Weekly Reading #10 ~ Life Online

Below are 3 quotes I pulled from Renee Hobbs' Digital and Media Literacy, Chapter 7.

1.  "A middle-school student in Costa Mesa, California, created an online group on Myspace with the title, "I Hate Classmate's Name."  There was an expletive, an anti-Semitic reference, and a post that read, "Who here wants to take a shotgun and blast her in the head over a thousand times?"   (Hobbs, 2011 pg. 125)

Social Media

You read about cyber bullying all the time but seeing cyber bullying in action is completely different.  I
saw my first case directly before this school year started.  It was my friend's 13 year old and the social platform was Instagram.  Instagram is a picture/video sharing app that connects the user to social media directly on the Instagram site or indirectly on Facebook, Twitter, etc…  In any case, an Instagram page was created with the title "Kill Student's Name."  I was shocked and not at the same time.  I knew this girl was being bullied but this was a new level.  I had witnessed the interaction she had with these girls or "queen bees" as I like to call them.  She had battled with them previously through text messages and her mother had tried to take a stand short of calling the police.  But the social media message page was a whole new level.  Where were these girls' sense of what was right and wrong?  I couldn't decipher.  I urged the mother (my friend) to take this to police but naysayers convinced her the police in Fairmont would stand idle and that the News reports across the country that law makers were taking a stand were far and few between.    The older daughter figured out how to hack the webpage on Instagram and took the page down and locked the bullies out.  I'm not sure that was the best stance to take seeing how easy it is to set up a new page.  What I do know is that this form of bullying doesn't have an off and on button.  It continues all day long and into the night.  Our students are not resting, instead they watching their schoolmates jump on the bandwagon unable to turn their eyes away.

"But how should these disputes be handled?" (Hobbs, 2011 page 125)

In our school, this dispute was handled by the admin and teachers in an inappropriate fashion from my point of view.  They discovered that my friend's child was actually attending the school from out of district.  To stop the "drama," she was kicked out of school without a warning.  My friend had to go to the Board of Education to keep her child in the school she's been attending since she was young.  In this instance, not even the admin or teachers were willing to fix the situation at the root of the issue.  Award the bullies?  To me this is the way I saw the situation.  In this situation, the school abandoned creating digital responsible citizens.  Instead, they sought convenience.

That day my son called me at work to let me know what happened.  He was distraught.  He'd seen the link of Facebook.  I tried the best I could to calm him down.  However, in the same breath he asked if could have an Instagram account.  What do you think my answer was?

2.  "...The Internet is not a separate place a person can go to from the real world.  The Internet is the real world. Only faster" (Hobbs, 2011 page 139).

Social Media Messages

If nothing else, I think this could possibly be one of the largest take home messages we can relate to our students.  I often think that students have a hard time realizing just how fast a message or image can be sent across the Web with or without our permission.  Our students are used to their world being much smaller even if they do think it is "large."  Just to prove this fact some educators are posting messages on FB to show how fast (or how viral) their message can travel across FB through sharing and "Likes".   Out of morbid curiosity I wondered how the campaign went.  I found this educator's plea on a webpage titled, "If you are reading this, please click LIKE': Teacher who warned students about internet dangers with online note goes viral."  As of November 29, 2013, 9 days after she started the campaign, it had been liked more than 392,000 times and shared more than 30,000 times.  I cannot even imagine what that number is currently at - 1 year later.


3. "Teens may have thoughtful and often sophisticated reasoning processes that reflect their decision making about what's OK and what's not.  Dialog about these issues builds critical thinking skills and gives teens a chance to reflect upon and articulate their values" (Hobbs, 2011 page 136).

I think we need to give our teens more credit.  We forget they have powerful thoughts and feelings on the world around them.  And when we do realize they have an opinion - often we shrug it off as silly or immature.  However, instead of shrugging off a teenager - why not use their opinions (whether negative or positive) to build critical thinking skills, especially in light of all they are being bombarded by in the media.  Below is a video I found of a teenage girl who is trying to articulate her thoughts on life in general.  She's using multimodal media to "talk" to the world.  In this case, I believe (I could be wrong) she has a strong mentor in her life to teach her how to share her opinions in a positive light via social media.  She may have created this video herself and bravo if she did.  I'd like to think that teachers are helping students create products like this.  It is the direction we need to move in.

A Dollar Short and a Blog Late
I am a post late in posting this video.  It actually would fit well with Weekly Reading #9.   I can't embed so I'll post a link.  However, I will warn you - the video contains very explicit language.  If you don't like the F word and disagree with it being used to make a point, especially by little girls - Don't Watch!  Seriously!  I'm not even half kidding.  Don't say I didn't warn you.  Me on the other hand - I don't offend very easily.

Little Girls Swear Like Truck Drivers to Make a Point about Sexism

Potty-Mouthed Princesses Drop F-Bombs for Feminism by FCKH8.com 

Citation
Hobbs, R. (2011). Digital and media literacy: connecting culture and classroom. (p. 125, 139, 136). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin; A Sage Company.

Media Deconstruction

Below are 2 media deconstructions on Century Link and AllTel.  

