A Little About
|
Blog.
Production 2
New Literacies can be defined as a new and different form of literacy that caters to students’ current interests and skills. In our fast-paced digitally growing world, our students are growing up with different types of technology. This impacts how students will learn in regards to reading and writing. The autonomous model is out-dated and not as effective for students in this day and age as they are growing up as digital natives. The autonomous model is all about printed texts, which is most likely only books and worksheets seen in the classroom. Bruce & Snyder (2002) brought up young people, and how they have “access to tools for integrating knowledge from multiple popular culture texts across different media platforms and then disseminating the remixed product through cyberspace” (as cited in Alvermann, 2011, p. 8). This calls for a change in teaching, students need to use the tools they are familiar with, such as Alvermann’s (2011) example of the term ‘game literacy’ where students show an interest and advanced skill in video/computer games. Perhaps teachers can incorporate video/computer games as an aspect of learning – Math Prodigy is a great example of computer game mathematics.
Popular culture can indeed support a socially-contextualized learning approach. This is because popular culture can be seen as a mix of what students are used to using, along with their interests. As mentioned above, students are living in a digital world with growing technology every day. Non-print text is what children are largely exposed to outside of the classroom such as comics, film, music remix, etc. (Alvermann, 2011). There is popular culture in their everyday lives, especially with the common use of the internet. With that said, the second debate's incorporating popular culture in the class as a strategy for learning can indeed be an educational experience in a formal learning environment. Students can simply take the different forms of literacy they are accustomed to at home, and use it in the class when learning about a variety of topics. The classroom can use “authentic tools and rich media forms” (New Media Modules, 2017) such as IPads, smartboards, laptops, etc. which is something students are familiar with. As they are interested in those tools, they may be more motivated to learn.
References
Alvermann, D. E. (2011). Popular culture and literacy practices: Traditional and New Literacies. In M. L. Kamil, P. D. Pearson, E. B. Moje, & P. P. Afflerbach (Eds.), Handbook of Reading Research: Volume IV, pp. 541-560. New York: Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group.
New Media Modules. (2017). New Literacies: Sociocultural Learning Theory (EDUC 3610). Retrived from https://vimeo.com/214100116
New Literacies can be defined as a new and different form of literacy that caters to students’ current interests and skills. In our fast-paced digitally growing world, our students are growing up with different types of technology. This impacts how students will learn in regards to reading and writing. The autonomous model is out-dated and not as effective for students in this day and age as they are growing up as digital natives. The autonomous model is all about printed texts, which is most likely only books and worksheets seen in the classroom. Bruce & Snyder (2002) brought up young people, and how they have “access to tools for integrating knowledge from multiple popular culture texts across different media platforms and then disseminating the remixed product through cyberspace” (as cited in Alvermann, 2011, p. 8). This calls for a change in teaching, students need to use the tools they are familiar with, such as Alvermann’s (2011) example of the term ‘game literacy’ where students show an interest and advanced skill in video/computer games. Perhaps teachers can incorporate video/computer games as an aspect of learning – Math Prodigy is a great example of computer game mathematics.
Popular culture can indeed support a socially-contextualized learning approach. This is because popular culture can be seen as a mix of what students are used to using, along with their interests. As mentioned above, students are living in a digital world with growing technology every day. Non-print text is what children are largely exposed to outside of the classroom such as comics, film, music remix, etc. (Alvermann, 2011). There is popular culture in their everyday lives, especially with the common use of the internet. With that said, the second debate's incorporating popular culture in the class as a strategy for learning can indeed be an educational experience in a formal learning environment. Students can simply take the different forms of literacy they are accustomed to at home, and use it in the class when learning about a variety of topics. The classroom can use “authentic tools and rich media forms” (New Media Modules, 2017) such as IPads, smartboards, laptops, etc. which is something students are familiar with. As they are interested in those tools, they may be more motivated to learn.
References
Alvermann, D. E. (2011). Popular culture and literacy practices: Traditional and New Literacies. In M. L. Kamil, P. D. Pearson, E. B. Moje, & P. P. Afflerbach (Eds.), Handbook of Reading Research: Volume IV, pp. 541-560. New York: Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group.
