Beyond giving students a stronger voice, youth filmmaking also promotes the exploration of culture, ideals, and the use of media as a tool for education. As expressed in my "Reelworks" post, the students that created the video about video gaming and how it relates to culture explored a comparison between social media hours and video game hours that I never would have examined myself. Through the use of filmmaking, they were able to force me to consider a new viewpoint on the topic. Along similar lines, do you think the students would have ever followed this progression of thought had they not been creating a film on the topic? The video has essentially been a medium for critical thought and evaluation.
Along the same lines of critical thinking, filmmaking also allows for critical examination of media itself, be it the use of media in different lines of work, or how current media portrays different topics. When preparing and researching for a video, one might find other videos and messages in media along similar topic lines that might run contrary to the filmmaker's viewpoint. These contrary opinions could hold bias, or incorrect data, and the knowledge of such existence could allow the filmmaker to directly confront these notions in an attempt to dispel rumor or incorrect opinion, establishing a stronger message and teaching the creator a great deal about critical media literacy at the same time.
Filmmaking also provides a medium for education that might not be entirely utilized in all areas of our society. Videos teaching others how to tie a bowtie, or cook an egg, or land a job, all can educate individuals in a more interactive fashion than text. While the video creator is providing knowledge to others through the video, the watchers might also be education the creator in the form of comments and feedback, allowing for an exchange of knowledge and an opportunity for learning and cultural interaction.
Saturday, August 30, 2014
Digital Storytelling and Reel Works
I'm choosing the "Legend of Christina: Single Player" as my reelworks to analyze.
1.What do you like about the digital story?
Aside from this being an extremely suitable choice for our course content, as someone who grew up in one of the first video game generations, I can relate to this video very well. There is a growing sense of community in the virtual world, to the extent that individuals can choose to ignore aspects of the physical world in lieu of a preferred virtual connection. If someone doesn't like the people they are forced to interact with, they can simply choose not to interact with them and instead invest their energy in social relationships with individuals through social media, online communities, virtual communities, and video games.
2.What did you learn from the digital story?
There is a differentiation in how our society views the time dedicated to video games. While someone who is no savvy to video game technology might see time spent as "wasted" due to having no participation in the physical realm, video game players themselves see the time as important personally and socially. Friendships develop over similar interests in video games just as friendships may develop over similar book tastes. If social interaction persists, why should it be viewed differently?
3.What surprised you about the digital story?
It was very interesting to hear the Christina express that her goal is to be immersed in video games with no interruption. I was surprised find myself feeling that it sounded anti-social. When analyzing the situation further, I have done the same thing in regards to playing games online with friends. I still stay connected to three of my best friends by playing video games online with them once every 3-4 months or so, and we will stay online together for around six to seven hours. If I am using the video game medium as a means for social connection, why should I interpret Christina's desire to seek this same connection as a primary source of entertainment and social interaction as improper?
4. What social problem was the digital story addressing?
I believe the problem could be interpreted as two opposite issues: the first being that too many individuals in our society are spending a large amount of time on video games, and there are adverse effects that result from this. The second problem that could be interpreted is that society views video gaming as wasting time, when in reality it is simply a lack of knowledge of what the video gamers are gaining from their search to immerse themselves in a virtual world.
4.How did the digital story provide an example of how digital storytelling can build self esteem, help young people voice an opposition to social problems, or create an alternative to stereotypes of adolescents typically portrayed in mainstream media?
Christina is absolutely given a chance to voice her opinion as to why she plays games and why she is okay with that. I believe that many voices in media often aim to make people that play video games feel as though they are social failures, nerds, or outcasts. The group of young individuals in the video express that they have their connections, interests, and similarities, and that it is essentially a social niche just like any other, even if it might be more difficult to discern than another social group.
5. Do (or how do) these digital stories provide evidence of that these young people are engaged in analysis of their own culture?
This video explores all of the necessary questions in exploring this generations culture. Why does Christina play video games? She does it for the escape, to do things she simply cannot in the physical world, for the social connection, and for the entertainment. Does she feel like an outcast? Why should she? She feels like she has her group of friends that share her interests, just like any other group.
