"Alone together"

Great article by Turkle. Everything she discusses hits home with me.  I have been “nervous” about this generation and their use of technology for a long time.  Turkle’s statement “My students tell me about an important skill: it involves maintaining eye contact with someone while you text someone else; it’s hard, but it can be done.” I think Mike Wesch would agree with this. The difference in opinions on technology between Turkle and Wesch I think is that Wesch advocates for this technology as tools in school so students can use what they know, to learn. Although Turkle might agree in some aspect, as do I, she advocates that our youth are losing something much more valuable; face to face conversation. Most of our students and young people don’t even understand this loss because they have grown up without it.

A story: Last year my son called me up from college. He was 19 almost 20 at the time. He grew up in this digital world but has always kept a distance. He has a Facebook page but since has decided he doesn’t like it. He doesn’t Tweet or do any of the other social media technology. His laptop is his biggest form of technology. He never had an IPhone until a month ago. He will be 21 in August. Anyway, he had just gotten off the bus and he said to me:  Mom, no one even looks at anyone anymore. When I’m on the bus everyone is looking down at their phones. There is never a hello, or even a smile. I hate it. I want to live in Fiji or some island where people talk to people.  I was totally impressed with his observation and out look on life.  Here is a young adult who lives in Boston and see’s what this digital world has created with people. Yes, “It’s a process in which we have shortchanged ourselves.”

Seventeen, Self-Image, and Stereotypes by Bakari Chavanu

Chavanu’s article discusses the influence the media has on young people. As a class unit she had her students “study” the media, in this case she used mostly print advertisements and commercials. Students watched commercials and looked at several advertisements in Seventeen Magazine  they were asked probing questions about who the ads are targeting, what product they are selling, and most  what influence the ads have on the ideals of the consumer. Ultimately Chavanu’s objective was to have her students  become more aware of how the advertisement industry is influencing young people, “Thus, media literacy can play a necessary role in helping our students become critically literate and reactive to the powerful influence of television, video games, commercial advertising, popular magazines, and movies” (24).

As educators it is important to understand that “many of our students are walking advertisements and consumers of media. They purchase T-shirts, hats, and backpacks embossed with the ubiquitous Nike swoosh. They sport images of their favorite heavy metal bands and sports teams” (24). She also gives some important statistics about the viewing habits of our students. “They will have seen 350,000 television commercials by the age of 17” (24). Obviously with her students, and ours, this topic and lesson plan can be life changing for some students who “get it.”

Her unit took seven weeks and she covered many different topics in advertising; they analyzed the image of women, of race, gender, and class.  Along with the commercials and ads, she used different documentaries that help getting the point across of the "hidden curriculum." 

•  Killing Us Softly 4: Advertising's Image of Women
• The Colour of Beauty
• Western Eyes
• A Question of Color

 

 Very often in certain advertisements we can really see how clear S.C.W.A.A.M.P. is through the actors, the slogan, and the pcitures. Although I am very in tune with the underlying messages many ads are trying to get across, Chavanu also discusses the strategy music and voice has in the television commercials. They play on our emotions in different ways. She gives an example of a frozen food commercial and how the music and the narration pull the consumer in. This reminds me of the commercial for the dog charity with the Sara McLachlan song Angel playing in the background. This appeals to people’s emotions and hits their heartstrings.

 

Overall, Chavanu ’media literacy unit really challenged her students to look at advertisement in a more critical way. Her students came away from it understanding the implications of certain advertisements. “sadly, these images are part of a culture in which one out of five women has a serious eating disorder such as anorexia; where adolescent girls increasingly have problems with low self-=esteem; and where blacks, especially women, have historically had serious problems and prejudices concerning the lightness and darkness of their skin” (26). As an essay writing project she had her students write about their experience with the media literacy. She was happy that many of her students look at the media differently now. “Clearly, the unit had challenged their assumptions and caused them to question their own sense of identity” (30).

 

 

 

 

Wesch

'But there are reasons to believe that this revolution will not fail. The urgency of our movement is not grounded in a single political issue. It is grounded in broad cultural and technological shifts pervasive enough to be recognized by virtually everybody in our society”(Wesch).

I think what Wesch is stating that the urgency in education is that learning needs to change and for it to change there needs to be a major shift. This shift needs to bring education into the 21^st century world of technology. Unfortunately this is a very unrealistic achievement for most schools. It cost money! This is where the politics comes in. I believe that educators, even those oldies but goodies, acknowledge that there is a disconnect, however, many school districts just do not have the money to invest in the “revolution.” So teachers are left to their own devices.

