Media literacy and classroom 2.0

In the previous post I reflected on Danah Boyd's article "Social Network Sites: Public, Private or What?" I want to build on the media literacy connection she made at the end of her essay and share one more "ah-hah."

To review, Boyd acknowledges the challenge the social networking revolution places on educators: how do we embrace these technologies while helping young people to negotiate the shifting line between the public and the private spheres? She recommends educators take the "engage, don't enrage" approach, to avoid imposing rules on student use and to instead prepare students by talking to them openly about the potential stumbling blocks associated with networking. She writes, "There are different ways to approach conversing with students. The most obvious is through curriculum, under the broader umbrella of media literacy."

She doesn't elaborate much beyond this point, except to say that in addition to media literacy curriculum, teachers in other disciplines can stimulate dialogue about the impact of these new technologies on our society. For example, think of the debate topics, writing prompts, or discussion starters a teacher might generate based on this recent report about a high school senior who is contesting a 40-day suspension based on his alleged involvement in the production of a YouTube video that targets a teacher at his school.

Only thing is, I would argue that a classroom teacher who regularly draws on current events and media artifacts to enhance course content in the manner described above is essentially doing media education. In other words, the curriculum doesn't have to be a separate, add-on course. It's a big debate in media education circles: should media literacy be achieved through a cross-disciplinary, integrated approach or through media courses taught in isolation?

Personally, when it comes to media education, I wish it was viable for schools to pursue a "both/and" approach. I imagine a foundational class, taught perhaps at the eighth or ninth grade level. This class introduces the essential principles and habits of mind that are the backbone of media education. (Look at this quick conceptual framework at the Canadian Media Awareness Network web site. For a complete introduction, nothing beats the MediaLit Kit from the Center for Media Literacy.) Ideally, this curriculum would be supported by a faculty and school administration who are well-versed in the media education paradigm and continually apply the principles to new media and technologies as they emerge throughout a child's four-year high school career. Again, I am just imagining the ideal.

Now for the "ah-hah" moment.

Last month when I unveiled my Dreamweaver project site, called Publish Me!, I wrote about my effort to address Internet safety concerns and my fear that, in doing so, I may have degraded whatever shred of the web 2.0 sensibility there was on the site. One question I had pertained to the appropriateness of linking to these "think before you post" PSAs produced by the Ad Council in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Justice. Do the PSAs possess any instructional value whatsoever, or are they nothing more than scare tactics and hype?

After reading Boyd's article, however, it occurred to me that the PSAs indeed have instructional value if they are approached through the media literacy paradigm. The obvious solution is to turn the Internet safety buzz (or "hype," as some would term it) into an opportunity for critical inquiry. Let the PSA target audience, the teens themselves, judge whether the ads are helpful or problematic.

Watch this PSA about posting digital images online and then consider how you might facilitate a classroom discussion about its "constructedness," its embedded values, its purpose, its intended audience, and so on. You might use this lesson plan template for conducting a close analysis of a media text.

It's a perfect example of teaching about and through media with the added bonus of integrating web 2.0 principles into the curriculum!

Media literacy and classroom 2.0

Media literacy and classroom 2.0

In the previous post I reflected on Danah Boyd's article "Social Network Sites: Public, Private or What?" I want to build on the media literacy connection she made at the end of her essay and share one more "ah-hah."

To review, Boyd acknowledges the challenge the social networking revolution places on educators: how do we embrace these technologies while helping young people to negotiate the shifting line between the public and the private spheres? She recommends educators take the "engage, don't enrage" approach, to avoid imposing rules on student use and to instead prepare students by talking to them openly about the potential stumbling blocks associated with networking. She writes, "There are different ways to approach conversing with students. The most obvious is through curriculum, under the broader umbrella of media literacy."

She doesn't elaborate much beyond this point, except to say that in addition to media literacy curriculum, teachers in other disciplines can stimulate dialogue about the impact of these new technologies on our society. For example, think of the debate topics, writing prompts, or discussion starters a teacher might generate based on this recent report about a high school senior who is contesting a 40-day suspension based on his alleged involvement in the production of a YouTube video that targets a teacher at his school.

Only thing is, I would argue that a classroom teacher who regularly draws on current events and media artifacts to enhance course content in the manner described above is essentially doing media education. In other words, the curriculum doesn't have to be a separate, add-on course. It's a big debate in media education circles: should media literacy be achieved through a cross-disciplinary, integrated approach or through media courses taught in isolation?