 Century Link 

Do you agree with the claims made in the deconstruction? 

I agree with some of the interpretations.  The images in each scene are very clean, cut  images which could be interpreted as success.  I'm not sure I would interpret the stairs as progressive since the slinkies are moving downwards.  That's the one idea that caught in my mind as I was watching it - why would anything be moving downwards in a metonymy and metaphorically filled commercial?  I do agree that the various backgrounds states that the service can be used anywhere.  

Is the Century Link ad really a cover for a company that is making profits over customer satisfaction? 

Through experience with any data/communication service, I have to agree with the deconstruction.  There is no way that the whole country in various regions are experiencing the same good connections.  I've been promised that one too many times.  And like the deconstruction stated - Frontier (one of the 3 competitors) disappointed me to the point I cancelled it, as well as Verizon - "Can you hear me now?"  Yea…. I had to ask people that all the time because they never could hear me when I finally did get the service to work.  I will have to note that there has to be some sort of concern with regards to customer satisfaction.  If there isn't, then they won't last long.  The claim has to be partially correct.

What is your interpretation of the commercial? 

When I look at the Century Link commercial a slinky toy is the obvious "link" between all of the images.  The word "slinky" can refer to something that is "graceful and sinuous in movement, line, or figure."  I believe the image of a slinky is meant to convey the company's commitment through metonymy-  to offer services that are connected gracefully.  The slinky being a spring could also represent the physical representation of a link, such as in a chain link, meant to "link" the two companies together.  This would be another use of metonymy.  I also want to add that the slinky is a beloved toy in American Culture.  You can't look at a slinky without some sort of happy childhood memory, well… except for the fact that a I never successfully got the slinky to go down the stairs and my brother always knotted it up for me.  I'm sure the ad company spent a long time on trying to find the right visual representation that pulls away from the fact that Century Link is still a company seeking profit.

 

I think the clean, cut images of the various groups of people is meant to bring a personal perspective in on a huge corporate take over.  I know when AllTel was taken over by Verizon - I freaked.  Rightly, so at that.  Verizon did not own it's own towers like AllTel did and the fall out was huge.  I was often refused service when trying to make important phone calls.  There are other times when corporate take overs affected other services I had as well.  I think Century Link is trying to cover up the skepticism of the public with  "warm and fuzzy" images.  

AllTel

Does the Alltel ad really promote racism or stereotypes of immigrants? Why or Why not?

I don't think AllTel is promoting racism as much as trying to make a funny, non politically correct joke towards Gypsies.  It doesn't mean I agree with it.  In America, there are several different groups of Gypsies so placing a certain "ethnic face" on them would be a stereotype.   But I don't think it was an intentionally meant to hurt anyone.  I think the idea was to make the Gypsies wildly, crazy different from the family that lived there as a shock and humor factor.  I wander how the Center for Media Literacy would have interpreted the commercial if the family would have been Hispanic as opposed to white?  Someone (no matter the race or ethnicity) had to question their cell phone bill.  I know from paying my $285 cell phone bill today, I'm ready to begin renting out the kids rooms.  I really don't care who the renters are.  

What is your interpretation of the commercial? 

My interpretation of the commercial is that someone with a bigger house than mine is complaining about their cell phone bill.  I expect the house to be clean.  It always is in television and commercial life.  That does not bother me.  You can't sell a product in a sloppy environment.  It is not attractive.  AllTel appears to have a friendly company service because the family has let them into their home with welcoming arms and are freely talking to company service.  Customer service obviously has all the right answers.  

How does it differ from the interpretation offered by the Center for Media Literacy?

The one thing I do agree with in regards to the interpretation by CML, is that pricing is completely hidden by cell phone services. They are never truly honest with what your cell phone bill is going to be.  AT&T is very friendly when you walk through their doors but a $160/month bill quickly turns into $285/month once factors such as the cost of the phone under contract, taxes, fees, and other made up (honestly, I think it is made up) charges are added to the bill.  It is never as affordable as the commercial states.  

 

Weekly Reading #9 ~ Protection and Empowerment

Listed below are three quotes I had a reaction to from Chapter 6 ~ Protection and Empowerment by Renee Hobbs.  I will say, I could probably add another handful.  What a "powerful" chapter.

1.  "It was challenging for Mrs. Jenkins not to betray her shock at the very serious sense of engagement and connectedness her seventh grade students were revealing" (Hobbs, 2011 pg. 108).

I am honestly surprised the teacher is shocked in regards to how engaged her students are when she began mentioning celebrities.  The public in general intertwines the fantasy of celebrities into their "every day" lives.  "We" love their risks, their "marriages, " their sex lives, their drug induced fights, their failures… the list goes on.  No one gets more wound up in their lives more than teenagers.  I'm not sure if it is the extra time they have to devote to celebrity lives or boils down to the fact that their frontal lobe is not quite developed and it enjoys more primal behaviors.  In any case, I can remember David Coverdale from Whitesnake having me "totally" wrapped around his finger in the late 80s and then being in love with Kurt Cobain in the early 90s. If I recall, the adults in my life weren't quite privy to my celebrity fantasies.  If I would have had the chance to talk about celebrities in class - my teacher would have never shut me up.  And then there was New Kids on the Block.  I remember exactly what my males classmates thought of them.  And with that being said, I can only imagine how the debates in the classroom would have ensued.  I know exactly how it went in the school courtyard.  Ugly, ugly.