What are basic literacy skills today? This is a great question. After watching his video I have a better idea of what Wesch thinks are much needed skills. I really don’t think these skills can and should be taught in a classroom. These are life skills that are self- taught through doing what is part of everyday life. These skills promote literacy because our young people are constantly plugged in; reading and writing now via social media.  I am still not convinced it is a good thing though.

 

 

We as educators do need to understand that kids do think differently now and the world is a different place then it was when "traditional" teaching was the norm. If kids learn and think land act differently, then we as educators need to teach differently. Watch the "Teens Brains on Technology "until the end. The father suggests something about technology and teaching that is very interesting.

 

 

 

funny video

Digital Immigrant

I consider myself a digital immigrant. I grew up before computers and cell phones. I remember in high school taking typing class on the old typewriters. We would have to manually push the level to start typing on the next line. As an adult I welcome new technologies but stay away from many of the social media sites such as Twitter (I know there are more and I just cannot name them, which confirms my immigrant status). 
I did get a new IPad Mini this past year and it has become like an appendage. I really don't know what I did without this tablet before. Everyday I find something else I can do on it. However, ironically I am not using it for blogging even though I know how easy it will be. I have posted a link to show you my newest addiction./
It is amazing what can be done on this, with just a push of a button.
Words with Friends
The Weather Channel
Boggle
Netflix

About me

Hello All:
 My name is Diana Lee. I am an English teacher at East Providence High School. I teach 10th and 12th graders. I have two boys; Jerry, who is 21 this August and will graduate from The Art Institute in Boston with his degree in Audio Engineering. My youngest son Quinn is 16 years old and will be going into his junior year at Barrington High School where he plays three sports.

Final Blog: Teaching without Grades

Final Blog: Teaching without grades!

First of all, thank you all for a very insightful, fun, and intelligent experience in this class. I have learned a lot from all of you.  I happily put it all that I learned in my brain and no grade is needed from any of you.

Dr. Bogad, although you will grade me, I really have learned so much in your class. Since the beginning of the semester I have been incorporating what I have learned into my teaching.  The following example is a situation that happened spontaneously in my classroom, and I quickly, without too much thought, blurted out that there would be no more grade issued until the end of the quarter.

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My collaborative class consists of 26 students. Two students with severe speech impediments, one students who is repeating for the second time and he is 19 in an 11^th grade class, and 5 students who are huge behavior problems and are very immature. The remainder of the students are great kids, hard workers, many who have IEP’s and  struggle with the content and in school in general.

Their assignment is to create a poster/college, poem, or any visual representation they want to create to depict a theme. One student asked me what it will be counted as...

Student – Miss, what will this be counted as?

Ms. Lee – What do you mean?

Student – Well, will it be a test grade, homework grade?

Ms. Lee – I’m not sure yet?

Student – Well, I need to know?

Ms. Lee – Why is the grade so important? Maybe I won’t grade it right away, or maybe I won’t put a grade on it at all.

Student- If I don’t get a grade I won’t do it.

Ms. Lee – Hmm… Why does everything have to have a grade? Isn’t it more important to learn something, even if you don’t get a grade?

Student– You don’t understand, I just want to graduate for my parents, and I’m not that smart you know. I just need the grade.

Ms. Lee – I am not going to give grades in this class anymore! From now on you will get your work back with remarks on how you can improve. At the end of the quarter we will look at all your work as a whole and see how much you have learned. If you have made improvements, and completed all your assignments then you will pass the class. I will give you one grade this quarter and that will be your midterm grade.

Backlash from students: What…you can’t do that? How will we know how we are doing? I need to see my grades?

Miss Lee, I happen to be a really smart person, I just don’t like to have to show you or anyone else that by writing an essay or reading a book. I just want my 65 so I can get out of this place and be a fireman. Nothing I learn in this class has to do with what I want to do when I graduate.

Why this is going to work!

After that class I had a student come up to me and say,    Ms.Lee what you said inspired me. Don’t tell the class but I like the idea of no grades; I don’t want to get made fun of. Every time I look at my grades and I see a bad one I get so upset and it makes me want to quit.

I was not expecting that! But that was all I needed to hear. It made my day and I realized that I have to follow through with this. The first set of comprehension questions that I gave back to them simply had comments on ways to improve and words of encouragement.  I put a check mark in the Power grade for the students who completed the assignment and under the comment section I gave a formative assessment. This took more time and effort on my part but I am hoping it will pay off in the end. No more pressure for these kids! No more just getting a grade! More learning!

I am taking the risk and hoping it will pay off!  No repercussions so far; parents haven’t called, students haven’t mentioned it since, and principal hasn’t noticed!

Thanks  Alfie!