Personally, when it comes to media education, I wish it was viable for schools to pursue a "both/and" approach. I imagine a foundational class, taught perhaps at the eighth or ninth grade level. This class introduces the essential principles and habits of mind that are the backbone of media education. (Look at this quick conceptual framework at the Canadian Media Awareness Network web site. For a complete introduction, nothing beats the MediaLit Kit from the Center for Media Literacy.) Ideally, this curriculum would be supported by a faculty and school administration who are well-versed in the media education paradigm and continually apply the principles to new media and technologies as they emerge throughout a child's four-year high school career. Again, I am just imagining the ideal.

Now for the "ah-hah" moment.

Last month when I unveiled my Dreamweaver project site, called Publish Me!, I wrote about my effort to address Internet safety concerns and my fear that, in doing so, I may have degraded whatever shred of the web 2.0 sensibility there was on the site. One question I had pertained to the appropriateness of linking to these "think before you post" PSAs produced by the Ad Council in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Justice. Do the PSAs possess any instructional value whatsoever, or are they nothing more than scare tactics and hype?

After reading Boyd's article, however, it occurred to me that the PSAs indeed have instructional value if they are approached through the media literacy paradigm. The obvious solution is to turn the Internet safety buzz (or "hype," as some would term it) into an opportunity for critical inquiry. Let the PSA target audience, the teens themselves, judge whether the ads are helpful or problematic.

Watch this PSA about posting digital images online and then consider how you might facilitate a classroom discussion about its "constructedness," its embedded values, its purpose, its intended audience, and so on. You might use this lesson plan template for conducting a close analysis of a media text.

It's a perfect example of teaching about and through media with the added bonus of integrating web 2.0 principles into the curriculum!

Media literacy and classroom 2.0

A social networking "primer"

I found this article about social networking by way of Weblogg-ed last month. It was just what he said it would be: an excellent "primer" for educators (and others) who are starting to explore the potential of social networking sites. The article explains in simple terms how social network sites work. This information couldn't have arrived at a better time, as I am experiencing MySpace vicariously with my son's babysitter, who, incidentally, is NOT a teen. She is 43 and a grandmother. We plunged together into MySpace a few weeks ago when she asked me to help her set up an account so she can stay in contact with cousins and other relatives separated by busy work schedules and geographic distance. They are all on MySpace!

While acknowledging the attendant challenges -- the blurring of the line that separates the public and the private spheres, the many unresolved questions about how to engender appropriate and responsible use -- the author, Danah Boyd, encourages educators to embrace social networking applications. (I am reminded of Chris Lehmann's suggestion that we think of these tools in terms of "academic networking." It's a good starting point.)

Boyd concludes with a number of recommendations and next steps for educators. Two big "ah-hahs" for me:

First, she recommends we create a presence (a profile) for ourselves on the sites most popular with our students. Wow. I have always maintained it's "their space." Why would I want to intrude? Now, thanks to Boyd (and Teresa, the babysitter), I am starting to come around in my thinking.

Second, and more important to me, is Boyd's reference to the role media literacy curriculum will serve in preparing students for engaging responsibly with these new technologies. This is huge! I'm thrilled to see someone drawing this connection.

Is anyone else out there examining classroom 2.0 through a media literacy lens?

A social networking "primer"

A social networking "primer"

I found this article about social networking by way of Weblogg-ed last month. It was just what he said it would be: an excellent "primer" for educators (and others) who are starting to explore the potential of social networking sites. The article explains in simple terms how social network sites work. This information couldn't have arrived at a better time, as I am experiencing MySpace vicariously with my son's babysitter, who, incidentally, is NOT a teen. She is 43 and a grandmother. We plunged together into MySpace a few weeks ago when she asked me to help her set up an account so she can stay in contact with cousins and other relatives separated by busy work schedules and geographic distance. They are all on MySpace!

While acknowledging the attendant challenges -- the blurring of the line that separates the public and the private spheres, the many unresolved questions about how to engender appropriate and responsible use -- the author, Danah Boyd, encourages educators to embrace social networking applications. (I am reminded of Chris Lehmann's suggestion that we think of these tools in terms of "academic networking." It's a good starting point.)

Boyd concludes with a number of recommendations and next steps for educators. Two big "ah-hahs" for me:

First, she recommends we create a presence (a profile) for ourselves on the sites most popular with our students. Wow. I have always maintained it's "their space." Why would I want to intrude? Now, thanks to Boyd (and Teresa, the babysitter), I am starting to come around in my thinking.

