how often do we use lessons that circle around the 1960s, MLK Jr, the Freedom Riders, and the American Civil Rights Movement? While this time period does provide a strong amount of emotion, intensity, and information to learn from, it is also entirely distant from today's youth. I would argue that using more modern and current events, such as the shootings in Ferguson, or as the book states, the flash mobs in Philly, lessons can provide a much stronger, much closer to home, and much more relevant lesson that can a student can claim ownership of and compare to their own philosophy and viewpoint based purely on personal experience.
The idea of current and close to home is also covered in the video as she points out that, as she travels the globe, she and her companions are using relevant and local lessons, not stories about Americans to inspire others. When we hear glorious stories about children in far away countries doing good deeds, we all think it is a great thing...but ask a person about it two hours later, and who really gives a shit? It is something we see, express a positive reaction to, then forget.
Let me explain this in a different way. In Patrick Rothfuss' "Name of the Wind" book, he explains a magic called "Sympathy" which essentially is a mental bond between two objects, in which any force applied to one object, such as lifting a stick, would also lift another stick that is mentally bonded by sympathy. The more similar the objects, the less energy required and the more efficient/strong the bond. The less similar the objects, such as a stick and a rock, the less strong the bond is, and the more energy is required to perform similar actions.
In using real-world events to teach lessons, I think it follows a similar mindset. The more similarities one can draw from a lesson, the stronger the bond each individual will have to the teachings. The more dissimilar a person is from the subject of the lesson, the less efficient the bond will be, and as a result, the person will likely draw less from the lesson. I think this serves as a reason for us to seek out relevant and powerful topics for us to use as we try to analyze overarching themes or underlying causes in events to our friends, colleagues, and students.
On a side note, I typed up some quotes from this chapter while I didn't have internet access prior to seeing this weeks lesson. Oops! For fun, I will go ahead and post those, as they actually do serve some relevance to points I made in the above text. Have a good weekend, everyone!
This boils down to one of the majors barriers in
media education and education in general today, doesn’t it? I constantly hear
the question being asked “Why are children checked out? Why don’t they
participate more?” We are asking students to speak their mind, then shushing
them when they start to express themselves.
While there has to be some form of limitation on what students can say,
in order to hedge inappropriateness and keep students on task, having a student
express they true opinion on a situation is beneficial in multiple ways. The
student learns how to express him or herself, other students hear an opinion on
a topic, and the teacher also gets educated on the true thoughts of how
students feel about a subject or idea. Just because a student’s opinion runs
contrary to that of the schools does not immediately make it inappropriate, but
rather can help create debate and teachable moments.
When we teach lessons about civil rights, or about racism and racial oppression, how often do we use lessons that circle around the 1960s, MLK Jr, the Freedom Riders, and the American Civil Rights Movement? While this time period does provide a strong amount of emotion, intensity, and information to learn from, it is also entirely distant from today's youth. I would argue that using more modern and current events, such as the shootings in Ferguson, or as the book states, the flash mobs in Philly, lessons can provide a much stronger, much closer to home, and much more relevant lesson that can a student can claim ownership of and compare to their own philosophy and viewpoint based purely on personal experience.
The idea of current and close to home is also covered in the video as she points out that, as she travels the globe, she and her companions are using relevant and local lessons, not stories about Americans to inspire others. When we hear glorious stories about children in far away countries doing good deeds, we all think it is a great thing...but ask a person about it two hours later, and who really gives a shit? It is something we see, express a positive reaction to, then forget.
Let me explain this in a different way. In Patrick Rothfuss' "Name of the Wind" book, he explains a magic called "Sympathy" which essentially is a mental bond between two objects, in which any force applied to one object, such as lifting a stick, would also lift another stick that is mentally bonded by sympathy. The more similar the objects, the less energy required and the more efficient/strong the bond. The less similar the objects, such as a stick and a rock, the less strong the bond is, and the more energy is required to perform similar actions.
In using real-world events to teach lessons, I think it follows a similar mindset. The more similarities one can draw from a lesson, the stronger the bond each individual will have to the teachings. The more dissimilar a person is from the subject of the lesson, the less efficient the bond will be, and as a result, the person will likely draw less from the lesson. I think this serves as a reason for us to seek out relevant and powerful topics for us to use as we try to analyze overarching themes or underlying causes in events to our friends, colleagues, and students.
On a side note, I typed up some quotes from this chapter while I didn't have internet access prior to seeing this weeks lesson. Oops! For fun, I will go ahead and post those, as they actually do serve some relevance to points I made in the above text. Have a good weekend, everyone!
“This student was aware that this particular point of view
was completely absent from all the media accounts of flash mobs” (pg 146).
I was
very taken by the game designed by this student as a way to express the
frustrating and dangerous position that teens face in the region. It just reminds me that if you give a student
the means to creatively express themselves, the result can be something
significantly more powerful than simply words on paper or spoken in front of a
class. Through creative outlet, students
can convey emotions that are deeply imbedded and difficult to uncover. Creating a lesson that teaches students
necessary skills while simultaneously providing a healthy outlet is a wonderful
goal indeed. As educators, we can use
those emotions to our advantage, weighing upon them to fuel a student’s
motivation to complete a project.