It is interesting that, towards the end of the video, they begin to mention the amount of time that other students spend on social media every day. If one spends 4 hours on social networking sites every day, is that really so different from someone spending the same amount of time on a video game every day? Especially if the time spent online is connected to other individuals in a virtual community, it still involves the sharing of ideas, thoughts, and emotions.
6. Do (or how do) these digital stories support a healthy respect for multiculturalism and diversity?
Aside from the obvious diversity in skin color in the video, the video also creates a voice for the, at times, unheard voice of those who devote themselves to a virtual, video game-based community. By creating a comparison between time devoted to social networking to time spent on video games, the video makes a very strong argument that there is no wrong in using different mediums for social interaction inside our culture, and that one is not greater than the other. Individuals will seek happiness in connection in their own way, and how they reach that goal should not be looked down on simply because of the medium in which the connection is made.
Friday, August 22, 2014
Week One Reading and Discussion:
1.
I believe that Neil Postman not only brings up several accurate points, but he even falls short in scope with his message that we as a society are constantly bombarded by different ideals. It is easily discernible that businesses, organizations, and political figures are attempting to reach is in varied fashion. However, one must take into account the fact that we receive bullshit from a commercial agenda on a daily basis while also receiving bullshit from a personal agenda. In today's era of social media and connectivity, we must ready ourselves to sift through the infinite amount of data readily available at our fingertips.
The speech states that "all human communications have deeply embedded and profound hidden agendas"(Postman, 1969). If I were to look on facebook in this current moment, I would see videos posted with people carrying the message of the ALS charity "ice-bucket challenge" movement. I would likely see my brother arguing with someone over a political agenda. Ads would like the page specifically tailored to me based on my browsing and download history. These examples are only the most obvious and easily recognizable of the agendas that would be accessed in less than 30 seconds of web browsing. It is easier than ever for businesses and people alike to access the average individual. I would argue that a large portion of that access is for bullshit purposes.
2. One could argue that the advancement of information access and media availability has both aided and countered his argument. The ability for individuals to create messages with the capacity to reach millions means that, at times, it can be harder for the truth to be concealed, and that the average citizen has a greater voice than ever before in denouncing discrimination or ills of society. This same power, however, has given individuals the ability to push personal agendas that run county to that which could be considered accurate and proper. This creates a situation of much ambiguity that can hide truth and weaken the voice of an individual with a message of importance.
I will use sports figures as an example in their portrayal with the media. There have been multiple accusations of sexual assault or rape involving star athletes in recent years. While millions of people immediately have the ability to access the information involving the situation, the shear number of news sources can blend the fact until it is difficult to determine what the truth really is. There are also a number of individuals that, due to personal bias, background, or beliefs, will defend one side over the other, even in the face of contrary evidence. How many blogs have I read calling women whores that were involved in similar situations? At the same time, how many athletes are immediately assumed guilty simply because they belong to a cohort that is believe to have been responsible for similar transgressions in the past, be it gender, skin color, or career? The ability to broadcast one's voice to the world is a double-edged sword, allowing some individuals to further the quest for truth, while others to continue pushing a false, discriminatory, or biased agenda.
3.
The video took thoughts and notions that I had developed on my own, and made them more cohesive in a "this is our reality" fashion. I work as an admissions counselor for Fairmont State, essentially recruiting students to attend Fairmont State University. One of the additional tasks I have been given is the title of "diversity recruiter," and in my work to reach and connect with students, my realizations of what we look for when seeking connections and information.