Second, and more important to me, is Boyd's reference to the role media literacy curriculum will serve in preparing students for engaging responsibly with these new technologies. This is huge! I'm thrilled to see someone drawing this connection.

Is anyone else out there examining classroom 2.0 through a media literacy lens?

A social networking "primer"

Musicians as self-publishers

A very cool article appeared this weekend in the New York Times Magazine. If it wasn't for the title, “Sex, Drugs, and Updating your Blog,” I'd post it as a resource on Publish Me! But, well, . . . anyway it's a terrific account of what can happen when artists (in this case, musicians) adapt the self-publishing potential of the web as the basis for managing their flowering careers. Singers, songwriters, and music groups are using the web to build collaborative, symbiotic relationships with their fans. Some are planning concert tours, releasing entire albums of music, and earning a viable income from their music -- all without the backing of a major record label.

A teacher could share even just a portion of this article with students as a source of inspiration. Yet, the stories of these musicians also provide a basis for asking some critical questions. The article is by no means a glorification of social networking tools; the author does a good job of discussing the trade-offs involved in self-managing one's career on the web. How do these artists adjust their personal and professional lives when Internet relationships devolve from intimate to intrusive?

I'm still thinking about the last paragraph, the sentence about "correct emotional tools." There are some implications here for teachers, and not just teachers who work with emerging musicians. This is the challenge: how do we sensitize young people to appropriate use of social networking so they too can experience a "fresh route to creative success," whatever their creative outlet might be?

Musicians as self-publishers

Musicians as self-publishers

A very cool article appeared this weekend in the New York Times Magazine. If it wasn't for the title, “Sex, Drugs, and Updating your Blog,” I'd post it as a resource on Publish Me! But, well, . . . anyway it's a terrific account of what can happen when artists (in this case, musicians) adapt the self-publishing potential of the web as the basis for managing their flowering careers. Singers, songwriters, and music groups are using the web to build collaborative, symbiotic relationships with their fans. Some are planning concert tours, releasing entire albums of music, and earning a viable income from their music -- all without the backing of a major record label.

A teacher could share even just a portion of this article with students as a source of inspiration. Yet, the stories of these musicians also provide a basis for asking some critical questions. The article is by no means a glorification of social networking tools; the author does a good job of discussing the trade-offs involved in self-managing one's career on the web. How do these artists adjust their personal and professional lives when Internet relationships devolve from intimate to intrusive?

I'm still thinking about the last paragraph, the sentence about "correct emotional tools." There are some implications here for teachers, and not just teachers who work with emerging musicians. This is the challenge: how do we sensitize young people to appropriate use of social networking so they too can experience a "fresh route to creative success," whatever their creative outlet might be?

Musicians as self-publishers

Introducing Publish Me! Beta

I am officially announcing the beta release of Publish Me!, my project site developed for IT 578. (I think I just coined a new oxymoron: “officially beta.”)

In this post, I want to document some questions, doubts, and struggles associated with the development of Publish Me!

First of all, a little background about my schizophrenic semester. I enrolled in two challenging courses this spring: IT 521 and IT 578. In IT 521 (computer applications in education) I learned about blogs, open source software, web-based applications, and the concept of “web 2.0,” a term that refers to the Internet's growing capacity for participation, collaboration, and networking. In this class I developed a nascent appreciation for what some educators are calling “classroom 2.0.” Check out this succinct description of classroom 2.o with helpful visuals.

OK, so all of this makes IT 578 (intro to web design for educators) seem pretty conventional. Our assignment for the semester, by no means small, was straightforward enough: develop and create a web-based instructional module (an educational web site) using Dreamweaver software. My idea for a site was based on a desire to improve publishing opportunities for budding student journalists and creative writers at the high school level. Thus, Publish Me! was born.

I have always said from the get-go that my primary objective in starting the master's program in instructional technology was NOT to become an instructional technologist (an end in itself) but to find out how to use the technology to support my classroom practice. How do I integrate technology into instruction in ways that are motivating and relevant for students and, at the same time, teach them to engage more critically and responsibly with all forms of new and electronic media? (That last part is a plug for media literacy, near and dear to my heart.)

I think classroom 2.0 is the answer to my original question. But now I have new questions.

For starters, can Publish Me! stand up to the classroom 2.o standard?

