Briana, I like how you bring up the comparison between the
Egypt Today and Newsweek articles that Hobbs mentioned in Digital and Media
Literacy. I was also intrigued by this example and feel compelled to try it out
in my own class. Just like you said, exploration, exaggeration, and
exploitation of differences are abundant in the media, and this comparison
between two articles covering the same event is a perfect example of it. While
you're probably right that sometimes differences portrayed in media is
unintentional, I think at other times it definitely is intended. You said that
this activity shows students how media shapes public opinion based on the
differences that were highlighted in each article, but I think if I were to use
a similar activity in my own classroom, I would ask my students to consider
intentional differences in the media. Like the example on the bottom of page
162 in Hobbs' text, I could have my students identify target audiences for
various news articles and they could analyze why certain differences in media
representation appeal to some audiences over others.
Another teaching idea I got from the reading developed when
I came across the example of Mr. Landis' lesson on TV news and radio
broadcasting of local current events. In a theatre classroom, I feel it
necessary to take his lesson plan one step further by asking students to
dramatize--either live or on video-- their versions of news broadcasts in order
to practice identifying sources, selecting quotes, and editing. This promoted
two other lesson ideas I gathered from the text. First, I like the idea of
students "learning 'incidental information' from entertainment"
(148), such as the examples Hobbs gives of judicial and medical facts being
shared with audiences of Law & Order or ER. I could ask them to keep track
of the information they pick up from entertainment and ask them to choose one
topic from their findings for class. Then, following the five news values on
page 164 of Hobbs' text, I might have my students find 'newsworthy' articles
about their chosen topics and bring them to class for their dramatized news
reports. They could even swap articles with each other, consulting on the
production of each other’s news reports. Based on the final performances, students
could write a reflection on what they observed--if the news article translated
the way they thought it would. They could take note of the differences in
interpretation they saw between their classmates’ work and their own
expectations. Or, I could even have groups present two news broadcasts each on
their topics-- an example of a good, responsible news report and a purposefully
bad example of media that exploits, slants, or leaves out information. By
practicing these skills, students will develop critical thinking and begin to
"promote civic engagement" like Hobbs mentions on page 148.
Whew! I know that's like a million teaching ideas, but I
couldn't help it. As I was going through the reading, I just kept having a
million ideas pop into my head. But that's because differences are so vital to
our perceptions of media! A major responsibility we have as teachers is to help
our students understand how media incorporates these differences to shape
public opinion and reach target audiences.
While I agree with just about everything you closed with,
Briana, regarding how we as educators must advocate and incorporate media
literacy in our classrooms, there is something else from the reading that I
really want to add. It came in around page 160 when Hobbs reviews the
challenges of teaching about news and current events. She especially details
the dangers of summarizing:
“Low expectations create problems when teachers don’t expect
that young people will care about civic issues. When this occurs, some teachers
may rely on lecturing, explanation and recitation, which one scholar has
conceptualized as ‘defensive teaching strategies’. This happens when teachers
control knowledge and classroom interaction, summarizing texts on behalf of
students in order to guarantee a particular interpretation." Summarizing
eliminates “the need for students to actually engage with and interpret the
texts themselves” (160).
This stood out to me as perhaps the greatest responsibility
we have as teacher advocates using media messages in our instruction. We have a
responsibility to maintain high expectations and trust that our students will
care about and engage with civic issues. When first testing out these new
instructional strategies, we might have to mimic Mr. Landis’ example by
displaying sensitivity and not rejecting any students’ ideas. We should have
respect for their differences just as we’re teaching them to have respect for
others. Let’s not fall back on those ‘defensive teaching strategies’ and
instead maintain student ownership in our classrooms.
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