Buck's Blog

2007-03-07T10:52:00.000-08:00

New Media Literacy

The Jenkins article points out three main problems that arise in schools with regards to media literacy. The first problem is the participation gap. Not all students have the same amount of access to new forms of media, and when they do have access, it is not always the same quality. The second problem identified by the article is known as the transparency problem. The transparency problem basically assumes that youth actively reflect on their media usage while they are creating and distributing what they have produced (Jenkins 12). In order to fix this problem, students need adult influence to consider what they are doing in an academic sense, and to learn from their experiences creating new media. The third and final problem discussed in depth by the article is the ethics challenge. This problem deals with the difficulty many youth experience in developing ethical norms and behaviors needed to participate in such a diverse and complex social environment such as the internet. This is another category where adult intervention and carefully planned lessons could teach kids how to properly navigate their way through cyberspace and to build those ethical norms that will allow them to have the most positive experience with technology.

While I agree with these three core problems and the solutions suggested for the transparency problem and the ethics challenge, I find it problematic that there is no solution suggested or in place for the participation gap. In other classes we have discussed addition access opportunitites provided by after school and public library programs. Even places like internet cafes afford students the opportunity to hook up with forms of new media. However, this article posits that these are not equal conditions for the have nots. While I agree that these are not equal conditions, I do believe they are better than the alternative, where there is no access at all provided for these kids. Jenkins, therefore, presents a dark and glum view of the access problem as he says that limited access breeds limited opportunity and in turn, limited knowledge. He says that the have nots fall further and further behind their more well to do classmates. I feel that it is our job as educators to tackle this problem. We cannot shy away from assigning new media projects out of a fear of access problems. Kids are eager to learn about media especially if it is what all their friends know and use frequently. They will find a means to catch up and to stay in the loop, as their social identities at school depend in many cases on their technological know how. I can recall many cases in high school where a few of my friends who did not have computers with the internet who would come over to my house to talk on instant messenger and to burn music CDs. Kids have a way of leveling the playing field for themselves, and I think that Jenkins does not really account for this. While I concede that there is a wide participation gap, I do not believe that the situation is as dire as Jenkins makes it out to be. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

This is kind of a lazy post for a website, but since it is the last week of class and many of us are authors on this site...and our readings for the week deal with this wiki page...I have decided to post the wiki from Beach's class.
http://teachingmedialiteracy.pbwiki.com/?doneLogin=1

Since I was lazy, here's another internet publication that I wrote an article for, it would serve as a good example of a media literacy project that could be completed in a future classroom.
http://voices.cla.umn.edu/vg/Bios/entries/schoolcraft_jane_johnston.html

2007-02-28T18:38:00.000-08:00

A New Approach to Grammar

I really liked Deborah Dean's article entitled Grammar without Grammar. The article specifically outlines some new and fresh ways of teaching old and worn out material with a creative spin. Dean starts off by telling the reader how she more or less rejoiced when daily language and grammar requirements were lifted at her school. She thought that this would give her more time to spend on writing with the students, but she soon found out that there was no common language with which to discuss student writing without the grammar lessons. Not wanting to go back to the way she had previously taught grammar Dean decided to use an old technique, sentence immitation. In reviving this strategy in her classroom, I think that Dean's success in getting it to work with the kids was that she used modern methods of delivery in getting the kids to immitate sentences.

The first modern strategy that Dean used in getting her students to appropriately model sentences was modeling the technique herself. In addition to pulling sentences from other publications to attempt to duplicate, Dean offered sentences of her own for students to match as well as working with students to immitate some of the examples that she used from other authors. In short, Dean showed the kids how to complete the required task by doing that task with them. Another modern technique that she used was to allow the kids to write on any topic which they desired as long as it was classroom appropriate. This kept the material engaging and personal for the students, and in my opinion, it probably yeilded positive results much more quickly. Third technique that Dean used was to scaffold student learning through the immitation activities. She eventually had the kids combining two, three, and even four immitated sentences in a row, and even began to put occassional content stipulations on the sentences forcing the kids to write about one focused topic. In this way, Dean was able to prepare kids to face specific writing prompts by getting them used to writing on predecided content and material. Lastly, she kept the activities gamelike and fun for the kids. During many classperiods the sentence writing turned into a competition or contest which further enticed the kids to participate at their highest level.

Overall, I loved this article. I think it was a fabulous synthesis of many of the skills that we are being taught in the program. This is a great example of how a little teacher ingenuity with the proper techniques can produce some fantastic results. The only concern that I have with the piece is that she noted at the end that the kids would not be able to name or recognize the rules and usage patterns that they had been learning if they had to. This makes me worry about them not being exposed to the common language of standard english grammar that they might need to posses as their schooling progresses. Sure, she has gotten the kids to write better, but how will they be able to explain their writing choices and practices when go through college processes of editing and revising. What if they get into linguistics courses and other fields where some base knowledge is required. Would this type of teaching be a problem?

This link takes you to a website that will send you daily grammar lessons and tips through your email. It might be helpful in conducting these types of lessons. You can also search the site for specific grammar topics.
http://www.dailygrammar.com/archive.shtml

2007-02-21T14:09:00.000-08:00

Tangential Writing and Assessment

Upon completing the readings for this week, I have gleaned two important ideas for my future teaching. The first is to be relaxed enough in my writing assignments and prompts to allow for the expression of student ideas and concerns. In other words, I need to be flexible in the sense that some of the best student writing may develop out of tangents or topics that are seemingly off topic. The second is that assessment needs to be pointed and purposeful with clear goals and expectations. As Spandel says, "Good assessment does not come about by accident. It is the result of clear vision and thoughtful planning" (97). Indeed, by implementing forms of backward design and other such lesson planning activities our writing assignments follow naturally and linearly from our methods of assessment. So, out of these two points the question then arises, how do we ensure that our students' writing meets certain standards and requirements set forth by the curriculum and state while at the same time allowing them the freedom to express themselves through their own unique voice and writing style?

To answer this question I lean heavily on Spandel's third right. In this right, Spandel makes it exceptionally clear that we must not be overly rigid in our prompts or assignments. As she says, "If we truly believe that writing is thinking then we must let our writers go where their thinking leads them - and as far as it will take them" (36). In essence, Spandel is saying that to get the most out of our young writers we must use prompts and other starting points for writing as simply starting points. We must encourage our writers to go beyond the initial ideas for writing that we present to them and force them to push themselves into new directions. I really agree with this practice. If we do not coax our students to branch out on their own in their writing topics and direction how will they ever write anything truly interesting. We will simply get formulaic dull writing by sticking to the prompts.

