Today is certainly a fast paced world, with consumerism driving our everyday actions. Why should our classrooms be any different? Beach argues that adolescents are technological professionals- consuming, utilizing, creating, and dispersing media at an outstanding rate. The videos from the “Media that Matters Festival” affirm this perspective. However, a vast amount of our media is controlled by only seven major media companies. Holding nearly seventy five percent of the media “real estate”, these companies have tremendous power over what consumers view, seek, and believe. The power of these seven companies, coupled with the immense role media plays in our lives, affords educators a responsibility unique to our current society.As educators, we are responsible for the standards, material, and success of our students. Starting in 2012, students will be required to meet a technology standard. This standard includes websites, blogs, wikis, and media languages. Beyond this upcoming standard, our media driven society has created another major responsibility for teachers. Our society has taught these adolescent how to be consumers: as teachers, do we need to educate these same students on how to become RESPONSIBLE consumers?
Some of the current media tools are pretty apparent; ads, web pop-ups, and sponsorships are bombarding to most viewers. However, many media tricks are less apparent. A new example of this is the current “branding” found in many popular sitcoms. For example, “Damages” (FX) is created, funded, and sponsored by Cadillac. An average of eight vehicle shots exist in each episode, creating immense publicity and increased income for this company. On “The Real World”, a Coke can was “accidentally” shot in a scene, enticing Coke to sponsor the reality crew's week long visit to Australia. Each of these examples illustrate the advancement of media and consumerism. Students, whether media professionals or not, need help navigating our increasingly complicated world of consumerism.
Adolescents need to be aware of all media languages, tools, and strategies before they can make responsible and adequate decisions. While Beach is quick is announce our students' love of all consumerism and technology, educators need to carefully craft this devotion into engaging, motivating, and useful lessons aimed at consumer responsibility.
An example of creating responsible consumerism is found in the link below. I created this lesson plan to analyze energy drink marketing tools. Adolescents would learn media language, analyze advertisements, and evaluate persuasive tools. Using these same strategies, students were responsible for creating a “slow down” energy drink media outlet. This final project would encourage their peers to monitor intake of this drug, and carefully analyze the real benefits of their consumerism. This type of activity allows adolescents to view common media, analyze their impact, evaluate the presented truths, and generate responsible consumer behaviors. As educators, we have this responsibility to our little consumers.
Link to "Rise and Sell- The Energy Drink Business and what They're Really Offering" Lesson:
http://teachers.net/lessons/posts/4258.html
I'm going to go ahead and say what we're all thinking: M.T. Anderson got it right when he suggested that companies should simply own schools. That way, kids can be taught efficiently how to be the best consumers. Everyone's a winner.
ReplyDeleteOn a less facetious note, I envy how well prepared you were for this: you have a picture and a lesson plan and everything. Let's not get carried away here, Jen; it's only grad school.
-Matty K
PS there's a spell-checker built into blogspot, which will make it harder for me to find your Easter Egg typo, "navigate."
I fixed the spelling error- good thing I'm not going to school to be an English teacher or anything :) If you could have your school owned by one company, which would you want it to be? Wow, all my ideas revolve around... well!
ReplyDelete