Edited by author 03-31-2006 07:55 AM
Welcome to our Electronic Village quick topic on Media Literacy. This conversation is based on an article from the Edutopia magazine (part of the George Lucas Educational Foundation) called "Media Smarts" by Ken Ellis. This article can be found at http://edutopia.org/php/article.php?id=Art_1321&key=137. The discussion will be hosted by Bruce Lieberman, an inspired art teacher at East Hampton High School and Evelyn O'Doherty, a teacher of ELA at Southampton Middle School. We hope to have a rich and engaging conversation with our participants.

Edited by author 04-01-2006 06:34 AM
I’ll start the ball rolling. Please comment on the article in anyway you wish. My long winded comments are reflecting only this morning’s mood and coffee.They are directed to Art but certainly apply to all aspects of learning. How do we compete against the “popcorn” and fast paced “eye candy,” that the article mentioned? Do we try? One would think that kids arrive to an Art class ready to,” rock and roll.” They do not. The pace is often too slow for the 21st century student. Art needs to be contemplated and the creation of art needs thoughtful assessing and calculating: meta -cognition. In the Art class one has the ability to transcends the idea that there is a separation between the pencil and the computer. The digital easel is only another tool not a change of venue, approach or philosophy. Charcoal, pencil, paint, pastel all have intrinsic beauty and differences and in the hand of an artist, or art student, the computer should take on the role of just another tool for self expression. Way too often it is used only to create showcase portfolios and it’s creative potential is ignored, alternatively relying on the quick easy solutions that the computer/digital art world can provide, to beginners in particular, robs them of opportunities and the contemplative act of image making. It is not an end to itself. Or is it? The necessary contemplation and analysis, V.S Ramachandrian calls the “a-ha” factor, The more you look, the more you SEE. The act of searching, in itself, creates the opportunities for discovering, understanding and the development of ability. Research shows this specifically applies to vision. The wallpaper or chaotic camouflage of sensory overload will lift with the development of the skill of thoughtful “Seeing.” Perhaps our multitasking visual students will develop these skills and abilities quicker then past generations. Many moments in history have declared traditional drawing and painting dead. Chris Semergieff, Art Dept. Stony Brook University, sadly laments that High School students are arriving without foundation training and the idea that they do not need to draw anymore. It is a digital world and time to change the Art class into a communication class. But, it always was.

Speaking as a teacher of English, I found the article "Media Smarts" intriguing in that in some ways, I am totally devoted to teaching the craft and elegance of the written word; however, I do recognize the importance making a shift in our digital era to allowing multimedia products into the classrooom. Yes, I agree kids need to be educated in these different digital tools, whether it be video, digital photography or gaming because they are certainly mainstream tools in society and can also be used as valuable means of communication. My question is this: Is the teaching of digital tools in an English class the right approach? We all know that kids (people!) can't spell or communicate online using grammatically correct English; therefore, will this new movement toward media literacy further reduce our society's ability to communicate with pen and paper? Or do we incorporate media "smarts" into the classroom as an enhancement (an additional tool) we can use to communicate effectively. In that case, does it belong in the English curriculum?

Is typing and organizing sentences and ones thoughts on a computer of equyal value?

I think students should be exposed to all sorts of communication. Modern media should be included along with examples of how communication has occurred throughout time--drawing (as early as cave pictures), telling stories, the written word in books and publications to the multi-media explosion. These different types of communication have served people well. Students can analyze the different types of communication, be exposed to different writings, see what works and why. I think if teachers recognize that theme of communication can be a part of many different curriculums. "Communication skills should be taught as very practical tools that you use to sell and influence people, to get your point across -- especially in this age, where kids are, more and more, using multimedia." For example, social studies could examine political speeches, art classes could examine the power of visual messages, English could help students learn the tools for effective communication-writing and public speaking, music could examine the messages in song, etc. "Communication skills should be taught as very practical tools that you use to sell and influence people, to get your point across -- especially in this age, where kids are, more and more, using multimedia."

I could also see a multidisciplanary course/elective as a way to approach the theme as well.

Well said, Ellen! I agree that we need to show children how to be effective communicators, teaching them how to persuade, mollify and negotiate in order to be successful in the world. I also think that using multimedia tools such as video and digital photography in the classroom is another way to allow kids to express themselves. We had a photographer here at SIS about a week ago, Rick Falco (are you out there Rick?) who was truly amazing in talking to the kids about using the camera as a way to record history, bear witness and make statements in a visual form. He taught us a lot and the kids, because they are sooo visually oriented, really responded well. We have some excellent photo footage that reveals the critical thinking that went on behind the lens!

I have noticed that when I have included technology in my classroom it motivated my students. I made a Movie Maker movie of the pictures I had taken of my students reading with kindergarten partners at the elementary school. They loved the movie so much that the kids wanted to know how I made it. This is a teachable moment, where you can show the students the new technology tool while also stressing the importance of planning well, spelling, and grammar because what they create is going to be shared with others.