In order to assess these tangential endeavors that our students set out upon we must, as noted earlier, have a firm plan in line for assessment. We must not grade tangetially in order to match the somewhat tangetial ideas developed by students. Instead, we should lay out clear and concise expectations for how their writing should function. For example, instead of grading based on a formula we should take into account the strengths and weaknesses of a piece, in what way may the writer improve the most, and did a piece accomplish its overall goal. In this sense, we may allow our writers to improve and polish their craft without making their craft our own. We lend constructive criticism, make sure requirements are met, and encourage writing to tangentially move beyond those requirements. By doing this, we are allowing students to maintain their own voice and unique style of writing while at the same time helping them to find the best possible way to express their ideas. In closing then, through assessment and flexibility we are able to nuture the tangential tendencies that must be developed in all writers to truly be successful. Our teaching should reflect this philosophy, and if it does we should be allright.

Here is a link to the Writer's Digest website on which you will find helpful and unique writing prompts that can be used to stimulate a variety of students.
http://www.writersdigest.com/writingprompts.asp?goto=closead

2007-02-13T16:19:00.000-08:00

Editing, Drafts, and Failure

Upon completing the reading assignments for this week I couldn't help but think how more often than not my own teachers struggled to provide enough time for the revision process to take place. While I don't feel like I was cheated or short changed in terms of writing or producing drafts, it is important to realize that writing always came relatively easy for me. On most assignements I recall being given time to produce a rought draft, time to edit that rough draft, and then time to rework our drafts to produce a final copy. The whole process was fairly neat and organized, and I never felt that my rough drafts were all that different from my final copies. Even now as a college student, I find that time constraints and due dates afford me the opportunity to scan drafts for usage and punctuation mistakes along with changing a sentence here or there to clarify an idea that I am trying to present. Yet, there have been plenty of students that I known who find that this neat and tidy method of producing writing is not nearly enough. Either this method does not afford them the amount of time that they truely need to polish their work, or their concern with usage and punctuation inhibits the natural flow of their ideas to the point where no amount of revision can resesuitate their work. All of this caused me to question the best way of going about writing in a school setting. We have to be flexible enough in our grading to allow for the occassional failure of the students, yet we have devote enought time to writing in order to nuture the advancement of young writers.

Spandel's fifth right, "The Right to Write Badly" helped me to tackle some of these issues. At the beginning of the chapter she presents the metaphor of a writing teacher acting like a swimming coach, believing in his or her charges and encouraging small but noticable amounts of progress. After all, one can't learn to swim if one is not willing to get into the water (64). Similarly, writing is not a one shot deal, although it is often approached as such. As Spandel says, "identify the topic, think through the topic, write the piece" (65). Unfortunately, Spandel agrees that there is not nearly enough time for students to experience the true process of writing and revising their work in school, but she does suggest that through a substantial amount of practice, and through using short versions of revision consistently, kids can develop the tools necessary to producing good writing. She also adds that by encouraging your students to write in order to learn instead of for assessment you will be able to produce more competent writers.

Thus, my take away from this whole reading and writing experience with Spandel is that we need to be compassionate educators. Do not place students in fear of the read pen as this will only limit what they feel like they can truely say, or as Ballenger notes, "driving their voices into silence" (76). Prevent there from being hang ups on writing grades, and do this by nuturing kids through the process. I am reminded of how Aaron Doering coached us through our technology course. He taught flexibly and passionately. He encouraged us to spend time learning the programs and becoming familiar with each of them, and ultimately he was more concerned with what we learned and took away from this process than by our abilities to produce perfect work. Writing is much the same way, and I hope that I am able to find a way to emulate these practices in my own teaching.

At the website below you will find a message board for students who are 16 or older which encourages them to write about their English studies. This might be a helpful tool in getting kids to write as they might identify with some of the common problems other students are having. Also, it's a low risk form of writing that encourages them to simply thow out ideas without being too concerned about usage, punctuation, and all that other stuff associated with well polished writing.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/websites/16/site/english.shtml

2007-02-07T15:53:00.000-08:00

The Shelf Life of the FPT

For this week's reading I found the Wesley and the Wiley articles to be the most useful and stimulating. While the other four writers provided some good insights and reasoning in explaining their views on the five paragraph essay or theme, I thought that Wesley and Wiley were very convincing in their comments. For example, I first read Nunnally who posited that while the FPT may teach students unity, coherence, and development of their ideas, it is a constraining form that does not encourage much growth. Furthermore, at the end of his essay he says that while secondary teachers should seek to teach beyond the FPT he would rather have incoming college students know its form and advantages rather than having them come to college clueless about how to write a well organized paper. Wesley actually calls Nunnally out on this when she says that such a frame of mind only encourages the status quo. In other words, encouraging teachers to go beyond the FPT and then saying that it is probably ok if students don't know much beyond the FPT, as long as they know the FPT inside and out, is dangerous. Wesley calls for a break from the format of the FPT which limits the potential of students' writing. She says that by teaching kids to break from the form you are teaching them to voice their concerns, communicate, and think for themselves. I find this very helpful because, after all, aren't these the real world applications that we want students to have? Sticking to a form makes the acquisition of these skills very difficult.

Wiley, echoes these sentiments as he suggests that we first teach kids the formula, and then allow kids to deviate from that formula as they see fit. Wiley says that formulaic writing serves a purpose in the sense that it allows low achieving and struggling students a place to begin when faced with a blank page. It provides a guide for how general writing should look to those who don't really know how to go about producing this type of writing. However, formulaic writing "stiffles ongoing exploration, and encourages premature closure of complicated issues." Thus, in order to get higher level thinking from our students we must encourage them to move beyond a form and explore their own ideas and discoveries. I personally agree strongly with these statements. Once we give kids a starting point for writing it is up to us to encourage them to take their writing as far as it may go. This means breaking the constrictive form of the FPT. After all, how much can really be said in five paragraphs, and after a certain point how good can that writing really get. The FPT has a shelf life for students. Once they have opened the container the FPT tends to spoil very quickly, as they find other ingredients with which to write.

Here is a website with some helpful teaching suggests for how to begin to move beyond the conventional five paragraph essay. Although the suggestions represent small steps, this site provides a starting point for doing more with the FPT.
http://www.swarthmore.edu/SocSci/tburke1/beyond.html

2007-01-30T14:35:00.000-08:00

Multigenre Papers

I don't know that I am one hundred percent convinced that multigenre writing is an activity that must be included in the classroom. I like the notion of being able to target students with more artistic personalities through the freedom provided by the multigenre project, yet I wonder if this is necessarily a good thing. While I admit that giving students a breather from writting academically can extremely beneficial to the attitude and environment of the classroom, I do not believe that as teachers we should assign a great deal of multigenre projects. There is a strong level of value and merit placed upon formal writting and the skills that go along with being able to communicate effectively through writing. As such, we as future English educators need to be able to teach students how to produce high quality formal writting since that is what students will be required to use once they have entered the work place.