I'm not sure if it is my total disconnect from pop culture but I don't know what is what or who is who anymore.  Maybe not having cable television has a lot to do with it.   I do have a "new" favorite song.  I heard "All About the Bass" by Meghan Trainor for the first time this last weekend while traveling to a Boy Scout STEM camp to teach robotics.  When I shared it with my husband he looked at me like I lost my mind.  He said, "That's been out for several months now."  And my son said, "Wow mom!  You really are behind the times."  This song does contain sexual content along with "skinny" women bashing.  I did find out that this song has an edited version that plays on the radio when I was playing it in front of my 12 year old daughter.  The video below contains the additional explicits.  I do have to state I tend to be the mom that Hobbs describes as viewing my, "… children as capable and well able to manage the sometimes challenging, ugly, and difficult aspects of their environment" (Hobbs, 2011 pg. 112).  My children and I talk things out that we happen across that may not being appropriate.  My kids are not afraid to ask me questions and I am not afraid to answer those questions.     

  

2.  "However, the critics have got one thing right:  When parents and teachers stand on a soapbox and bemoan the problems of media culture, that's not an effective form of education" (Hobbs, 2011 pg. 113).

~I'll admit - I hate reality television.  Maybe it is because of the Writer's Strike of America in 2007, which caused an onslaught of crap shows, I mean reality shows.  It is obvious that the show is scripted and I don't find pleasure in watching people argue for 1 hour.  So much negativity really rubs off on the watcher.  It makes you feel different and if you're not careful you can get too caught up in the drama.  I haven't actually seen a reality television show since the first few episodes of MTV's The Real World in 1992.  Like I said, the arguing and drama gives me a headache.  Several of my friends have teenagers and almost all of the students that come to visit me are teenagers.  I don't share my opinion with kids because I know it isn't a popular one and my goal is not to make them shut down.  Sometimes I make fun of myself for being backwards and a "science geek" and the kids think it's funny and they will open up and tell me what attracts them to certain shows like "Buck Wild."  

I do think it is important to find role models outside of media for kids to look up to.  I also think we need to find positive ways to allow girls to see their own self worth beyond the media image of sex and whatnot.  As with anything we need balance.  We need to be able to celebrate our celebrity fetishes but be able to separate and celebrate the real world too, not MTV's version.  We should be able to point out the positive and negatives in a neutral way, which does not cause student's to shut down or become offended.  

3.  "Some people believe that TV shows are just entertainment.  But becoming a critical viewer means recognizing that all messages are educational in some sense" (Hobbs, 2011 pg. 121).

~I couldn't agree more.  Media isn't created without some sort of intentional background message whether it be positive or negative.  Helping our students sit down and critically think about the message will help them become a responsible adult.  I honestly like the suggestion of having students collaborate to determine a message as the book suggests.  I think getting them to talk to each other in their own "language" and hash out a message is a good idea.  Each brings their own experience to the table having been exposed to media all of their lives.  If they are given a chance to logically debate a topic, I think critical thinking skills would begin to emerge on their own.

Positive Media Messages with the intent to Sell a Product A media message I like is the one GoldieBox has, which basically points that that we tend to buy girls toys that are stereotypical (dolls and kitchen sets) and don't forget all the pink and purple.  Girls can be engineers too and with that being said, Goldieblox came out with a line of engineering toys for girls.  What we can't forget is they are selling a product designed to meet the new hottest topic - Girls in Engineering.

LEGO Friends

LEGO finally realized that they had not been marketing to girls and developed the LEGO Friends set.  At first people were pretty excited.  I even bought a few sets for my daughter.  The excitement wore off when we realized that all the "girl" LEGOs were pink and purple.  So LEGO put their heads together and came out with the female scientist set.

LEGO Female Scientists

It is so popular that it remains on back order.  It is cool to have our girls playing with LEGOs that can be subliminal mentors.  And of course, LEGO is making money.

Citation

Hobbs, R. (2011). Digital and media literacy: connecting culture and classroom. (p. 108, 112, 113, 121). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin; A Sage Company.

WV Students Make Model of the MMS

Students from Paw Paw, WV created a life-sized model of the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) satellite in their school workshop.  Currently it is being displayed at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.  What an honor!  Way to go WV students!

Weekly Reading #8 ~Composing with Media Across the Curriculum

Listed below are three quotes I had a reaction to from Chapter 5 Digital and Media Literacy by Renee Hobbs.