“Increased mistrust of the media means young people may not
believe much of what they hear, see, or read on the news” (pg 149).
I’ve been thinking ponderously on this point very much
recently, especially after watching the debate between Tennant and Capito, when
neither candidate really has a platform other than “my opponent sucks worse
than me.” I myself have grown increasingly
distrustful of media, especially in the United States, as I find genuine
journalism to be more and more of a rarity, as news organizations attempt to
blow up stories just to get ratings, and shamelessly cover minor events like it
is the apocalypse (CNN’s situation room comes to mind). I rarely check United
States based media anymore, choosing to go to sites like BBC for news (though
I’m sure they also have their own agenda).
The state of politics in media and how we trust it really
takes me back to the election between Kerry and Bush when I was in high school.
For me, it was the first election that featured massive amounts of mudslinging
and misinformation being published unanimously online. I found myself frequently in debates at my
school trying to convince students that, no, Kerry could not take away our guns
and sell us to France, and no, George
Bush could not abdicate the presidency to his father. There was actually a
small segment on Fox News for a brief time a couple years ago which, one week,
asked the questions “How much difference is there between the two major
political parties, and are they intentionally restricting our freedom and
choice?” That segment was cancelled the next week. The truth we often receive
from mainstream media is too often tainted, skewed, and disturbingly opaque.
“Linda Kane, the adviser of a high school newspaper in
Naperville, Illinois, was told she would not be allowed to teach journalism or
advise the paper the following year after students ran an article that
administrators felt glorified drug use” (pg 156).
Sunday, November 2, 2014
PSA Step One
I would like to do my PSA to try and combat the use of hateful and/or racist messages of people online, focusing on participation in online forums, social media, or even comment areas of sites like youtube. I feel that students often bully online because they don't really see or feel any repercussions of their actions, such as a hurt expression on one's face, or having to face immediate retaliation.
Sources:
"Teenagers are prime targets for hate groups because many are looking for groups or causes that will get them a sense of identity."
http://mediasmarts.ca/online-hate/impact-online-hate
"Young women face vastly higher rates of online harassment in two of its most intense, dangerous, and emotionally disruptive forms: sexual harassment and stalking."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/22/women-harassed-online_n_6028642.html
"81% of young people think bullying online is easier to get away with than bullying in person.
70% of students report seeing frequent bullying online.
Bullying victims are 2 to 9 times more likely to consider committing suicide.
Nearly 43% of kids have been bullied online."
https://www.dosomething.org/facts/11-facts-about-cyber-bullying
My goal is to create a PSA aimed at teenagers and the use of sexual harassment, racism, and hateful messages online. I'm hoping to create a video with a short, simple message in mind: stop, think, relate (with those terms possibly changing). I want students to not simply respond without thought, to think about what they are saying and the affect, and try to relate to the person they are targeting, and put themselves in their shoes.
Sources:
"Teenagers are prime targets for hate groups because many are looking for groups or causes that will get them a sense of identity."
http://mediasmarts.ca/online-hate/impact-online-hate
"Young women face vastly higher rates of online harassment in two of its most intense, dangerous, and emotionally disruptive forms: sexual harassment and stalking."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/22/women-harassed-online_n_6028642.html
"81% of young people think bullying online is easier to get away with than bullying in person.
70% of students report seeing frequent bullying online.
Bullying victims are 2 to 9 times more likely to consider committing suicide.
Nearly 43% of kids have been bullied online."
https://www.dosomething.org/facts/11-facts-about-cyber-bullying
My goal is to create a PSA aimed at teenagers and the use of sexual harassment, racism, and hateful messages online. I'm hoping to create a video with a short, simple message in mind: stop, think, relate (with those terms possibly changing). I want students to not simply respond without thought, to think about what they are saying and the affect, and try to relate to the person they are targeting, and put themselves in their shoes.
Friday, October 31, 2014
Reading Response #10
"Of course, students engage in malicious and hurtful online and offline behavior toward their peers even more frequently than they rage against their teachers."
I'm not sure how I feel about this quote. In general, I understand that students will likely be in many more situations that would involve a student bashing a peer rather than a teacher, however I also feel like this statement might lead one to infer that students who engage in behavior derogatory towards teachers are likely to engage in such behavior even more often with their peers.
I will admit, I wasn't a great student in high school, as I have admitted in previous blog postings. I rebelled against classroom restrains and confines, questioning my superiors and always challenging the leadership. There were times when, in limited amounts, my peers and I would slander teachers online, though such things did not receive nearly as much attention as they do today. I think that students do these types of these more often as a stress relief or as a way to create a beacon for their frustration rather than because the students actually have malicious intent. I suppose the question to ask is where is the line drawn between what is appropriate and inappropriate, and what type of action constitutes dangerous ground for students.