Kellner and Share state that we should be "analysing media culture as products of social production and struggle and teaching students to be critical of media representations and discourses..." (Toward Critical Media Literacy, 372). As I travel to different states and high schools to speak with students, I am constantly bombarding college-age students with recruiting material and presentations promoting why Fairmont State is a great school. When I attend college fairs, I am joined by anywhere from 25 to 300 additional institutions each doing the same thing. How exactly does a student determine which institution is best for them in the face of this onslaught? Too often I see students drawn to a school not because it is a good fit, but because an attractive display, enthusiastic recruiter, or compelling spiel drew the attention of a student. Teaching critical media literacy would better allow these students to critically examine these institutions and their messages, rather than being drawn in by the superficial. As stated in "Toward Critical Media Literacy," we need to [empower] students to be independently critical" (Kellner and Share, 381).
As Neil Postman might say, individuals must be able to see a bullshit or misleading message for what it really is, no matter how enthusiastic or colorful the delivery is. The understanding that media is created for a purpose must be established in order for one to begin to dissect media for the "how and "why." The presentation by Cameron Russell follows a similar lineage as she attests to the fact that the person she is and the person she is portrayed to be are separate: one is a person, one is a fabrication.
In the video, Russell advises the listener on the "fabrications" that they see. What you see is not necessarily reality, but rather it is intended to guide the viewer to think or feel a certain way. Is this not true in the everyday of the world we live in? People dress in a certain fashion in order for others to think of them as sexy, rebellious, or professional. Commercials strive to make people feel that a product or service is required. Politicians attempt to deliver a message that makes them appear superior to their opposition. As stated by Kellner and Share, "There is expanding recognition that media representations help construct our images and understanding of the world..." ("Toward Critical Media Literacy, 370). Media literacy allows us to view these messages as they are intended. Critical media literacy allows us dive deeper into the message, questioning the reason for its creation, construction, and delivery.
Kellner & Share, Russell, and Postman all deliver different messages on the need to critically evaluate media, however the overall message remains clear: in modern society, we must be aware of what media is attempting to deliver to us, and we must have the capacity to be individually critical of what the purpose of such media is. Critical media literacy and the lack thereof has resounding effects on ethical, political, commercial, and individual levels. Be is combating social ills in sexism and racism, political misrepresentation in the media, or compelling advertisements in commercial media, critical media literacy creates a capacity to challenge social and media construction.
Kellner, D., & Share, J. (2005). Toward Critical Media Literacy: Core concepts, debates, organizations, and policy. Discouse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, 3(3), 369-386.
Postman, Neil. (1969, November). Bullshit and the Art of Crap-Detection. Speech Presented at the National Convention for the Teachers of English. Washington, DC.
Russell, C. (2013). Looks aren't everything. [Web]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KM4Xe6Dlp0Y
Evidence Chart: Toward Critical Media Literacy
I believe that Neil Postman not only brings up several accurate points, but he even falls short in scope with his message that we as a society are constantly bombarded by different ideals. It is easily discernible that businesses, organizations, and political figures are attempting to reach is in varied fashion. However, one must take into account the fact that we receive bullshit from a commercial agenda on a daily basis while also receiving bullshit from a personal agenda. In today's era of social media and connectivity, we must ready ourselves to sift through the infinite amount of data readily available at our fingertips.
The speech states that "all human communications have deeply embedded and profound hidden agendas"(Postman, 1969). If I were to look on facebook in this current moment, I would see videos posted with people carrying the message of the ALS charity "ice-bucket challenge" movement. I would likely see my brother arguing with someone over a political agenda. Ads would like the page specifically tailored to me based on my browsing and download history. These examples are only the most obvious and easily recognizable of the agendas that would be accessed in less than 30 seconds of web browsing. It is easier than ever for businesses and people alike to access the average individual. I would argue that a large portion of that access is for bullshit purposes.
2. One could argue that the advancement of information access and media availability has both aided and countered his argument. The ability for individuals to create messages with the capacity to reach millions means that, at times, it can be harder for the truth to be concealed, and that the average citizen has a greater voice than ever before in denouncing discrimination or ills of society. This same power, however, has given individuals the ability to push personal agendas that run county to that which could be considered accurate and proper. This creates a situation of much ambiguity that can hide truth and weaken the voice of an individual with a message of importance.