If classroom 2.0 is based on a radical restructuring of information transfer, in which top-down models give way to collaborative and creative exchanges, then Publish Me! leaves a lot to be desired. I mean, even the name connotes passivity. It suggests the "old way" of doing things: the publisher as the authoritative middleman, connecting the writer to the audience. Should I have named the site "I Publish"? Am I overthinking this?

Then, by way of Judy Breck's Golden Swamp blog, I stumbled upon an excellent article about the future of journalism written by Bruno Giussani for the Knight Forum. Following Breck's advice, I read the article looking for implications for educators. It's an enlightening exercise; read the last two paragraphs, as she suggests, and replace all instances of “journalism” with “educator/education.” Here is a portion of the article that may resonate with teachers:

The new power of editors and journalists will depend on their ability to take on new tasks: to animate a group of people; to develop ways to organize how information is gathered and used, with the participation of what used to be called "the audience;" and to help people navigate an information landscape that's increasingly crowded and constantly shifting. If it sounds confusing -- and scary to some in the media -- that’s because it is. Nobody really knows how this emerging immediate, unmediated world will develop.

Throughout the article Giussani emphasizes the transformative nature of web 2.0; those in traditional gatekeeping roles will become nurturers and facilitators instead. I really like this! He uses the term “soft structure,” a perfect description of the teacher's contribution to the classroom 2.0 model.

So, Publish Me! will keep its name. For the moment, the site doesn't promote or employ any of the really powerful and empowering applications – social networking tools like blogs, wikis and so on -- but some day it can! It has the potential for lots of development in these areas.

In the interim, Publish Me! is what it is: a portal, a collection of external links connecting teens to traditional print and electronic publications. Aside from a word processor and Internet connection, the only application you need is email, which hardly ranks as a social networking tool, and if it does, then it has got to be the “granddaddy” of them all.

Imagine my surprise, then, when a teacher told me a few weeks ago (just days before Publish Me! was due to be evaluated) that the county school system prohibits student email use on campus. I am still trying to confirm this claim through the proper channels, but the person I spoke to was adamant and had a story about student trafficking in pornography via email to back up his vehement protest.

Of course, when I spoke to other teachers, I heard plenty of positive examples of instructionally sound email use -- everything from "my students use email to turn in assignments" to "I just helped one of my students register for a Gmail account so she would have an email address to put on her resume." Yet, I can't put a web site out there and ask my fellow teachers to use it if I suspect that it violates school policy. Can I?

When I shared my dilemma with an English teacher who uses technology regularly, she suggested that a student could submit writing to her on disk and she could send it to an online publication using her school-sanctioned email account. In other words, the teacher becomes the conduit of information between the student and the publication. This is certainly an option, but it is decidedly un-2.0.

I never resolved the email question. With the assignment due date looming, I scoured every page of Publish Me!, looking for references to email. The site is now laden with notices to "always ask an adult's permission first," and I come across as a strident prude who doesn't trust teenagers.

I also created a resource section titled “Think before You Post” with links to PSAs produced by the Ad Council in collaboration with the U.S. Justice Department. A few days later, I read a scathing review of these ads at the VirtualPolitik blog. I like the VirtualPolitik blog; it contains numerous, thought-provoking critiques of government-produced media. Now, I felt like a big dope. I thought the PSAs would be a good hook for engaging young people in a conversation about appropriate use. I had not considered the inherent "voyeuristic sexism" of the ads.

Whew! For me, this process represents a perfect example of the chasm between educational theory and practice. I may be working outside the classroom, but I am still seeing the tightrope, if not walking it.

If you have managed to read through all of the above and not be completely turned off, please consider working with me! I need classroom-connected people to help refine Publish Me! and take it for a test drive with students. Any takers?

Introducing Publish Me! Beta

Introducing Publish Me! Beta

I am officially announcing the beta release of Publish Me!, my project site developed for IT 578. (I think I just coined a new oxymoron: “officially beta.”)

In this post, I want to document some questions, doubts, and struggles associated with the development of Publish Me!

First of all, a little background about my schizophrenic semester. I enrolled in two challenging courses this spring: IT 521 and IT 578. In IT 521 (computer applications in education) I learned about blogs, open source software, web-based applications, and the concept of “web 2.0,” a term that refers to the Internet's growing capacity for participation, collaboration, and networking. In this class I developed a nascent appreciation for what some educators are calling “classroom 2.0.” Check out this succinct description of classroom 2.o with helpful visuals.