New Media Modules. (2017). New Literacies: Sociocultural Learning Theory (EDUC 3610). Retrived from https://vimeo.com/214100116
Production 3
The Reel Injun demonstrated the shift from movie media representing indigenous people as spiritual, noble, and free beings in the silent era, to representing them as savages who attack. From indigenous people being heard and having their real stories told to the public, to an inaccurate representation of indigenous people in entertainment. Movies went on to exhibit indigenous people as non-civilized, dangerous to the rest of society, and indigenous people sometimes living an American type life such as Disney’s Pocahontas. How indigenous people were represented in movies made a massive impact on what the U.S society thought about this particular group of people. As Stack & Kelly (2006) defines media, it is “mediums of communication… connected to the social world” (p. 6). Movies were the main mode of media, and it spoke to Americans for them to develop a narrow and negative mindset about indigenous people. Now with the increasing use and access to media, our youth would be able to challenge dominant media and their viewpoints by creating own media to “pursue opportunities to create alternative stories" (Stack & Kelly, 2006, p. 20). Education is significant because it is a place where students are able to do just that and eliminate misrepresentations by creating new representations for oppressed groups of people such as indigenous people. What Peter did in the postcolonial lens article was a great example to show that students can learn about different sides as well, not only being exposed to the Western dominant information (Appleman, 2009).
As students adopt a postcoloniasm lens, it allows for them to understand that there are different viewpoints to a story, there is diversity, and that there is more beyond western stereotypes and biases (Appleman, 2009). As Peter facilitated his activity, his goal was for students to take away information from the colonized’s perspectives, not only being aware of the colonizer. Recognizing that the colonized people’s “religious practices are frequently replaced… rituals that create unity and cultural continuity are discouraged… languages are supplanted by the tongues of their conquerors… robbed of distinctions they hold dear” (Appleman, 2009, p. 90). This lens would help youth to understand that perhaps indigenous people were labelled as “savages” because they were fighting to retaliate colonizers from invading their home. As the Reel Injun noted, the game “cowboys and Indians” always consisted of the Indians losing. Assuming a postcolonial lens would help better understand why that group of people always lost.
References
Appleman, D. (2009). Critical Encounters in The English Classroom. Teachers College Press. Chapter: Post-Colonial Theory in the English Classroom.
Reel Injun (Dir: Catherine Olson) NFB Canada
Stack, M., & Kelley, D.M. (2006). Popular Media, education, and resistance. Canadian Journal of Education, 29(1), 5-26.
Production 5
“The Three Pigs” supports critical literacy because it encourages readers to “not only read and write but to assess texts” (Morrell, 2007, p. 241). As we are all already familiar with the traditional “Three Little Pigs”, students would automatically compare the two stories and reflect on those differences. Morrell (2004) noted that critical literacies can be in the form of a print “on behalf of marginalized populations in the interests of naming, exposing, and destabilizing power relations; and promoting individual freedom and expression” (as cited in Morrell, 2007, p. 241) What starts off as a traditional fairytale with the first pig being able to climb a ladder, the illustrations itself are fairytale-like, and the text starts with “Once upon a time...”. But this starts to shift as the pigs leave the story, and the illustrations begin to look more realistic. The pigs are on an adventure, moving away from that fairytale and exploring other places. This is great for students to understand that nothing is set and stone, imagination is freedom, and that is important in a classroom. The author also included a different coloured pig in the trio, possibly showing diversity which is well related to our Western society now.
Incorporating “…popular culture into traditional curricula lead us to believe that there are countless possibilities for urban educators who wish to jump outside the box and tap into the worlds of their students” (Morrell & Duncan-Andrade, 2002, p. 91). This is true as something such as “The Three Pigs” is a more modern version of a very old story. Students in this day and age need a different take on texts, and to explore their imagination similar to how the pigs did in the story. “…popular culture representations are socially constructed and thus open to critique and reappropriation” (Stack & Kelly, 2006, p. 17) which can also be seen in “The Three Pigs” as the title of the story “The Three Pigs”, is already shifting away from our view of the pigs as “The Three Little Pigs”. The pigs in this story are now represented differently from the traditional fairytale. The title page includes the three pigs, and they appear as full-grown pigs supporting the title without the word “little”. The pigs are also seen walking on their four legs as opposed to walking with two legs to show perhaps a more real representation of the animal. Not that the old fairytale was a damaging representation of pigs and wolves, but the tale is now twisted into the pigs as adventurous and not the weak ones.
References
Morell. E. (2007). Critical Literacy and Popular Culture in Urban Education: Toward a Pedagogy of Access and Dissent.
Morrell, E., & Duncan-Andrade, J. (2002). Toward a critical classroom discourse: Promoting academic literacy through engaging hip-hop culture with urban youth. English Journal, 91(6), 88-94.
Stack, M., & Kelley, D.M. (2006). Popular media, education, and resistance. Canadian Journal of Education, 29(1), 5-26.