However, I am going to contradict myself right now by saying that multigenre writing is an excellent way of getting kids to find meaning in their writing and to be creative with their writing. In this way, writing becomes an authentic yet enjoyable task that most students would glean a great deal from. It is a more relaxed form where students can worry more about expressing themselves rather than about exact punctuation and usage. In creative writing classes I think a multigenre project would be highly beneficial as it would expose kids to a wide range of writing styles and various methods of expressing oneself through writing. In this sense, kids woud be forced to expand their knowledge of what it means to be a writer into areas of writing that they have never before considered. In using such a project, the chances of lighting a spark within a particular student are very high as there are many different types of material that might attract interest. Once interest in writing is gained and a certain confidence level has been gained a teacher may then be able to convince a young writer of the merits and necessity of more formal writing. Thus, this could be a great way of drawing kids into writing as a whole.

Once again, though, I wonder about the practicalities of using such a project. In teaching multigenre will kids be able to seriously develop their own style of writing with the genre, or will they simply mimick that of the writers that they study? What if meaningful multigenre writing does not translate into successful formal writing? Basically, I am wondering what constitutes an appropriate balance of multigenre and formal writing within a classroom? I guess I would like to know more about the subject of multigenre writing before I make a definite decision. Although Romano gives multiple examples of multigenre writing and the impitus for using it, I have never actually used or seen such a method used. I think once I am able to actually do some hands on things with multigenre stuff, I will have a much better idea of how I feel about this type of project overall. Anyone else have thoughts or suggestions about this?

http://www.webenglishteacher.com/multigenre.html
http://www.learner.org/channel/workshops/middlewriting/prog5.html
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=774

These three sites deal with the subject of multigenre teaching. The first and third sites list several possibilities for lesson plans and subjects using multigenre writing techniques. The second site offers comprehensive downloadable materials that further explain and illustrate the multigenre technique. All together these sites provide a pretty comprehensive look at the subject of multigenre writing.

2007-01-19T12:07:00.000-08:00

The Writing Process

After reading Williams, Carney, and, I confess, some of Atwell, I have decided to concern my first posting with the writing process and specifically, what makes meaningful writing? Throughout the first semester we were constantly dealing with ways to make reading assignments meaningful, engaging, and worthwhile for students. We studied various reading strategies, study guides, and processes for teaching reading in a way that both enriched and interested students. In short, we discovered ways to intrinsically motivate students to do their work, and the question of how to do so with teaching writing has interested me.

As far as I can tell Williams suggests three main ways of creating meaningful writing experiences. In his section on meaningful writing he specifically focuses on the strategies of using pen pals and of simulation. By using pen pals, Williams says that writing becomes a form of easy communication familiar to students where the freedom of creativity and curiosity take over the writing form. This communicative writing can then be refined into other forms of academic writing through the proper techniques. Simulation creates an interest in writing among the students by allowing them to take on the mind set of a particular character or figure that they are studying. In this way, the student's desire to embody the life and times of that character becomes the driving force for writing.

While I found these to be two good ways of creating meaningful writing, I couldn't help but feel that teaching the technique of using process writing could also develop meaningful writing techniques. Williams wrote early on in chapter three that student-centered classrooms were beneficial as they allowed student talk, decision making, and choice. I believe that in writing using a student-centered approach is one of the keys to success in helping kids engage in a meaningful writing assignment. By learning from their peers and by exercising choice, as discussed by Carney, students are allowed to participate in the most personally interesting and challenging writing activities. In particular, Carney says that students should be presented with a variety of potential writing topics and options that may fulfill one specific writing requirement. In this way, the students my pick a topic that they feel they can write passionately and effectively about. As such, student desire to complete a certain assignment, and to complete it to the best of their abilities, is maximized out of a feeling of confidence that comes along with selecting their own direction in writing.

Finally, the process itself, in terms of invention, planning, drafting, pausing, etc., along with specific goals for writing such as HOCs and LOCs, provides additional support in creating a meaningful writing experience. By slowly teaching kids the step by step techniques needed to produce a final piece of writing, a monumental task is broken into a series of attainable goals. By having kids follow the process the emphasis is not on producing a final paper but on producing the best possible personal ideas and statements. When kids latch on to the statements and ideas that they have generated as a result of the process it is fair to assume that they have discovered a reason for writing, and in so doing, have created meaning for themselves. Thus, I gleaned a great deal from this collection of articles and look forward to putting the ideas contained in them to practical use.

In following up on the writing process I discovered the following website: http://www.angelfire.com/wi/writingprocess/specificgos.html

At this site you will find step by step instructions and ideas for using the writing process, which will in turn engage kids. There are many ideas contained under various subheadings such as; editing, revising, etc. that break down the writing process into managable activities for teachers and students alike. This site brings many fresh ideas and outside links into the discussion on meaningful writing, and will be a great asset in helping kids tackle a daunting task!

2007-01-19T09:07:00.000-08:00

Letter From the Editor...

Well, it's a new semester with new classes. As such, the types of postings that you are used to seeing, a la Rick Beach, are no more. Instead, this blog is being rededicated to the art of writing. Yes, I will be using my niche here on the internet to respond to texts concerning writing, responding to comments made on these same texts by some of my peers, and posting helpful links to teaching material that comliments each entries subject. With this in mind, enjoy the next eight weeks of whitty banter, intellectual conversation, and disection of the pressing issues of writing! I can't wait, can you? Until then, play the wind and don't take any stupid penalties.