OK, so all of this makes IT 578 (intro to web design for educators) seem pretty conventional. Our assignment for the semester, by no means small, was straightforward enough: develop and create a web-based instructional module (an educational web site) using Dreamweaver software. My idea for a site was based on a desire to improve publishing opportunities for budding student journalists and creative writers at the high school level. Thus, Publish Me! was born.

I have always said from the get-go that my primary objective in starting the master's program in instructional technology was NOT to become an instructional technologist (an end in itself) but to find out how to use the technology to support my classroom practice. How do I integrate technology into instruction in ways that are motivating and relevant for students and, at the same time, teach them to engage more critically and responsibly with all forms of new and electronic media? (That last part is a plug for media literacy, near and dear to my heart.)

I think classroom 2.0 is the answer to my original question. But now I have new questions.

For starters, can Publish Me! stand up to the classroom 2.o standard?

If classroom 2.0 is based on a radical restructuring of information transfer, in which top-down models give way to collaborative and creative exchanges, then Publish Me! leaves a lot to be desired. I mean, even the name connotes passivity. It suggests the "old way" of doing things: the publisher as the authoritative middleman, connecting the writer to the audience. Should I have named the site "I Publish"? Am I overthinking this?

Then, by way of Judy Breck's Golden Swamp blog, I stumbled upon an excellent article about the future of journalism written by Bruno Giussani for the Knight Forum. Following Breck's advice, I read the article looking for implications for educators. It's an enlightening exercise; read the last two paragraphs, as she suggests, and replace all instances of “journalism” with “educator/education.” Here is a portion of the article that may resonate with teachers:

The new power of editors and journalists will depend on their ability to take on new tasks: to animate a group of people; to develop ways to organize how information is gathered and used, with the participation of what used to be called "the audience;" and to help people navigate an information landscape that's increasingly crowded and constantly shifting. If it sounds confusing -- and scary to some in the media -- that’s because it is. Nobody really knows how this emerging immediate, unmediated world will develop.

Throughout the article Giussani emphasizes the transformative nature of web 2.0; those in traditional gatekeeping roles will become nurturers and facilitators instead. I really like this! He uses the term “soft structure,” a perfect description of the teacher's contribution to the classroom 2.0 model.

So, Publish Me! will keep its name. For the moment, the site doesn't promote or employ any of the really powerful and empowering applications – social networking tools like blogs, wikis and so on -- but some day it can! It has the potential for lots of development in these areas.

In the interim, Publish Me! is what it is: a portal, a collection of external links connecting teens to traditional print and electronic publications. Aside from a word processor and Internet connection, the only application you need is email, which hardly ranks as a social networking tool, and if it does, then it has got to be the “granddaddy” of them all.

Imagine my surprise, then, when a teacher told me a few weeks ago (just days before Publish Me! was due to be evaluated) that the county school system prohibits student email use on campus. I am still trying to confirm this claim through the proper channels, but the person I spoke to was adamant and had a story about student trafficking in pornography via email to back up his vehement protest.

Of course, when I spoke to other teachers, I heard plenty of positive examples of instructionally sound email use -- everything from "my students use email to turn in assignments" to "I just helped one of my students register for a Gmail account so she would have an email address to put on her resume." Yet, I can't put a web site out there and ask my fellow teachers to use it if I suspect that it violates school policy. Can I?

When I shared my dilemma with an English teacher who uses technology regularly, she suggested that a student could submit writing to her on disk and she could send it to an online publication using her school-sanctioned email account. In other words, the teacher becomes the conduit of information between the student and the publication. This is certainly an option, but it is decidedly un-2.0.

I never resolved the email question. With the assignment due date looming, I scoured every page of Publish Me!, looking for references to email. The site is now laden with notices to "always ask an adult's permission first," and I come across as a strident prude who doesn't trust teenagers.

I also created a resource section titled “Think before You Post” with links to PSAs produced by the Ad Council in collaboration with the U.S. Justice Department. A few days later, I read a scathing review of these ads at the VirtualPolitik blog. I like the VirtualPolitik blog; it contains numerous, thought-provoking critiques of government-produced media. Now, I felt like a big dope. I thought the PSAs would be a good hook for engaging young people in a conversation about appropriate use. I had not considered the inherent "voyeuristic sexism" of the ads.

Whew! For me, this process represents a perfect example of the chasm between educational theory and practice. I may be working outside the classroom, but I am still seeing the tightrope, if not walking it.

If you have managed to read through all of the above and not be completely turned off, please consider working with me! I need classroom-connected people to help refine Publish Me! and take it for a test drive with students. Any takers?

Introducing Publish Me! Beta