1.  "Some of the best project-based learning assignments using media and technology give students a combination of structure and freedom, where they can develop communication skills and exercise their creativity but have some constraints that omit and shape their work" (Hobbs, 2011 pg. 86)

~I have seen this in action.  In fact, my 2 large projects when I was doing my student teaching in Biology were both project-based.  The first project was a claymation of mitosis and the second project was a mock ethical debate on genetic cloning.  Assessment wise they both turned out really well in all of the sections of Biology that I taught.  Watching the creative, collaborative process was beyond amazing.  I think we often forget the breadth and depth of our students thoughts and feeling towards topics until we watch them in a setting where they are producing an authentic product.  The mock ethical debate was mind blowing.  The students got into it so deeply that they had each other crying during the mock debate.  I think they learned something during the 2 weeks we worked on the debate.  They had to learn how to defend a topic they may not have fully supported to play the "role."  In other words, they had to research the "other side" of the debate to understand it and be able to argue it at an informative level.  I had to give a short lesson on developing a logical debate even when you wholeheartedly disagree with a topic. I gave them a chance to write their feeling on genetic cloning at the end to "clear the air."  They performed at a level that made me proud.  Below are embedded video artifacts from both PBLs.

Lesson Plan:  Mitosis Claymation

Lesson Plan:  Human Cloning/Genetics

2.  "Writing and art teachers experience this problem frequently because they invite students to reveal their hearts, minds, and imaginations.  As a result, students often depict scenes of darkness, evil, violence, or self-harm" (Hobbs, 2011 pg. 94).

~It goes on to mention that teachers are having a hard time distinguishing between imitation and self-expression.  I have videos on my YouTube channel that my son made without my permission.  It is fairly easy to get on one of my devices while I'm busy with homework - create a video and then post on my YouTube.  It is always logged in.  So what I found was this…

As you can see he was locked in his room.  I think I have 11 videos just like this on My Channel.  James, my son, went through a few months of creating paper guns nonstop.  It was usual to find small scraps of paper all over my house and scotch tape stuck to the floor.  It started with small guns and eventually got quite elaborate.  When I started seeing the videos I wasn't sure what to think of it.  He had a hobby but it seemed to me (based on all the media attention on guns) that it was an inappropriate hobby.  I was starting to fear that since these videos were mixed with my teaching videos that someone might see them and accuse James of violent behavior and me of either supporting his violent behavior or not paying attention to his tendencies.  However, I know that it was his way of creatively expressing himself and I didn't want to stifle his creativity because in a way his attention to detail was quite neat. It was short term, although at the time it didn't feel like it.


3.  "Teachers can contribute to student failure:  Sometimes they abort student projects when they become too time-consuming" (Hobbs, 2011 pg. 97).

I took part in a PBL this last semester.  I worked in conjunction as the "NASA Specialist" with a high school.  I Skyped into the classroom and I presented NASA's side of the argument that they were looking at.  It was fun and I think it was the students' favorite part of the PBL.  At the end of the PBL I was asked to review the students' portfolios that they did on Google Sites.  I was excited… at first.  However, after reviewing the first two, I realized they were only half thought out.  The project was done in the sense the class was done but the work was unfinished.  I was supposed to pick a winner.  The team that convinced NASA (aka me) to buy their product.  As a science teacher, I was heart broken.  Connections were missed amongst many other issues.  I wrote out extensive comments to fix errors and misconnections.  I feel a project is not done until the student understands it fully.  That means fixing serious errors and misconceptions.  I never heard back, I'm guessing my thoughts went unnoticed.  It was ashamed.  It could have been a good project.  In this instance (and I think it happens to often) the PBL was a waste of classroom time.  I hate having to admit that since I am a huge proponent for project-based, technology integrated lessons.


Citation

Hobbs, R. (2011). Digital and media literacy: connecting culture and classroom. (p. 86, 94, 97). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin; A Sage Company.

Common Core Magazine Cover

My magazine cover on Common Core was meant to show the "balance" that needs to be made between the Standards and the individual student in the classroom.  I like the idea behind the standards. In other words, I think that we should all be moving towards the same goals to make sure our students have the same advantage whether they are in an inner city school or a rural school.  I like the fact, that Common Core includes literacy in all core subjects.  I also like the fact that Common Core is supposed to include higher learning thinking skills, as well as the advantage of technology in the classroom and social media.  There are a few good theories but somewhere along the way, as usual with past attempts to improve teaching, I think the individual student is forgotten.  I don't like the idea of standardized tests and I'm afraid that with the push for college readiness and hurried subjects - the creativity of the individual student will diminish.  I will also state, I don't like the "new Math" at all.  Hence, the term "fuzzy math."  

In creating my magazine cover, I used four different language of persuasion techniques:  Symbol, Timing, Expert, and Simple Solution.  I used a symbol -  an old fashion balance.  The balance is a metaphor for the balance that needs to occur in the classroom.  I also used a symbol for common core - a couple of apples, some are whole others reveal their core.  This is another metaphor.  Another language of persuasion would be timing.  My magazine is just in time for the hot topic of Common Core, along with the myths and facts that go along with this debate.  You could also say, balance is a simple solution to a heavy debate in this country.  How do you go about balance?  Is it that easy?  The magazine seems to think so.  I did add an "expert" in STEM to my magazine to make it seem credible.

The main topic is bolded in red to draw the reader into focusing on it.  There is also some hidden meaning in the font color I chose.  Red can symbolize passion and love but it can also symbolize war and danger.  With my concerns over standardized testing being meaningless as the end result, I chose red to symbolize danger.  The font is in a chalkboard style to symbolize - school. 