Editor and Chief,

Buck

2006-12-18T19:36:00.000-08:00

Media Ownership

Television:
Daily Show - Comedy Central (Viacom)
Sports Center - ESPN (Walt Disney)
FSN - (Fox News Corp)

Radio:
MPR (MPR)
K102 (Clear Channel)

Internet:
Comcast

Until sitting down and really examing the different types of media that I use on a regular basis, and figuring out who owns these forms of media, I never really thought about how ownership has severly limited that media. Above are simply a couple examples of what I am exposed to on a daily basis, and I must say that the corporations owning these media outlets are few in number. In fact, it is amazing to think that almost all of the media we are exposed to is owned by about 10 major corporations, many of whom are intertwined with one another through various mergers and consolidation deals. At this point in time, the chance of hearing distinctly different voices and opinions on major issues is dwindling rapidly. For example, when the Dixie Chicks released some questionable songs and comments concerning the current Bush administration K102, which is owned by Clear Channel, pulled their work from the air. This was done because Clear Channel, owned by a typically conservative group, was close to the Bush administration and would not support the opinions of the Dixie Chicks. Other cases of cross ownership include GE and NBC. It is wonderful that GE is able to advertise its products without the presence of a dissenting voice on its own T.V. station, but what does this mean for the American viewer. It is fair to say that today's media market is more or less a monopoly of major corporations. The only way to combat this, and to keep reality in sight is to educate Americans on media literacy. By knowing who controls what, and what that does to the message being presented, it is fairly easy to see how we are constantly being enticed to buy something. Media literacy is our only effective weapon against this type of covert advertising, and by knowing who owns what, we will be able to keep our own best interests in clear view.

2006-11-30T11:05:00.001-08:00

Integrating Literature, Film, and Theater

The necessity of integrating literature, film, and theater in an English classroom is paramount. All three formats of presentation have become linked in delivering stories, narratives, and novels. It seems like one cannot read a good book or see a play these days without later seeing another version on the big screen. In certain instances, it is even possible to find all three formats for one piece. The importance in studying these formats along with their adaptations, then, is that each adaptation presents its audience with a much different experience. In other words, the mode of delivery matters a great deal, and it is important to educate students on how best to interpret the differences that they encounter between pieces.

A great way of teaching students how to differentiate between their experiences with print, film, and theater is by taking a well known work and studying its various renditions along with the effect created by each rendition. In my own future classroom I would use Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" as a method of illuminating the contrasts in adaptations. By having kids read the play and then view it on both the stage and the screen I would be able to highlight the pros and cons of using each type of format. Obviously, Shakespeare wrote this drama with the intention of having it delivered to the audience through an on stage performance, and this is how the play exists in its most natural form. Therefore, by reading the play shortly after having seen its original intended form, students would be able to identify those dramatic elements that the play loses through reading stage directions and dialogue instead of seeing and hearing these things. Once this has been achieved, I would show my students one of the various film adaptations of the play in order to illustrate the distance created between the audience and the work by the screen itelf. In other words, by watching the play or reading the script one has a certain amount of access to the work that is suddenly taken away when it is transcribed to the screen. These are just a couple of exercises that would work well in helping kids to pick out some important differences between certain forms of media, and starting off with a unit of this type would open the door for more in depth studies of other types of media.

Noting these differences and realizing what seperates each of these three formats from one another is important in helping students make heads or tails of their sensory experiences. In recognizing how each form of presentation influences the audiences interpretations and feelings towards a piece is an extremely powerful thing. It will allow students to develop the ability to critically analyze works of literature, film, and theater, and allow students to pinpoint any biases, preconceptions, or influential techniques contained within these peices. In all, studying the differences between adaptations will grant students the opportunity to analyze their sources of entertainment with a well-trained eye as well as an important amount of awareness.

2006-11-30T11:05:00.000-08:00

"My Old Friend"

My old friend, I recall
The times we had hanging on my wall
I wouldn't trade them for gold
Cause they laugh and they cry me
Somehow sanctify me
They're woven in the stories I have told
And tell again

My old friend, I apologize
For the years that have passed
Since the last time you and I
Dusted off those memories
But the running and the races
The people and the places
There's always somewhere else I had to be
Time gets slim, my old friend

Don't know why, don't know why
Don't know why, don't know why

My old friend, this song's for you
Cause a few simple verses
Was the least that I could do
To tell the world that you were here
Cause the love and the laughter
Will live long after
All of the sadness and the tears
We'll meet again, my old friend

Goodbye, goodbye
Goodbye, goodbye

My old friend, my old friend
Goodbye, goodbye

This country music song by Tim McGraw is pretty indicative of the type of music that I like to listen to. Yes, it's true I enjoy listening to music about trucks, divorces, dead dogs, and farming. Actually, I think Ray Charles said it best when he said that he liked country music because of the stories. I too enjoy this genre of music for that reason as I feel that artists like Tim McGraw, Kenny Chesney, the Dixie Chicks, Rascal Flatts, and Lonestar write some good stories and are able to put them to music. In fact, I am able to relate to many of these songs as they remind me of experiences or emotions that I have had in my own life time. For instance, "My Old Friend" has been one of my favorites for quite a while as it reminds me of the many friends I have from back home or other places that I don't get to see as often as I'd like since we've all moved away. When I hear this song I am reminded of all of the good times that we've had together and it causes me to look forward to the times yet to come when we will be able to "dust off those memories." Another main feature of country music that draws me in is that I am able to sing along with almost all of the songs. Contrastingly, many of the lyrics in the rap and r&b music played on stations like KDWB or B96 are difficult for me to understand and even more difficult for me to relate to. One possible explanation for my ease in connecting with songs like "My Old Friend" and others is that I grew up in a relatively small town where a great deal stories in the songs actually happened in real life. Actually, many of my fondest memories have come from being out in the middle of nowhere either hunting, fishing, camping, working, or just having a good time with friends. Therefore, country lyrics form a very strong connective tissue with the events of my own life, and many of these events have taken place while listening to country. As such, the music has created a rough soundtrack for my own life, and when I hear songs like "My Old Friend" I am immediately transported to old memories and experiences. Thus, I could not picture myself ceasing to listen to this particular brand of music.

2006-11-13T20:34:00.000-08:00

The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald A Documentary

In my home town of Duluth, Minnesota the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, one of Lake Superior's ore boats, on November 10th, 1975 has long been a story of tragedy and debate. The Fitz's last voyage began on this day so many years ago from Superior, Wisconsin, and as such, local ties to the boat are innummerable. For instance, my own grandfather was offered a position among her crew only a matter of weeks before her last departure. However, being content with his position aboard one of her sister ships, he sailed from Duluth only a matter of hours before the Edmund Fitzgerald did on that November day. My grandfather was just one of many who spent their lives upon Lake Superior's waters and one who knew the perils of sailing on the largest freshwater lake all too well. As a result, he has many strong opinions as to how the Edmund Fitzgerad met its final demise, but his ideas only represent a small portion of the theories that have been developed which seek to find an answer as to why the boat actually sank in that November storm. My proposed documentary would pick apart the events leading up to the final departure of the Edmund Fitzgerald in an attempt to answer this elusive question.