Production 6
Shopkins is a line of collectible toys presenting shopping item-themed characters with faces on them, and these little characters have names and a back-story. Shopkins also includes girl figurines called “shoppies”. As young children aim to collect the toys, they are drawn into modern capitalism’s elimination of authentic relationships and replacing it with superficial pleasures of consumption (Buckingham, 2011). This toy is a source of interaction within schools and other youth spaces. Shopkins presents their brand with cartoon girls who have bright colored hair and wear funky outfits. The packaging and advertisements of Shopkins displays bright pastel colours and cute animated versions of the item-themed toys. The Shopkins world consists of only girls and their cute colourful items that bat their large eyes and long eyelashes. This brand is clearly catered to one gender, and that is female. As Wohlwend (2009) noted, “toys communicate through the physical properties of their materials” (p. 60), the “pretty and cute” representation of Shopkins can attract a little girl’s attention and encourage them to purchase the toys. Alike princess play, playing with Shopkins can encourage what Blaise (2005) noted about princess play, “the importance of being pretty and the role it plays in creating femininities…” (as cited in Wohlwend, 2009, p. 60)
Similar to Stack & Kelly’s (2006) suggestion of how the news is represented, Shopkins is also highly socially constructed which means that certain aspects are “selected and shaped to fit a particular format, framed within a particular perspective, and designed to appeal to particular audiences” (p. 15) The Shopkins toys and brand is represented in such a way because it wants to gain the interest of young girls. Young girls will ask their parents to purchase these toys, and ultimately want more because Shopkins are collectibles with new versions coming out constantly. Advertisers are aware that children are susceptible to being enticed which is why a young age and the gender are important considerations when trying to sell (Stack & Kelly, 2006). The toy can also be viewed as something like a grocery/shopping list because its goal is to purchase new and different Shopkins to play/trade with. Buckingham (2011) states that a woman’s consumption habits can lead to the view of a “shopaholic” which is ultimately a problem amongst females. This consumption view further perpetuates the gender representation Shopkins follows because females are somehow viewed as the over excessive consumer, which is why girls are a great target for Shopkins (Buckingham, 2011).
References
Buckingham, David (2011). Understanding Consumption. In The Material Child: Growing up in Consumer Culture (pp. 25-45). London: Polity Press.
Stack, M., & Kelly, D. M. (2006). Popular Media, education, and resistance. Canadian Journal of Education, 29(1), 5-26.
Wohlwend, Karen E. (2009). Damsels in Discourse: Girls Consuming and Producing Identity Texts through Disney Princess Play. Reading Research Quarterly, 44, 1, p. 57-83.
Doing Cultural Studies: Critical Media Analysis
The show Modern Family follows a couple and their immediate and extended family. It is a comedy about family life, and the different types of families that exist. Looking only at the title itself, the word ‘modern’ already informs the viewers that the type of families represented in the show will reflect how our current society’s families look like. Keeping up with our currently diverse and multicultural society, Modern Family consists of a nuclear family, an older man married to a younger woman, a gay couple, and their adopted child.
Focusing on sexual orientation, Carilli et al. (2015) states “now that we are ushering in a new era which promises acceptance and even marriage equality…” (p. 8), this quote is relevant as we strive for inclusivity. Inclusiveness and social justice are amongst the government's and society's goals which is why this is an interesting topic in popular culture. It was not long ago that gay marriage was finally legalized in all of the United States in 2015. Gay marriage, and being gay or lesbian was historically such a controversial topic that there was plenty of media coverage. What better way to keep the audience’s attention then to capture gay marriage in a TV show? “…is the LGBT community being represented fairly in the media?” (Carilli et al., 2015, p. 8). Modern family’s Mitchell and Cameron represents the gay community through this TV series. Cameron is not gay in real-life, would he be sufficient enough to depict a gay man (Kies & West, 2017)? The couple did indeed go through struggles to be together, just like gay couples in real-life. But were their situations and lifestyle accurately represented (Stack & Kelly, 2006)? Carilli et al., (2015) also notes the importance of representing working-class, homeless, and coloured LGBTQ. They exist, and TV does not represent those types of challenges experienced by LGBTQ. Instead, popular culture represents gay people as white and belonging in the middle/upper class.
The Atlantic reports a poll finding indicating that 27% of the voters claim to be pro-gay marriage after watching gay characters on TV, and that viewers of Modern Family developed sympathy for gay people (Kornhaber, 2015). Media is probably one of the main sources for children’s intake of information. Children are using/watching media longer than they are in school, and many children are watching television daily (Stack & Kelly, 2006). Schools rarely discuss LGBTQ, especially in young grades. A child watching Modern Family can develop their understanding of LGBTQ based on how the show depicts them. Hamelink (2002) claims Canadians as the “billboard society”, as opposed to the “knowledge society” (as cited in Stack & Kelly, 2006). This goes hand in hand with audiences who think they are gaining an understanding of LGBTQ through popular culture such as a TV show. Bagdikian (2004) suggests that viewers “read, listen to, and watch” (p. 8) media dictated by large corporations who are only out to make a buck (as cited in Stack & Kelly, 2006). In a hetero-mainstream media industry, Kies & West (2011) cannot help but to point out that the reason TV included gay marriage and other diverse families was because of the “newly sympathetic liberal audience who previously neglected” (p.161) marginalized people.