Citations:

Media Literacy Project. (n.d.). Introduction to media literacy. Retrieved from Introduction to Media Literacy

van Loggerenberg , R. (2012, Nov 19). As media: examples of media language techniques used in magazines. Retrieved from http://reniermedia.wordpress.com/2012/11/19/as-media-examples-of-media-language-techniques-used-in-magazines/

Images:

Student http://images.clipartpanda.com/classroom-clip-art-jcxp6jRcE.gif

Bar Code https://worldbarcodes.com/wp-content/uploads/ISSN.jpg

Balance https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh8QRoiBD22A4wPjYn2grqzr2Jk0FXdlWV0ZMrjVDJ5jzZc9fGd6UpTN4Ko_uQCnYhn-m67_F7h_vLdVdCFyaucKyBuMOHX1tmAcAXTvlE8mT1jh6CXH0xmDBMap7big94rHEla4Wa_bw/s1600/764px-Balanced_scale_of_Justice_svg.png

Apples http://www.foodclipart.com/food_clipart_images/apples_and_cores_0515-0906-0401-1841_SMU.jpg

Weekly Reading #7 ~ The Power of Representation

Unstable Rocket

I want to refer to the positioning of the Center of Gravity (CG) and the Center of Pressure (CP) on a rocket after reading and thinking about the Common Core Standards.  If the CP on a rocket is positioned just right, then it can counter act outside rotating forces on the CG of a rocket and this will cause the rocket to go straight.  If the CP is positioned wrong, then rotating forces will cause the rocket to go everywhere all at once and no where at the same time.  The rocket will have no guidance to go straight, which is the goal in creating a stable rocket.  Read into this analogy what you will but to me it describe our current state of education to a "T".

"Key Shifts in English Language Arts" 

Explain how media described in the chapter are examples of literacy practices support by the Common Core.

~I enjoyed reading how Mrs. DeCordova changed her view on media from something that enhances a lesson to a lesson that invokes high level critical thinking skills.  While there is nothing wrong with enhancing a lesson, she was missing an opportunity to take media to the next level by using it as a learning tool.

It is the information age.  Our students are inundated with media everywhere they go.  It has become a dominant force in our culture.  Making sure our students are media literate will arm them with the tools they need to be responsible citizens that are knowledgable on a variety of topics that could positively and negatively affect their lives.  The Common Core Standards emphasize the ability to "read" carefully and understand the details such as in persuasive arguments.  Common Core is placing a demand on literacy critical thinking skills.  Students will be expected to expand their knowledge on the world when they "read" information in front of them.  They are expected to go one step further and be able to analyze pieces of information without having prior knowledge on the topic.  By teaching our students how to decode or deconstruct multimedia messages, they will be able to defend or argue against information that is saturating their lives.   

Myths and Facts 

Because the Common Core has become so politicized in recent months it is important for all citizen in our democratic society to be informed about this educational reform initiative. 

What do you like about the Common Core?

~I agree that students across America should have the opportunity to receive the same high quality education.  I also like the fact that Common Core is looking at higher level thinking skills as a goal.  Something has been wrong in our system for a while.  Returning to college after 10 years proved this point to me.  The students in the classroom were different (that is a general statement, please do not take offense).  The students were not able to make higher level connections in science literacy.  There was a connection missing and since I did not proceed through school with this generation it was very confusing to me.  I don't think it was completely maturity on my end, the mindset of the younger students was much different than when I was in school 10+ years prior.      

What concerns do you have?

I do not agree with the statements in the article regarding math, "Fact: The mathematical progressions presented in the Common Core State Standards are coherent and based on evidence." I have 2 kids in school.  They are not learning the basic requirements to handle higher level math.  I'm not seeing the scaffolding that needs to take place.  

Find another media text that supports your stance.

I don't have a stance, which makes this difficult.  I think if I had to adhere I may have picked a side by now but I am a mere spectator with feelings on both sides of the fence. I did not mind CSOs as a guide when I was in the classroom.  The problem I had with CSOs is I have a hard time adhering to a schedule.  I like to go at my own pace and focus on what students are interested in.  I am having trouble with the creative aspect in Common Core... but at the same time I believe all students should have the same high quality education… but at the same time - am I not capable of picking the right things for our students to learn that will make them high level, critical thinkers who can decode situations and scaffold their knowledge? See my issues?

Common Core Gallup 2013

Authors and Audience:
Who produced this document, and for what purpose?
~Watchmen News. This image was produced as a result of a Gallup Poll done in California. The public overwhelmingly voted that they distrusted the Common Core idea.

When was this produced, and what was it's historical context?
This image was produced in 2013. “The 2013 poll shows deep confusion around the nation’s most significant education policies and poses serious communication challenges for education leaders” (LA School Report, 2013).  The poll included 1001 Americans over the age of 18.

Who is the target audience?
The American public. The poll was based off of public concerns. The report was written to inform the public on the information that was found in the poll.

Messages and Meanings
What are the messages communicated?
The message communicated by the image is sarcasm, as if teachers are forced to be happy about standardized tests that accompany Common Core.