That's true, Meg. It's an excellent example of communication of an idea through the use of digital media. And, in keeping with Habits of Mind (Bruce)digital products such as video,a photo montage or creating an academic game of sorts could all allow for students to hone their question and problem-solving skills, precision of thought (how to best present the crux of the subject as in "Crimes of X" from HHH), and flexibility in thinking (Lord knows, technology is good for that)! So maybe it's just a paradigm shift that we need to make, a small one that encompasses the development of media literacy in classrooms but doesn't "throw the baby out with the bath water", if you know what I mean.

In response to Meg’s comment, I wonder if the “Wow” factor wears off as the students progress to the high school. I unleash upon my students a whole array of multimedia and still I wonder if it has the impact that I hope for. Is the impact stronger on the middle school and elementary school age children then upper levels.? Has research been done in this area?

I would think the Wow factor is alive and well in the high school if the technology is personal. Meg's kids loved seeing themselves. I know that all multimedia can't be be personal but as with everything, some sort of connection has to be made.

Edited by author 04-05-2006 07:03 AM
Sorry that I did not jump in before. I am new to GLEF conversation concepts. I read the article and I have many thoughts. First, our grade in my school has the students doing project based activities but most students are lost for the following reasons.
• Teacher technology understanding is under par for many reasons
• Students understanding of technolgy is under par for many reasons
• Students never get to a deep level of understanding and learning because integration of content areas has never evolved. Therefore students are always playing “ catch up”.

I read an article in the NY Times last week that criticized technology. One of the points the article made was that student’s ability to complete a valuable search for research articles is hampered by the search engine. The article said that finding higher level quality research is problematic and they go on to explain that this has caused a lowering of reading level of the researcher and therfore the higher level of writing. It explained how the search engines work and why the higher level and quality research is not found by the search engine. Interesting!

In your article it speaks of “critical examinations of mainstream media and advertising”. On of the presentations at Asset addressed teaching students to be critical of sites that they find. Teaching them which ones are valuable and which are not. Students used criteria that they developed after viewing various sites both valuable and not. I noticed that one of my students who is brilliant but is a student thought to have “Aspergers Syndrome” uses the computer frequently to attain information. I questioned whether he had the knowledge and understanding that he needs to identify valuable sites versus bogus sites. He and I spoke and I feel this is something we need to look into with all students.

In the article it says “Filmmaker and George Lucas Educational Foundation chairman George Lucas thinks it's time to change "English" class into "Communication" class”. I agree! If we truly have balanced literacy it is all about communication in various genres! This is where the integration of content areas needs to happen. The integration of content area subjects will afford the students and the teachers the TIME to investigate technology integration while working on a rich student directed project. Because the students have a much better understanding of technology than most of the teachers, the teachers would have to be open to learning as they go. They may even have to learn along side of the students. Letting go of the control that they have may afford the teachers the time to facilitate the content areas and the students could be free to investigate the technology integration!

Edited by author 04-05-2006 08:58 AM
I hear and appreciate what Deb says about technology in the classroom. I know she is one of the people in my building working hard to utilize technology as a tool to help disadvantaged students. In reference to the NY Times article, I believe at the middle school level we scaffold research projects by designing web quests for students or, in my classroom, I get them familiar with the online databases the school uses and teach search strategies to help them get going. The IPL website has useful information for search strategies( http://www.ipl.org/div/aplus/ ).
Also, educator Kathy Schrock's website (http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/) has a whole section on search tools. As for making the "English" class a "Communications" class, I'm still speaking from the standpoint of the ELA teacher who sees kids on a daily/yearly basis who are LOSING the ability to write and whose attention to the written word is fading with every new gameboy,ipod, videophone invention. Yes, I believe we need to incorporate these toys as tools into the classroom as we see fit, but do we make the ELA classroom a technology-based communications class? No. If anything, we need to have marriages between curricular areas (like technology and ELA) in order to diversify the instruction whenever possible, but I'm going to hold the line and say that English is a language that needs to be learned through the acts of reading and writing if we're going to preserve the integrity of the written word. (Linda, where are you?!!) Is this article implying that the English language will become LESS important during a technological surge in our society? I say we need to redouble our efforts IN towards mastery and further study of the foundations (i.e. grammar, punctuation, spelling) of our written and oral tradition while also using technology to move OUTward toward new and different ways of communicating with people across the globe.

Irony, irony. Read the article yet the video is better. Create mega hit movies based on ancient Greek myths and then strive to replace the title English classroom with Communications. We are our stories and the ability to read and write stories sustains thought and humanity. Media literacy is but one form of literacy - my students can teach me far more how to employ all the technology available than I can teach them, but the substance of their message will be little more than sound bites and other people's summations if they only know things delivered through this "new" literacy. I now take pen in hand and begin correcting their hand-written essays....

Edited by author 04-05-2006 07:14 PM
Well said from California! Excuse a quick QUICKTOPIC response..... but I gave a lesson today,and let me first say I am a real advocate of intergrating Tech. into the classroom, but ...Today the kids said they enjoyed my "chalk and talk,' lesson on perspective. They loved the old school step by step. Who knew! So we all know that Tech. does not replace and solve everything but it still can and should be used. How we best choose to employ it is the issue.. (Kiss the kids for me. Kick your husband, See ya in the summer?)