The documentary itself would be driven by a desire to know the truth about how the ore boat reached its final resting place on the bed of Lake Superior. In doing so, the intent of the documentary would be purely educational. It would examine all of the conflicting theories about the shipwreck and attempt to single out the one theory that is most likely to be correct. In order to do this interviews would be conducted with those men who sailed on other ships during that fateful day, such as the crew of the Arthur M. Anderson, the boat which was in radio contact with the Fitz during most of its final trip. I would also interview family members of those men who were on the Fitzgerald, experts from the National Weather Service, members of the Coast Guard stationed on Lake Superior, members of the company who owned the ship, those in charge of building the ship, and other geological experts who know Lake Superior's underwater topography as well as general geographic information about the lake. Those who were directly connected to the events of November 10, 1975 would be asked questions attempting to recreate the events of that day as well as those events leading up to that day. They would also be asked character questions about the ship's crew. The experts would be asked if the November storm was solely responsible for the Fitz going down, if it is possible that the Fitz encountered other problems along the way. For instance, was she on course, how could the storm have taken the boat down, or was the Fitz doomed from the start?

Some of the activities and practices that would be included in this documentary would be sailing along the ship's final route, visiting the recovered bell from the ship now on display in the Lake Superior Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Bay, showing old footage of the boat and her crew, and touring other ships of similar make and model.

The difficulties that I would anticipate in creating that had an authentic and realistic portrayal of the events of November 10, 1975 would be that many of the people closest to that day are either no longer with us, or they would not wish to talk about the Fitz for personal reasons. Also, since many of the events of November 10 are almost unknowable a final explanation may be impossible to come across. Therefore, viewers would be forced to come to their own conclussions based upon presented material and in doing so they would be invited to pick apart the credibility of documentary's creator. I am sure that once I delved deeply into this subject I would begin to formulate my own opions about what actually happened and the great challenge would be to keep these bias opions out of my work. Lastly, people's memories would most certainly not be as sharp as they once were. Many of the more detailed interviews regarding the ship's last hours would be extremely vivid in the minds of those being interviewed, but during the commotion of November 10, what important information simply did not register for those involved. These are all trying issues that would need to be dealt with in order to make this documentary a success. Afterall, many still want to know the truth about the Edmund Fitzgerald, and in order to have a chance at bringing it to them they need to be exposed to the most authentic and realistic portrayal that film can afford.

2006-11-09T11:48:00.000-08:00

KARE 11 News at 10:00

On Wednesday night the 8th of November I watched KARE 11's ten o'clock news broadcast and kept a viewing log in which I recorded the types of stories that were aired as well as the duration of those stories. In going back over my log after the broadcast was over, I was relatively surprised to find out just how the evening news was divided up. Despite starting off in a fairly promising fashion by jumping right into midterm election results from the day before, it didn't take too long for the content to dramatically drop off in quality. In fact, the only really substantial news that I recieved the whole night came within the first six minutes of the broadcast. The opening story, which lasted a grand total of two minutes, was about the resignation of Donald Rumsfeld. Once this story was neatly wrapped up, the broadcast covered the concession of Mike Hatch to Governor Pawlenty for the governor's seat. This story only lasted one minute. From this story, the news anchors smoothly transitioned into a three minute piece on what type of relationship the reelected governor would have with the state's legislature. Would he be faced by an atmosphere of bickering or one of bipartisanship, and how would he manage the challenges of such a divided group? The news then moved into a 30 second piece on Walz's successful upset of his incumbant opponent, and then another 20 second piece on voter turnout. Unfortunately, this was all of the political coverage I saw in the entire program. KARE 11 then did a quick 25 second piece on a woman who lost her life in a household fire in Anoka, and it then moved into some advertising hooks about what I would see after the commercial break.

The very next story after the commercial break, and clearly the feature story of the night as presented by KARE 11, was a human interest story that lasted three minutes and twenty seconds. It was about a woman who was courageously losing weight with the help of her co-workers and community. In all, it was nothing too interesting or earthshattering. KARE 11 then proceeded to do a 30 second plug for its website and another 30 second plug for another human interest story to be aired on an upcoming night. They then wasted 30 seconds by showing the results of local pictures sent in of the evening sunset, and then gave three minutes of weather. Another commercial was then aired.

After the commercial they went straight to the sports desk where six stories were spit out in about five minutes, and then another commercial was shown. When they came back they showed the Daily 3 and the Powerball numbers for the day and did a 15 second spot on the opening of the Macy's holiday display in downtown Minneapolis.

My initial reaction after analyzing this program was that I felt cheated out of valuable information. I had just spent a half an hour being advertised too or being passified with fluff. There was very little valuable content to this broadcast, and the pressing issues of the election, which I wanted to know a great deal about, were gently brushed aside. Thus, the selection of material for the broadcast was seemingly based upon what would make people feel good about themselves as many of the controversial issues were disregarded. Even the interplay between the broadcasters themselves had a feeling of superficial comfort to it. By joking and teasing one another in a wholesome fashion, it felt like they were trying to act a television family that would include me as one of its members. In terms of beliefs and attitudes, not enough information was presented to allow me to change my previous beliefs and attitudes about the stories, and for that matter, not enough was presented to even allow me to agree wholeheartedly with what was being shown. In all, I got very little out of this program and I feel like in the future my time will be better spent researching periodicals that contain the information that I am seeking or by wathcing a more credible news source such as Jim Lehrer.

2006-11-02T15:51:00.000-08:00

Xylofocor

Does your child cry a lot? At strange times, for no reason at all? According to recent research and a study published by Francis J. Goodbaby Foundation, these symptoms could be a sign of A.T.S., a neurological disorder affecting the dendrites and axons within the infant brain.

Don’t let your child be a victim of A.T.S. Early detection is the key to success.

A double-blind trial showed that in 88.88% of subjects tested Xylofocor reduced A.T.S. by nearly 48.7%.

When taken out its packaging and hung above the infant’s crib, Xylofocor goes to work immediately, stimulating the child’s prefrontal cortex and eliminating many of those nasty A.T.S. symptoms.

“Xylofocor saved my baby!” says Wendy Nelson, of Lake Geneva, Wisc. “You NEED Xylofocor now!”