Communism Fist

What techniques are used to attract and hold attention?

The word "collectivist" combined with the image of a fist looks much like the clinched fist used to symbolize communism.  That is not a symbol of trust in our nation.  It stands out in the minds of Americans and causes fear.  

How might people interpret this message differently?

People who are undecided on the message may see the Gallup Poll which "represents" America (all 1001 of us) as decidedly against Common Core. And if they relate it to a Communist image, then it may actually produce fear of a Communistic future.  The word "Collectivist" is in red, which is also the Communist color.  

People who were against Common Core to begin with may have more ammunition to strengthen their argument basing it off the American Public (all 1001 of us).  

People who are proponents for Common Core will most likely ignore this message as another paranoid fear.

Who might benefit from (and who might be harmed by) this message?

The Common Core Standards are definitely going to be harmed by this message. It gives non supporters additional fuel. Of course, the non supporters will be the one's who benefit from the message.

Representation and Reality

What information or perspective is left out of this message?

What confuses me is that the message in the article states, “The 2013 poll shows deep confusion around the nation’s most significant education policies and poses serious communication challenges for education leaders.”  However, the sample of people who took the poll is only 1001.  To me that is not a large enough sample of the American Public to make such a generalized statement.  I need more statistics to buy into this idea fully.  

The Common Core Standard is represented in the article because it does state aspects of Common Core such as, "Yet nearly all respondents, 95 percent, said they want schools to teach critical thinking skills, another Common Core goal."  This corresponds to the confusion of the American Public (all 1001 of us).

Is this an accurate and credible representation?

I don't feel like it is because once again - it only represent 1001 Americans and as of July 4, 2013 -  316,148,990 Americans (United States Census Bureau).  However, I do feel there is some truth in regards to what the American public understands about Common Core and what Common Core actually is.  Also I agree that it is posing communication errors.  I am on the fence because I think statements are credible within the article but I do not think the statistics are reliable and valid.  

How does this reflect the perspective or bias of its creator?

If one were to look at the image alone the bias would be towards non-supporters. If one were to read the article they would then understand the image is based on the confusion of what Common Core actually is.

Text and Subtext

Text 

The Text is a visual of the Communistic Clinched Fist, with common American workers united under it.  The word "Collectivist" is a highlighted word.

 

Subtext

I see it as an image that emphasizes the fact that creativity is being sucked out of our school system.  The word "Collectivist" in this context points to a communistic ideal.  And it seems to point to a sarcastic view of how "happy" our teachers should be to fall into line under Common Core.

Side note:  To be competitive in the international market we are going to need minds that think outside the box.  I can only hope that Common Core and its desire to think on a higher level will be able to accomplish that but I am not too sure.  My thoughts are that we will be in too big of a hurry to hit too many topics under all subjects and the important details are being skipped.  I don't think that is the way to prepare our students.  

Language of Persuasion

The image is a satire full of dripping sarcasm.   It falls under Association.

Citation
LA School Report. (2013, August 23). Public dislikes common core standards, says new gallup poll. Retrieved from http://watchmen-news.com/2013/08/23/public-dislikes-common-core-standards-says-new-gallup-poll/

United States Census Bureau. (n.d.). U.s. and world population clock. Retrieved from http://www.census.gov/popclock/

Deconstruction of a Magazine

Authors and Audience:
Who produced this document, and for what purpose?

~TheBlaze is owned by Glenn Beck; produced and operated by Mercury Radio Arts.  The magazine can be through a mail subscription or a digital subscription and is sought after for its news, information, and opinions.  The magazine supports writers, journalist, and for online subscriptions - video producers (TheBlaze).  I have to clarify the fact I added "opinion."  Glenn is a political talk show host and I although "Truth Lives Here" is the subtitle of the magazine, I have a hard time not adding the word "opinion" to any politically slanted news reporter.  While there are political news reports I love such as Jon Stewart, one must always be aware that their news reports are slanted making their news "opinions."

~Chris Field wrote the article Collective Threat, "to expose Common Core is a threat to our kids, our freedom and our future" (Chris Field, 2014).

When was this produced, and what was it's historical context?

~According to Wikipedia Beck left Fox News on June 7, 2011 and TheBlaze website was launched on 2011.  It was meant to be an alternative to mainstream media where Beck felt that the facts where reportedly "distorted."  In fact, it states in the title "Truth Lives Here" (Wikipedia).  Through some searching it looks like the first magazine was released on July/August 2011 and titled Behold the Future!, which would put it in conjunction with the 2011 website launch (Mercury Radio Arts).
~This particular issue was produced in May 2014 and was meant to show:

...the progressive education scheme in action—from leftist indoctrination to data-mining systems to emphasis on the collective over the individual (Chris Field, 2014).

Who is the target audience?

Pros and Cons

~Conservatives -

The Blaze will provide the facts, arguments and words you need to buttress the case for conservatism’s belief that this country is still the best there is and, as President Lincoln said, “the last best hope of Earth” (Mercury Radio Arts).

Messages and Meanings
What are the messages communicated?

~The new Common Core standards are killing creativity in the classroom.  It will be the downfall of our future.