One of my teachers was complained about in online groups REPEATEDLY by a large number of students. Our thoughts were often dismissed because of the profanity we used, and because many students had extremely vivid and colorful insults listed in regard to the teacher and his behavior. A few parents backed us, but mostly we were disciplined for our actions. This teacher was fired for misconduct a couple of years after I graduated, and is one of the most sexist and racist individuals I have ever met that is in a position of influence. I think that, because our complaints as students fell into a category that is defined as "disruptive behavior," our words were not taken seriously.
"There are healthy and unhealthy ways to acquire social power. Unfortunately, among some teen boys and young men, one quick and easy way to gain social power is to watch or create a drinking video."
I wanted to post this quote in the spirit of the moment, as I will be attending the WVU game tomorrow and I fully expect it to be an atmosphere of drunken dumbassery. But to draw from it, I want to follow a parallel. Remember the ice bucket challenge? How many people that posted social media videos actually gave a damn about the charitable cause, but rather were more interested in the social power to be gained from the video? On a more humorous note, I will point out that no one really gave a damn about your average ice bucket challenge video (lets be honest, we all got the point), and we only looked for dramatic failures. How much of what we see on social media has nothing to do with anything displayed in the video, instead having everything to do with the sought after "social power?" Ponder that.
"Learning to live responsibly when it comes to online communication is a process."
I want to use this quote to draw attention to the "Gamergate" scandal, as I think it is something people should be aware of. It is actually a very good topic to tie together the previous chapter and the current, as it deals with internet communication as well as sexism in media, all revolving around online gaming journalism.
It involves:
A breakdown in communication and facts
Falsified or out-of-context online images to promote a point
Sexism backlash in the form of doxxing
Utter internet chaos.
http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/events/gamergate
It is a good example of the fact that many people feel empowered by the anonymity created by using the internet. Using the internet and media responsibly isn't just about the content you access, but also how you treat others. An extreme case would be "doxxing," which is when a hacker discloses personal information of someone online, presumably so that other people can lead personal attacks against that person. It needs to be known that online aggressive, just like physical aggressive, is something that cannot be tolerated and has no place in our culture.
I'm not sure how I feel about this quote. In general, I understand that students will likely be in many more situations that would involve a student bashing a peer rather than a teacher, however I also feel like this statement might lead one to infer that students who engage in behavior derogatory towards teachers are likely to engage in such behavior even more often with their peers.
I will admit, I wasn't a great student in high school, as I have admitted in previous blog postings. I rebelled against classroom restrains and confines, questioning my superiors and always challenging the leadership. There were times when, in limited amounts, my peers and I would slander teachers online, though such things did not receive nearly as much attention as they do today. I think that students do these types of these more often as a stress relief or as a way to create a beacon for their frustration rather than because the students actually have malicious intent. I suppose the question to ask is where is the line drawn between what is appropriate and inappropriate, and what type of action constitutes dangerous ground for students.
One of my teachers was complained about in online groups REPEATEDLY by a large number of students. Our thoughts were often dismissed because of the profanity we used, and because many students had extremely vivid and colorful insults listed in regard to the teacher and his behavior. A few parents backed us, but mostly we were disciplined for our actions. This teacher was fired for misconduct a couple of years after I graduated, and is one of the most sexist and racist individuals I have ever met that is in a position of influence. I think that, because our complaints as students fell into a category that is defined as "disruptive behavior," our words were not taken seriously.
"There are healthy and unhealthy ways to acquire social power. Unfortunately, among some teen boys and young men, one quick and easy way to gain social power is to watch or create a drinking video."
I wanted to post this quote in the spirit of the moment, as I will be attending the WVU game tomorrow and I fully expect it to be an atmosphere of drunken dumbassery. But to draw from it, I want to follow a parallel. Remember the ice bucket challenge? How many people that posted social media videos actually gave a damn about the charitable cause, but rather were more interested in the social power to be gained from the video? On a more humorous note, I will point out that no one really gave a damn about your average ice bucket challenge video (lets be honest, we all got the point), and we only looked for dramatic failures. How much of what we see on social media has nothing to do with anything displayed in the video, instead having everything to do with the sought after "social power?" Ponder that.
"Learning to live responsibly when it comes to online communication is a process."
I want to use this quote to draw attention to the "Gamergate" scandal, as I think it is something people should be aware of. It is actually a very good topic to tie together the previous chapter and the current, as it deals with internet communication as well as sexism in media, all revolving around online gaming journalism.
It involves:
A breakdown in communication and facts
Falsified or out-of-context online images to promote a point
Sexism backlash in the form of doxxing
Utter internet chaos.
http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/events/gamergate
It is a good example of the fact that many people feel empowered by the anonymity created by using the internet. Using the internet and media responsibly isn't just about the content you access, but also how you treat others. An extreme case would be "doxxing," which is when a hacker discloses personal information of someone online, presumably so that other people can lead personal attacks against that person. It needs to be known that online aggressive, just like physical aggressive, is something that cannot be tolerated and has no place in our culture.
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