*Available at Walmart, Target, and K-Mart

2006-11-01T20:23:00.001-08:00

Subway's Jared Campaign

The advertisement that I have decided to analyze for this week's activity is the most recent Subway commercial featuring Jared Fogle. As many already know Jared became the spokesman for Subway after losing an immense amount of weight through his creation of a Subway diet and through plenty of exercise. Seeking to capitalize on Jared's health kick and the recent trend of many Americans to develop healthier eating habits, Subway's latest ad compares its low-fat sandwiches to the Whopper found at Burger King. In fact, in the ad Jared actually holds up a Whopper telling the audience the number of calories and grams of fat that it contains and then compares this to the extremely low number of calories and grams of fat found in some of Subway's sandwiches. In short, the message that Jared is sending is that if you want to be healthy, you should eat at Subway and not at Burger King. Therefore, the target audience of this advertisement is those people who are trying to improve their health or those people who are trying to maintain it. When Jared's message is coupled with Subway's slogan, "Eat Fresh" it is obvious that Subway is positioning itself away from other fast food chains and it is taking a subjective stance within the group of people who wish to be healthy.

In terms of semiotics, it is obvious that Jared has enhanced his physical appearance by going on his self-constructed Subway diet. In some of the very first ads that he did for Subway, Jared was shown in the classic weight loss pose with a before picture where he is obese, and an after picture, where he is holding up an old pair of jeans that no longer fit him because they are way too big. However, in watching these images and trying to process all of the underlying codes that they contain the viewer most often does not get a chance to read the fine print that is coincidingly flashed on the screen. In the newest ad, semiotics take center stage once again as Jared has a whole table of Subway sandwiches lined up to give the viewer a visual of how many subs he or she would have to eat in order to match the fat content of one Whopper. While this is happening and while Jared is giving his talk about how he used to love Whoppers until he decided to eat Subway and lose weight, there is small print text being shown at the bottom of the screen. In effect, the text says that Jared's results are not typical and that he did an excesive amount of exercising in combination with eating subway in order to lose all his weight. Also, within the text the viewer finds that Jared's sandwiches do not contain many of the extra indgredients that Subway has to offer. Lastly, and most importantly, Subway gives a disclaimer stating that it does not endorse the diet created by Jared and that individuals should consult their physician before starting any type of diet. In short, the semiotics become all powerful in this advertisement as the most important messages found in the small print are seen by very few if any audience members. In this way, the target audience consisting of those who are obese, as well as those wishing to maintain their relative health, are duped into thinking that they are getting a better deal than they really are. While it is true that Subway is a much healthier alternative to other fast food restaurants, the audience still is not getting to see the whole picture and that is that, on their own, Subway sandwiches do not have the power to change your level of fitness. In all, it is a great strategy to market subs, yet it also keeps many susceptible members of the target audience in the dark, and this is why the Jared ads are so effective.

2006-11-01T20:23:00.000-08:00

Westerns

http://teachingmedialiteracy.pbwiki.com/f/Westerns%282%29.ppt

Here is a link to the PowerPoint presentation that was created by Jarrett Lundquist and myself illustrating the most prototypical features of the film genre known as the "Western." The presentation highlights common story themes, characters, plots, problems, and resolutions unique to the Western. Also, it is important to note that the Western has become a classic genre as well as becoming an extinct genre. Many of the Western-like productions found in theaters today are lacking the key components necessary to being a true Western. Dialogues have changed, plots have become more involved, and there are no longer iconic heros played by men like John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, and Henry Fonda. The solitary masculine hero embarking on missions of vigilante justice is no more, and the high noon shootout is all but dead. However, the old pictures of this genre still influence today's productions, and hopefully, this Powerpoint will stimulate you into thinking just how times have changed.

2006-10-18T16:22:00.000-07:00

Media Ethnography

For this week's activity I watched my fiancee Melissa watch the Style channel's televsion program called, "Whose Wedding is it Anyway." When she was done watching the program I asked her a series of questions getting at why she liked the show, when and where she typically watched it, and her preferrences for watching the program. Her responses were very intriguing, and they revealed a certain type of transaction that takes place between Melissa and the program. In essence, meaning has been created for Melissa within this show as a result of her position within a social context.

When I asked Melissa why she liked the show she said, "Because it is about weddings, getting married, and it provides ideas for planning weddings, and since we are getting married the show is very interesting." She then went on to name some of the various ideas that the show has provided her with in her own planning. After hearing all of this I asked Melissa if she watched the show before she got engaged and if she knew much about the show prior to our engagement. Her answers were very interesting. Melissa said that she was not interested in this show at all before her engagement saying that it was not relevant, and "I had no use for it." She continued on by saying that she would probably now continue to watch the show long after she got married as she would be able to forever relate to the emotions experienced by the individuals being followed through the entire wedding process. In fact, Melissa has become so engrossed with the show that she says, "It is one of the few shows where I say close to the T.V. during commercial breaks, and I don't tend to multitask when I'm watching it." The very last thing that I asked Melissa was why she liked this particular wedding show over the dozens of others that one is able to find on T.V. She then told me that this was a very educational show in comparison to others, and that "I learn from it." She added that other shows tend to be consumed by drama and conflict, where this show focuses more on the wedding as a process and it shows you how to get from the beginning of the process to the end successfully.

From this short interview it is easy to see that the meaning of this show is contructed socially for Melissa. She is able to relate to is as she is going through the same process as the brides being shown, and after getting engaged she all of a sudden has the social knowledge required to really enjoy the show. Also, she felt very strongly about how this was an educational program. In this way, Melissa is walking away with social capital, in the form of knowlege, that she did not have before. Her habits of focusing solely on the program while it is on and staying close to the T.V. during commercial breaks illustrate the importance that she places on gaining this new found knowledge. Melissa is then able to transfer this knowledge across texts as she looks critically at bridal magazines, retail outfits, and print from other hirable services in the process of planning her own wedding. As the primary planner of her wedding Melissa prefers to watch the show alone, or with those immediately involved in helping her plan the wedding. Therefore, the social environment in which she watches the show excludes her acquantences that have not gone through this process before.

In short, Melissa matches viewing "Whose wedding is it Anyway" with her own process of planning a wedding. In this way, this television text becomes incorporated into her social schema for brides, grooms, and everything in between. Much of the time, what she sees on the show helps her to make decisions and to evaluate how she would like her own wedding to take shape. As a result, the show takes on an intimate meaning for Melissa, and this meaning can only be experience by people within Melissa's same social context. It is for these reasons that the transaction between the text and the viewer has become so powerful in Melissa's case.

2006-10-14T20:32:00.000-07:00

Hockey Pictures?