What techniques are used to attract and hold attention?

~The word "BLAZE" pops off the page in overly sized letters and in a bright red color.  Traditionally red is the color of the republican/conservative party.  There is no mistaken who the magazine is written by.  A bubble thought is coming up from each student but the students are not thinking separate thoughts - only one "collective."  The author(s) is sending a definitely message - creativity no longer lives in the school room.  The next thing I see is the word "threat."  No one can mistake the message of "threat," which means there is something wrong and it must be battled.

How might people interpret this message differently?

WildStar

~When I see the word "collective" I think of the Star Trek villain - The Borg.  It is kind of scary for me because the individuals in the collective were not able to think for themselves.  They did what the Queen told them to do with no thought of what the actions may represent.  That was my first thought and it sent a shiver down my spine.  It definitely represents a scare tactic from my point of view. I am positive many others would see it this way as well, especially since it is connected to a picture of students all thinking the same way.  The message to people like myself might provoke paranoid fantasies.

However, there are proponents for Common Core.  Janet B. Bray, CAE, Executive Director, Association for Career and Technical Education, states, "The K-12 standards work recognizes that students in the United States are now competing in an international environment and will need to meet international benchmarks to remain relevant in today’s workplace" (Common Core State Standards Initiative).  To someone like Janet, she's going to see this title as the author(s) challenging her point of view.  She sees common core as a benefit to our students in ensuring that students across America stay on the same track (especially in underprivileged areas) in receiving comparable education.  William Brantley Bryant, Georgia State Board of Education, states the same thing, "This is an historic day for American public education and for our nation as we begin the journey to level the academic playing field for every student"(Common Core State Standards Initiative).  To them this message is not going to make sense.  

I can see both sides of the argument.  The odd thing is that standardizing education is meant to move our students in an internationally competitive market.  However, creativity will be a big role in moving our students in that direction.  "Thinking outside the box" is how you compete internationally.  We can't have the same brains inventing new ideas.  With that being said, the root to American issues is deeper than standardization.  But where do we start to fix the issue.  It certainly is not speed lessons to fit so much curriculum into one year.  It doesn't fit childhood development of scaffolding knowledge.

Who might benefit from (and who might be harmed by) this message?
~Certainly though who are worried that our students are being forced into a standardized education are going to benefit from pointing out the evils of Common Core.  Those who are proponents of Common Core are going to be victimized as "suits" who are trying to make our students less creative and more machine - pumping out information instead of inventing new ideas.  And of course, the Common Core idea will be harmed.

Representation and Reality

Blogger

What information or perspective is left out of this message?

~I don't see the teachers' or students' perspective in this message or supporters of Common Core.  Since it is a political forum, I see the politics of Common Core.

Is this an accurate and credible representation?

~Whether I agree or not - it is one sided.  From the quotes of Common Core supporters I inserted above, there are certainly no supporters in the message.

How does this reflect the perspective or bias of its creator?
~Without multiple sides of the argument (at least in the title) it makes the perspective an opinion, certainly not a fact.

Text and Subtext
Describe the text and subtext presented in this magazine cover. You can find a example of what this means on p.5 in this Intro to Media Literacy Project.
~The "text" of this media image is a classroom of forward facing students with one thought.  The written words describe this image as a "collective."  The words also defer to the collective as a "threat."

~The "subtext" I derive from this media image I see is a forward facing classroom void of original thought.  This brings to mind a traditional classroom that I was raised in, not the progressive educational goals I've been learning about over the last 4 years.  The goals that make the classroom fit the students needs.  Instead the student is forced to conform to the 4 walls, chalkboard, and the "sage on the stage" teacher.

Language of Persuasion
Starting on P.6 of the Intro to Media literacy document there are 40 persuasive techniques listed and described. Which ones are used in this magazine cover?

~The media message is "advocacy."  The media image definitely has a political stance, in which it is supporting a particular belief - Common Core is threatening our future and our students (Media Literacy Project).

Citations

Field, Chris. (2014, May). Blaze mag: Collective threat. Retrieved from http://www.theblaze.com/blog/2014/04/24/blaze-mag-collective-threat/

Common Core State Standards Initiative. (n.d.). Quotes from supporters. Retrieved from http://www.corestandards.org/assets/Quotes-from-Supporters.pdf

Media Literacy Project. (n.d.). Introduction to media literacy. Retrieved from Introduction to Media Literacy

Mercury Radio Arts. (n.d.). Blaze magazine. Retrieved from http://www.glennbeck.com/content/magazine/

TheBlaze. (n.d.). Theblaze magazine: Frequently asked questions. Retrieved from http://www.theblaze.com/magfaq/

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Theblaze. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TheBlaze

Reimagining Learning: Richard Culatta at TEDxBeaconStreet

I want to save this particular Tedx for later.  I think it could be helpful for future use and in my Action Research.  I don't like the fact he refers to Multiple Intelligence as "Malarky" but I do agree that technology shouldn't be used to "digitize" learning that is outdated.  Technology can do so much more and should be used to reinvent the lesson plan.  Things that we've never been able to do in the classroom.  For instance, with rocket simulation software in the STEM classroom we can now predict how high a rocket will be launched.  From that information we can compare it to how high a rocket actually launched.  What variables did we not take into account?  What might have changed?  Or was the software correct?  What did we do in the software to correct launch altitude and create a stable rocket?  There is so many things we can do with technology to enhance learning.