References
Carilli, T., Kenney, R., Campbell, J., Akita, K., Besel, R. D., Comeforo, K., & Drushel, B. E. (2015). Queer Media Images: LGBT Perspectives. N.p.: Lexington Books.
Kies, B., & West, T. J. (2017, June). Queer nostalgia and queer histories in uncertain times. Queer Studies in Media & Pop Culture, 2(2).
Kornhaber, S. (2017, June). The Modern Family Effect: Pop Culture’s Role in the Gay-Marriage Revolution. In The Atlantic. Retrieved June 26, 2015, from https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2015/06/gay-marriage-legalized-modern-family-pop-culture/397013/
Stack, M., & Kelly, D. M. (2006). Popular Media, education, and resistance. Canadian Journal of Education, 29(1), 5-26.
Focusing on sexual orientation, Carilli et al. (2015) states “now that we are ushering in a new era which promises acceptance and even marriage equality…” (p. 8), this quote is relevant as we strive for inclusivity. Inclusiveness and social justice are amongst the government's and society's goals which is why this is an interesting topic in popular culture. It was not long ago that gay marriage was finally legalized in all of the United States in 2015. Gay marriage, and being gay or lesbian was historically such a controversial topic that there was plenty of media coverage. What better way to keep the audience’s attention then to capture gay marriage in a TV show? “…is the LGBT community being represented fairly in the media?” (Carilli et al., 2015, p. 8). Modern family’s Mitchell and Cameron represents the gay community through this TV series. Cameron is not gay in real-life, would he be sufficient enough to depict a gay man (Kies & West, 2017)? The couple did indeed go through struggles to be together, just like gay couples in real-life. But were their situations and lifestyle accurately represented (Stack & Kelly, 2006)? Carilli et al., (2015) also notes the importance of representing working-class, homeless, and coloured LGBTQ. They exist, and TV does not represent those types of challenges experienced by LGBTQ. Instead, popular culture represents gay people as white and belonging in the middle/upper class.
The Atlantic reports a poll finding indicating that 27% of the voters claim to be pro-gay marriage after watching gay characters on TV, and that viewers of Modern Family developed sympathy for gay people (Kornhaber, 2015). Media is probably one of the main sources for children’s intake of information. Children are using/watching media longer than they are in school, and many children are watching television daily (Stack & Kelly, 2006). Schools rarely discuss LGBTQ, especially in young grades. A child watching Modern Family can develop their understanding of LGBTQ based on how the show depicts them. Hamelink (2002) claims Canadians as the “billboard society”, as opposed to the “knowledge society” (as cited in Stack & Kelly, 2006). This goes hand in hand with audiences who think they are gaining an understanding of LGBTQ through popular culture such as a TV show. Bagdikian (2004) suggests that viewers “read, listen to, and watch” (p. 8) media dictated by large corporations who are only out to make a buck (as cited in Stack & Kelly, 2006). In a hetero-mainstream media industry, Kies & West (2011) cannot help but to point out that the reason TV included gay marriage and other diverse families was because of the “newly sympathetic liberal audience who previously neglected” (p.161) marginalized people.
References
Carilli, T., Kenney, R., Campbell, J., Akita, K., Besel, R. D., Comeforo, K., & Drushel, B. E. (2015). Queer Media Images: LGBT Perspectives. N.p.: Lexington Books.
Kies, B., & West, T. J. (2017, June). Queer nostalgia and queer histories in uncertain times. Queer Studies in Media & Pop Culture, 2(2).
Kornhaber, S. (2017, June). The Modern Family Effect: Pop Culture’s Role in the Gay-Marriage Revolution. In The Atlantic. Retrieved June 26, 2015, from https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2015/06/gay-marriage-legalized-modern-family-pop-culture/397013/
Stack, M., & Kelly, D. M. (2006). Popular Media, education, and resistance. Canadian Journal of Education, 29(1), 5-26.
Production 7
References
Alvermann, D. E. (2011). Popular culture and literacy practices: Traditional and New Literacies. In M. L. Kamil, P. D. Pearson, E. B. Moje, & P. P. Afflerbach (Eds.), Handbook of Reading Research: Volume IV, pp. 541-560. New York: Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group.
Storey, J. (2009) Introductory Guide to Cultural Theory and Popular Culture. Chapter 1 – What is Popular Culture?
Alvermann, D. E. (2011). Popular culture and literacy practices: Traditional and New Literacies. In M. L. Kamil, P. D. Pearson, E. B. Moje, & P. P. Afflerbach (Eds.), Handbook of Reading Research: Volume IV, pp. 541-560. New York: Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group.
Storey, J. (2009) Introductory Guide to Cultural Theory and Popular Culture. Chapter 1 – What is Popular Culture?