While the two violent hockey photos might not seem to fit entirely with the studious theme of the rest of my blog I assure you that they most certainly must be included. They are a part of our media representations unit which discusses how the media is able to affect our thinking with the way that they present material. In keeping with the whole "Miracle" theme, these hockey photos are an excellent example of how the media shapes the way in which we think. The saying, "I went to a fight and a hockey game broke out" sums up the representations of this sport perfectly. If one were to look through a hockey magazine, or nearly any other publication covering sports, the images of hockey violence abound. Even highlights running on sports center seem to be less about the skill and finess found in the game than they are about the fights and bonecrushing hits that are found here and there. Clearly, the media is representing this sport in a particular fashion. They might be doing it to sell tickets, to increase the size of television audiences or even to distinguish the sport from others. In any case, hockey is a sport that very few people follow and understand in the United States as a small number of states actually have the right climate for which to play. As such, the representations provided by the media speak volumes to people who know very little about the sport. In these situations it is obvious that a select few are controlling the perceptions of a great many through the media. This is just a minor and relatively insignificant example of how media representations affect us everyday, and it should be an eye opener as to some of the effects that much larger forms of media representation can possibly have.

2006-10-11T17:19:00.001-07:00

2006-10-11T17:19:00.000-07:00

2006-10-05T11:16:00.000-07:00

Semiotic and Audience Analysis

While combing through a recent bridal magazine that my fiance Melissa brought over this week, I immediately came across an advertisement for the Earle Brown Heritage Center that caught my eye. It struck me that this ad would be perfect to analyze in terms of semiotics and in terms of the audience for which it was intended.

In regards to semiotics, or the images and signs that are contained in this one page ad, it was clear that the images included in the ad were deliberately included in order to evoke certain feelings in the viewer, and to convey some implicit underlying meanings. Along the right side of the page there are four pictures. The top picture is a close up of some flowers resting on a sliver platter surrounded by jewels of some sort. The next picture is of the outside of the conference and event center, which looks like a large elegant red barn in front of which lies a gorgeous pond with a water fountain accompanied by trees, hedges, and other landscaping. Below that there is a picture of the inside of the main hall as it is set up for a reception. The hall has a rustic yet elegant feel to it as the architecture is made up of strong hardwood beams below which are white tables and napkins with soft white holiday lights strung around the pillars of the room. The last picture, then, is a close up of one of these white reception tables with a boquet of tulips as the center piece. As a collective whole, these images are meant to show the class and versatility of such a center. Like I said it has a nostalgic feel to it, but it is very modern in every sense of the word. The underlying message of these images then is that this is a reception hall that can fit many different tastes. Also, with the close ups it appears as an intimate setting where all of your guests would be close and easily accessible. In other words, it looks as though the bride and groom would be able to interact with all of their guests beyond the standard meet, greet and move on. In all, the pictures display a relaxed world of comfort and togetherness which seperate this ad from others displaying huge banquet halls and modern sound systems.

Thinking about the audience that this ad is meant for it is clear from some of the text that this is an elegant yet convenient venue in which to hold a wedding reception. The text describes the Earle Brown Center as an historic restoration that was once "a gentleman's country estate," and now it has "21st amenities and service" to go along with the classic backdrop of "abundant gardens, walking paths, and sparkling fountains." The center is advertised as being only 10 minutes from downtown Minneapolis, it has free parking, banquet rooms that can accomodate parties of all sizes, and on-site catering. The ad also says that, "We make planning a breeze, with an expert staff to make sure you're completely satisfied all along the way." In saying this, the ad is telling the viewer that in addition to the spectacular surroundings that the center has to offer, the "expert staff" is ready to work with a bride and groom to make sure that things go smoothly and efficiently. There is also a sense the ad gives off that if one were to use the center for a wedding reception some of the stressful planning issues would be alleviated as many things are taken care of for you. Additionally, the ad says "Contact us now for a free, no-obligation tour," and this further serves to put the bride and groom at ease as they are not being forced into making any decisions right away. Therefore, in terms of the audience, this ad is playing to the middle class bride and groom who already have a great deal on their plate. This type of bride and groom would have the money to able to afford such an elegant venue, yet, they might not have all that much time to plan every little detail. This is perfectly alright as the ad tells this bride and groom that many of these potential planning headaches are already taken care of, and for your metro guests, the center is centrally located and a relatively short drive from most places.

In the end, the semiotics work hand in hand with the text to reach the target audience of this ad. In this sense the ad is very inviting and friendly probably prompting many people in the market for such a reception hall to contact the Earle Brown Heritage Center. There is even a testimonial displayed in the upper right hand corner of the ad that further advertises what a great choice it would be to reserve this site for one's own wedding. The ad is put together tastefully and elloquently, and it evokes a sense of calm into the sphere of wedding planning. Thus, in analyzing the semiotics and the audience it is clear that this is a successful advertisement.

2006-10-01T20:41:00.000-07:00

Editing Film

Last week I analyzed a clip from the movie "Miracle" in terms of the effects created by the camera shots and the camera angles. This week I want to re-examine this same scene in terms of editing techniques. While these two lenses of analysis might appear to be covering the same topics, there is an important difference that seperates the two. When editing film one is selecting which camera shots and angles should be used in certain frames and what order these frames should be placed in to evoke certain reactions within the viewer. Therefore, by examining the editing techniques used in the clip that I selected, where team U.S.A. plays the Soviet hockey team for the first time, it is easy to see how the scene is able to create a tense and suspensful feeling that keeps the viewer on the edge of their seat.

The first major editing technique that stands out in this clip is the producer's decision to throw in a shot of a banner being unfurled at the game that says "Soviets, get the puck out of Afghanistan." By doing this the audience is reminded of the political tensions that existed between Soviet Russia and the U.S. during this period in history. As such, the viewer's disdain for the Soviet hockey team immediately rises. After this sign is shown, the producer uses another editing technique to keep the tensions high. The producer edits the film by following a shot of the U.S. players with a shot of the Soviet players. This is most evident when the centers for their respective teams are coming to take the opening face off. We first see the American center, and then we see the Soviet center, and then we go back to the American. This happens several times and the result is that the audience gets drawn into the center of the conflict that exists between these two teams. Shortly thereafter the audience is shown a shot of Herb Brooks and the Soviet head coach talking to their teams at the same time. This further intensifies the conflict as the viewer sees both teams making final preparations for the game and a potential victory.

The last major editing element of this clip is found after play has begun. The producer cuts and edits many different camera shots and angles together in order to provide the illusion of speed. At one instant the viewer is seeing the game from the perspective of the puck, and at the next instant the viewer is focused upon a big check in the corner. Over all of this action the sounds of sticks, skates, and a television broadcaster's voice are impossed and magnified through sound editing techniques. This puts the viewer right in the heart of the action significantly drumming up hose feelings of suspense, speed, and intensity that were previously mentioned.