I will use sports figures as an example in their portrayal with the media. There have been multiple accusations of sexual assault or rape involving star athletes in recent years. While millions of people immediately have the ability to access the information involving the situation, the shear number of news sources can blend the fact until it is difficult to determine what the truth really is. There are also a number of individuals that, due to personal bias, background, or beliefs, will defend one side over the other, even in the face of contrary evidence. How many blogs have I read calling women whores that were involved in similar situations? At the same time, how many athletes are immediately assumed guilty simply because they belong to a cohort that is believe to have been responsible for similar transgressions in the past, be it gender, skin color, or career? The ability to broadcast one's voice to the world is a double-edged sword, allowing some individuals to further the quest for truth, while others to continue pushing a false, discriminatory, or biased agenda.
3.
The video took thoughts and notions that I had developed on my own, and made them more cohesive in a "this is our reality" fashion. I work as an admissions counselor for Fairmont State, essentially recruiting students to attend Fairmont State University. One of the additional tasks I have been given is the title of "diversity recruiter," and in my work to reach and connect with students, my realizations of what we look for when seeking connections and information.
Kellner and Share state that we should be "analysing media culture as products of social production and struggle and teaching students to be critical of media representations and discourses..." (Toward Critical Media Literacy, 372). As I travel to different states and high schools to speak with students, I am constantly bombarding college-age students with recruiting material and presentations promoting why Fairmont State is a great school. When I attend college fairs, I am joined by anywhere from 25 to 300 additional institutions each doing the same thing. How exactly does a student determine which institution is best for them in the face of this onslaught? Too often I see students drawn to a school not because it is a good fit, but because an attractive display, enthusiastic recruiter, or compelling spiel drew the attention of a student. Teaching critical media literacy would better allow these students to critically examine these institutions and their messages, rather than being drawn in by the superficial. As stated in "Toward Critical Media Literacy," we need to [empower] students to be independently critical" (Kellner and Share, 381).
As Neil Postman might say, individuals must be able to see a bullshit or misleading message for what it really is, no matter how enthusiastic or colorful the delivery is. The understanding that media is created for a purpose must be established in order for one to begin to dissect media for the "how and "why." The presentation by Cameron Russell follows a similar lineage as she attests to the fact that the person she is and the person she is portrayed to be are separate: one is a person, one is a fabrication.
In the video, Russell advises the listener on the "fabrications" that they see. What you see is not necessarily reality, but rather it is intended to guide the viewer to think or feel a certain way. Is this not true in the everyday of the world we live in? People dress in a certain fashion in order for others to think of them as sexy, rebellious, or professional. Commercials strive to make people feel that a product or service is required. Politicians attempt to deliver a message that makes them appear superior to their opposition. As stated by Kellner and Share, "There is expanding recognition that media representations help construct our images and understanding of the world..." ("Toward Critical Media Literacy, 370). Media literacy allows us to view these messages as they are intended. Critical media literacy allows us dive deeper into the message, questioning the reason for its creation, construction, and delivery.
Kellner & Share, Russell, and Postman all deliver different messages on the need to critically evaluate media, however the overall message remains clear: in modern society, we must be aware of what media is attempting to deliver to us, and we must have the capacity to be individually critical of what the purpose of such media is. Critical media literacy and the lack thereof has resounding effects on ethical, political, commercial, and individual levels. Be is combating social ills in sexism and racism, political misrepresentation in the media, or compelling advertisements in commercial media, critical media literacy creates a capacity to challenge social and media construction.
Kellner, D., & Share, J. (2005). Toward Critical Media Literacy: Core concepts, debates, organizations, and policy. Discouse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, 3(3), 369-386.
Postman, Neil. (1969, November). Bullshit and the Art of Crap-Detection. Speech Presented at the National Convention for the Teachers of English. Washington, DC.
Russell, C. (2013). Looks aren't everything. [Web]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KM4Xe6Dlp0Y
Evidence Chart: Toward Critical Media Literacy
Monday, August 18, 2014
Introductions
Good day! Congratulations on being led to my blog!
