Rationale for Teaching Media
Below you'll find a rationale for teaching media. I've started with an outline of my school's opinion on these issues and how I would approach them. You'll then see a 'pitch' which would be given to the school board encouraging them to consider a media course and reasons for that. I believe the presentation would be successfull--schoo boards LIKE new ideas, right?? :)
Currently, my school’s high school language arts curriculum consists of materials selected by teachers based on student need which is guided by IEP goals as well as state standards. We do have a new book/reading program by McDougal Littell, but it is not right to call a book “curriculum.� We teach in and out of these books in an effort to increase student skills in the areas of literacy (speaking, writing, listening, viewing) as well as their use of the language to convey and critically analyze thoughts. For better or worse, there is flexibility in each classroom to create an environment of materials and instruction appropriate for that group which will increase their skill base according to need.
The general opinion of media in my school is positive. We look toward various online sources as a means of communicating current events in the Deaf culture as well as trying to upgrade our technologies to be able to utilize and create greater amounts of media. There are always concerns about appropriateness of content and appropriate use of media devices (huge social issues with Sidekicks, texting, e-mails, web cams, etc), but these are slowly improving through consequence based education rather than positive instructive education (i.e. a policy has been created, therefore you WILL do the following…) There is a huge difference between teachers in regards to knowledge, skill, and motivation, but the administration is mostly supportive. Support does not equal use and results, however, and we are still often guilty of integrating films, websites, and other media pieces as a means of ‘add-ons’ to enrich ‘standard’ curriculum pieces and not studied in their own right. If a move was made to teach media studies, I believe the administration would be supportive as would much of the current teaching staff. They all recognize the direction of education and information today and value our impact on our students today in relation to how it will impact them tomorrow. We are often responsible for teaching the gamut when it comes to real-life skills, and this would be one more piece—it’s critical importance may be lost, but the concept would be supported.
To this end, our school will be launching a partner program with the neighboring residential school within the next 2 years. The “We Create� program will be media and technology based where students will have opportunities to learn programs, create media/inventions with programs and fabricate final projects. For example, a student might learn the CAD program while another student is developing a new robot and a third student is editing a movie. Students will not be required to work in all areas as some students learn better though formalized program training and others would rather just ‘hop on’ to figure things out. This program will be one of the first of its kind in MN and will allow for integration and direct instruction of technologies as well as some media creation (movies and music mostly). This is an exciting step that we are hopeful will breathe new life into some of our outdated ‘vocational’ programming.
Families and members of the community I do not express great concern over media and its use that I have heard, though I would assume they are worried about the media their students are exposed to. If our school were to make a move toward media studies, I believe the reaction would be mixed. Because many of our students have language delays due to lack of exposure, many would question why we would teach such a skill; there would be an equally enthusiastic crowd screaming, “It’s about time!� I believe this group would be so vocal because they recognize that abuse and misuse of media is not a problem which can be solved through avoidance. This group would recognize the value of teaching critical thinking skills in regards to media and appropriate use.
A potential presentation to my school board:
Media is a part of our lives—like it or not. We all have a TV or a computer or the internet or subscribe to a newspaper or watch movies or listen to the radio or read magazines. Many of us do all of the above--many at the same time. But when you are exposed to media, how do you analyze what you see and hear? What guides you in making decisions about what to watch and what to think of information you’re exposed to? Can you create media? These are just a few questions students today must be able to answer if they are to be productive, critically thoughtful and engaged citizens. You are able to do these things because you have developed your senses of critical thinking and analysis. But for our students, it isn’t that easy. They live in a world of dynamic media with a static education system.
Media today has a lot of negative connotations. It is often blamed for the increase of violence, sex, profanity and other negative behaviors. It is true: there is a plethora of this material available to students today through the internet, television, radio/music, and other media outlets. The issue with students and media today is not THAT they are exposed to these issues and messages but rather what they are able to MAKE of the messages that they see. Our first instinct as parents and teachers is to shield our students from these concepts, but sticking their heads in the sand will only work for so long. Empowering our students to think critically about what they see, judge messages for what they are, and think as individuals in a ‘lemming’ world are all vital competencies if our students and children are to be equipped to deal with their world in a thoughtful and healthy way.
We all recognize the need for skills often referred to as “basic� such as reading and writing. These are vital skills, but we are failing out students if we assume these skills only occur in a text-based world. Providing students with the skills necessary to READ materials is crucial, but if they do not a have the ability to categorize, filter, or process the information they read, the best we will ever get is regurgitation. Basic reading skills and basal readers are static. Once mastered on the proficient level, reading skills should be seen as tools used to process the world. For students below proficiency levels, a change in course will renew interest and provide richer practice experiences. Students must be part of the educational equation—if we teach with methods and content that are relevant and motivating, students will be engaged and more likely to apply and generalize skills leading to greater student achievement. Media studies should not be seen as additional to any current class offered at our school. It should be taught on its own, with its own scope and sequence of objectives and skills.
So what’s in a “media course?� These are just two of the potential areas and skills which would be covered.
Students in these courses would begin by identifying their relationship with media and how much time they spend using, being exposed to and creating media. By evaluating their current level of interaction with media, students will begin to recognize the importance of understanding the ‘force’ of these pieces on their lives. They already know that media is everywhere in their lives, but they need to be guided through a process which allows them to consider how they interact with it and to recognize that, with the right mindset, they can shape it and be shaped by it without folding into ‘everyone else is doing it’ mentality.
The class would focus also on the messages in media and key motivating factors which must be raised and analyzed for a student to evaluate the worth and accuracy of a message. Websites on current issues, videos and news clips which are on tape, DVD and streaming would be used to provide catalysts for evaluative discussions. Why are commercials aired when they are? What is a target audience and what is the relationship between media, marketing and information. Students MUST be able to critically think about where the messages in media are coming from and what is driving them. These are skills which are VITAL for students to become engaged and thoughtful citizens and consumers.
As you can see, by combining modes of learning which are engaging for students with current information and critical analysis practice, students will be better able to filter and understand their world—no matter if their level of media interaction is hourly or weekly. We will have given them skills which are dynamic in this fast paced and ever changing world—the key to successful futures for all of our students.