In all, these various editing techniques and strategies allow the picture to come alive for the viewer. Without them the viewer would be distanced and relatively uninvolved with the action taking place. Instead of being a third person observer to the events that are dipicted, editing allows the viewer to be more like a first person participant in the story itself. For these reasons editing is a vitally important piece to any movie.

2006-09-19T16:51:00.001-07:00

The scene that I decided to select for this week's activity was from the movie "Miracle" starring Kurt Russell. For those who are unfamiliar with the movie it is about the 1980 U.S. Olympic gold medal hockey team. The movie depicts the teams journey from tryouts to the gold medal game and medal ceremony at the Lake Placid winter games. The main challenge standing in the way of this group of kids fresh out of college is the team from the Soviet Union. The Soviets have been on an undefeated winning streak for a number of years, beating any team standing in their way. This includes NHL all-star teams. Also, the Soviets have won the gold in hockey every year since the 1960 winter Olympic games.

With all of this in mind, the scene that I have selected to analyze comes from the first time that the U.S. plays the Soviet superpower. Eleven days before the opening ceremonies at Lake Placid the two teams play a game at Madison Square Garden in New York. The scene begins with a wide angle shot from the rafters of the building showing both teams lined up on their respective bluelines before the game. In this shot, the audience is given a perspective look at the magnitude of the event. Not only does the viewer see both teams squared off in opposition, but they also get a good view of the crowd that has turned out to watch the game. There are thousands of people in the stands to watch the game, and this view immediately gives the game a sense of importance as everyone seems to be at the game.

After the shot from the rafters the film takes several close-up shots of the coach for the U.S. team and the coach of the Soviet team. In each close-up, the coach of the opposing team appears over the shoulder of the coach in focus. The camera then proceeds to blend these two images together, and in order to create tension it shows several stare downs between the two coaches. Then, when the centers glide in to take the opening face off, the U.S. center is shot from above making him appear smaller and weaker than he really is. The Soviet center is shown with low upward looking camera angles making him appear taller and stronger. This affect puts the power in the hands of the Soviets, and the viewer who is pulling for the U.S. gets the feeling that the task at hand will be a difficult one for the U.S. hockey team.

When the puck is dropped and the game begins, the audience is kept on the edge of their seats as the camera whips around the ice surface at a frantic pace. There are several swirling shots, and picture changes from one camera to another and yet another. This constant switching of perspective through the different cameras provides a sense of speed and intensity to the game. In real time, the players themselves are not moving all that quickly, but with low camera angles from the ice surface, shot through moving moving feet and sticks, this sense of speed is further enhanced. Also, at certain times the game is shot as a reflection in the plexiglass surrounding the rink. This view shows the reaction of the fans in the stands, while still depicting what is happening on the ice. Seeing the fan's reactions to certain plays increases the sense of urgency and difficulty for the players from the U.S. team.

In all, as a depiction of a sporting event, the camera shots and angles work to effectively increase the sense of intensity with which the game is being played. The camera creates a high stakes environment, and it really works to play off the viewer's preconceptions that these two teams are at odds with one another. Additionally, the camera shots are able to create a frenzied and fast paced game that the Americans are ill equiped to play at this point in the movie. The camera accomplishes the dramatic shots that are necessary to creating a thrilling sporting event, and it also causes the adrenaline of the viewer to pump at full force. Conclusively, this scene puts the viewer square in the middle of the action, and I think that it is a fine piece of film making.

2006-09-19T16:51:00.000-07:00

2006-09-14T12:19:00.000-07:00

Curriculum of District X: The views of this district concerning media literacy are that kids should use their time in school to concentrate on basic school related tasks such as reading and writing. Their is not really any allotment for time to study other forms of communication that do not involve the canonized texts, or even the cannonized forms of essay writing. The view of the community is that kids are over exposed to media in their everyday lives and that school time should be reserved for quality literature, and traditional teaching formats. Therefore, with their strong convictions to teach the basics and inability to incorporate forms of media literacy, district X is really getting away from what is important, and that is teaching students how to interact with media in a critical and well informed manner.

Framing English Curriculum: The main goal of an English curriculum in such a district would be to incorporate media literacy with teaching the basics. In other words, my curriculum would form new and meaningful connections between traditional styles of reading and writing and current versions of popular reading and writing that are characteristic of the media. By doing this, children would be able to connect what they learn in school to their everyday lives, hopefully enhancing the quality of their learning experiences as well as that of their level of enjoyment. In short, an English curriculum framed in terms of media literacy would create a more balanced and well rounded student equiped to face real world situations. Instead of simply talking about the traditional forms of literature, these students would be able to apply traditional forms of literature to everyday situations. This type of English education would be ideal for all involved, as it does not have to deviate too far from tradition and it can still include current applications of material.

Additional Benefits of Framing the English Curriculum in terms of Media Literacy: In this particular school district the value of media studies is considerably low. Basic English tenets seem to be valued, but the wide range of viewpoins presented in the various types of media appears to be offbase. Basically, this school district believes that, "We don't need to be teaching our kids about computers and technology as much as we need to teach our kids about pen to paper reading and writing." In other words, if kids can produce quality writing that is accompanied by average levels of reading liturature, we are meeting the goals of literacy and English education.

In contrast, it is my argument that media studies is an intigral part of student development in terms of literacy. We cannot simply accept the most basic levels of understanding and push students through to the next grade because we consider them to accel in basic reading and writing skills. We need to be critical of the fact that some students are able to produce teacher induced responses in order to make the grade. In order to counter this, we need to propose systems of teaching reading and writing that promote analytical and skeptical views of reading and writing. In other words, we need to promote the practice of critical thinking. Kids need to be able to analyze the credibiliy of sources along with the purposes and motivations for writing. In this day in age we as a people are constantly inundated with advertisments, public statements, and various other forms of media controlled propeganda. No matter where we turn we are being sold, bought, or persuaded. Media literacy teaches kids how to distinguish between the various forms of commercial persuasion that we are exposed to everyday and the genuine news stories of the time. By teaching kids how to differentiate between the various forms of persuasive pieces of journalistic advertising and the credible pieces of honest news, we are building a generation that is equiped to make appropriate value judgments on its own. This type of media education allows students to formulate their own educated positions and opinions about the issues at hand, and in turn, it allows for a greater sense of public awareness. By educating kids how to interperet the different types of media literacy available to them, one is enabling these students to transcend the beliefs held by others and to create a radically new environment of thinking that is free from outside influence. In short, exposing students to media literacy in this fashion allows them to create their own identities that may or may not exist independantly from the culturistic views that are encapsulating them.