Explanation of October Total Lunar Eclipse via Space.com

Miss the Total Lunar Eclipse like I did?  Clouds - the destroyer of all that is good in the astronomy world and rolling hills destroyed my view due to that fact our moon was hanging low in the horizon.  Space.com does a good job of explaining what we would have seen.  Additionally, during complete Totality a turquoise ring would have appeared around the orange ball, which would have been the ozone ring if you would have had a chance to see it.  Yes!  I am jaded.

For more check out "Blood Moon" by Space & NASA News

Digital Story - 17 Years in Reverse

This is a digital story of my love for my husband and my family and how it has evolved in the last 17 years, starting in the end and ending at the start.  At age 20, I was engaged to a rather abusive, mentally and physically, man.  I didn't have the self-respect or the self-esteem I needed to leave.  So many things went through my head that convinced me to stay.  Aaron taught me so many things in the year that we were just friends.  He taught me that I could connect on a higher level with someone and that connection could be made of mutual respect.  After that it all fell into place.

My dramatic question/statement:  I often think back to that day, 17 years ago.  The day that changed everything that I thought was right in the world… but wasn't really.  The day that I looked at him twice and then down at the small diamond that sat on my left ring finger.  The day I made an important life changing decision.

Raise Awareness of a Social Problem
Although it is not something I like to talk about in person, I do mention the fact that I felt trapped in an abusive relationship.  In modern times, this is still a social issue.  All I was taught growing up and I still walked right into one.  I still shake my head in disbelief.  As much as we try to educate our girls on self-esteem and how we should be treated, there are those that still find that horrible path.

Flickr

Build Self-Esteem
As hard as it is for me to talk about parts of my past, it is healthy that I do.  Although I have found myself over the last couple of weeks reliving stuff that I would rather not.  What I do need to celebrate is the fact that I have grown into a strong woman.  Maybe I should not have needed someone else to point out to me that it didn't have to be that way but none-the-less I can say, "Yes I survived it!  And here is my story, 17 years later."


Digital Stories & Science:
There are whole websites devoted to Digital Science Stories such as the story below.  This particular website, Educational Uses of DigitalStorytelling, says it best, "The topics used in digital storytelling range from personal tales to the recounting of historical events, from exploring life in one’s own community to the search for life in other corners of the universe, and literally, everything in between." (University of Houston, College of Education, 2014).  There really isn't an application in which a digital story would not fit.  It is a great product for an PBL or WebQuest.  In fact, the website points out that not only does it fit in every content area and a wide range of grade level, but it is also applicable "…in neighborhood community centers, schools, libraries and businesses, by novice technology users to those with advanced skills" (University of Houston, College of Education, 2014).

This particular Digital Story is about 3 Dimensional Printing and how it is used in the classroom.  It is a rather interesting video connecting ideas out of Star Trek ("a dream about the future") to reality.  In fact, I just pulled 3D printer parts out of our $20,000 machine an hour ago.  At some point, she then goes into her 3D printing adventure - how she started with research, proceeded with the CAD program, and eventually hit print.

Photo by NASA

I think it is easy to see why Digital Storytelling would work as an informative video in Science.  I think NASA revealed that the Aral Sea is mostly dried up.   With the amount of information we have on the Aral Sea, which includes Google Earth images, conservation efforts, ecology & biology (abiotic & biotic) reports, agricultural/political/social information a student could build one hell of a digital story.  Conservation efforts to restore the sea have failed, a fishing village is gone, the people that remain are dying of cancer.  It is sad but the only way we are going to keep this from happening today it to show the story.  Tell it over and over again.  Show the faces of the people left behind and the fish that are gone.
it could also work as an emotional appeal as well.  As a biology teacher I have used the Aral Sea as a current man-made disaster that definitely has serious shock value.  Recently,

CSOs
Every single one of these CSOs could be covered in the digital story of the Aral Sea if the student knew what sort of checklist to cover or had a detailed rubric:

Objective: SC.O.B.2.18 evaluate environmental factors that affect succession, populations and communities.

Objective: SC.O.B.2.19 propose ecosystem models that incorporate interactions of biotic and abiotic environmental variables (e.g., biogeochemical cycles).

Objective: SC.O.B.2.22 analyze graphs, GIS data and traditional maps reflecting changes in population to predict limiting factors in ecosystems as they determine carrying capacity.

Beyond this set of objectives the student could also cover an additional objective with this lesson by using technology:

Standard: SC.S.B.3 Application of ScienceStudents will

Objective: SC.O.B.3.3 communicate experimental designs, results and conclusions using advanced technology tools.

When I originally wrote the lesson plan for my Webquest, the product was a PPT poster but thinking back on it - a digital story would be better and would tell me more about what the students learned.

Citation

University of Houston, College of Education. (2014).Educational uses of digital storytelling. Retrieved from http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/example_stories.cfm?categoryid=12