You may call me Corey. I am a West Virginia native, born and raised in the Wetzel County region. I currently live outside of Fairmont with my girlfriend of 8 years (I've heard so many quips about marriage), and a dog and cat, the beginning of what we feel will be an uncontrollable quantity of animals at some point.
I attended Fairmont State University for my bachelor's degree, graduating with a degree in History in 2011. I have spent some time bouncing around for my graduate education, including a 12 credit hour stint at Minnesota State University, Mankato, in Experiential Education. Now, finding myself working as an admissions counselor for Fairmont State, it seems fitting for me to complete my master's at the same time.
In the admissions office of Fairmont State, I am essentially the link that prospective students have to campus when considering where they want to attend for higher education. I actively recruit in eastern WV, Maryland, DC, Delaware, and New Jersey, while also spending time with recruitment specific to international students and promoting diversity. I spend much of my time driving from place to place, travelling around 40,000 miles per year for the school, and answering impressively random student questions throughout the day.
From this class and this program, I am hoping to become more proficient and efficient at using digital media and remote connection to promote messages, gain information, and send a message in the most effective way possible. To be honest, I'm not entirely sure what to expect, however that is likely what intrigues me the most. Preparation has not always been my strong suite, and I enjoy tackling new and unexpected obstacles; as a result, I will shy away from labeling it is being unprepared.
Why is teaching media literacy important?
What concerns do you have about teaching media literacy?
What is the best way to contact me?
Should you work ahead?
You may call me Corey. I am a West Virginia native, born and raised in the Wetzel County region. I currently live outside of Fairmont with my girlfriend of 8 years (I've heard so many quips about marriage), and a dog and cat, the beginning of what we feel will be an uncontrollable quantity of animals at some point.
I attended Fairmont State University for my bachelor's degree, graduating with a degree in History in 2011. I have spent some time bouncing around for my graduate education, including a 12 credit hour stint at Minnesota State University, Mankato, in Experiential Education. Now, finding myself working as an admissions counselor for Fairmont State, it seems fitting for me to complete my master's at the same time.
In the admissions office of Fairmont State, I am essentially the link that prospective students have to campus when considering where they want to attend for higher education. I actively recruit in eastern WV, Maryland, DC, Delaware, and New Jersey, while also spending time with recruitment specific to international students and promoting diversity. I spend much of my time driving from place to place, travelling around 40,000 miles per year for the school, and answering impressively random student questions throughout the day.
From this class and this program, I am hoping to become more proficient and efficient at using digital media and remote connection to promote messages, gain information, and send a message in the most effective way possible. To be honest, I'm not entirely sure what to expect, however that is likely what intrigues me the most. Preparation has not always been my strong suite, and I enjoy tackling new and unexpected obstacles; as a result, I will shy away from labeling it is being unprepared.
Why is teaching media literacy important?
We as a society and as individuals are bombarded with various types of media on a continuous, daily basis. Having a lack of media literacy results in an inability to sort between fact and fiction, or to understand a biased message, or to even understand the relevance of a message being delivered.
What do you want to learn about teaching media literacy?
What do you want to learn about teaching media literacy?
I would like to know more about how the modern brain processes media in a society that is constantly connected prior. I think this will benefit me as I progress towards learning to teach individuals in higher education how to connect to today's students and how they tune in to society, and how to extract information from sources available.
What concerns do you have about teaching media literacy?
I imagine that removing an individual from something in which they are completely immersed, in this case media, and asking them to begin processing and make a mental inventory of media-based messages could be difficult. The average facebook user checks their page 14 times per day; how many different connections are being made that the user is not even consciously aware of?
When are assignments do in this course?
When are assignments do in this course?
Sundays at midnight (generally).
What are the rules for late assignments?
What are the rules for late assignments?
We must contact Dr. Lindstrom within 24 hours in order to be considered for partial credit.
What is the best way to contact me?
Gmail (dllb123@gmail.com) most likely, though you do have a phone number posted just in case.
Should you work ahead?
If that is your intention, it is recommended that you check with Dr. Lindstrom prior to working ahead.
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