1. What is your response to Alvermann's statement, "That is, it will be important to reconcile narrowed definitions of reading (and hence reading instruction) with the need to develop young people's critical awareness as they engage with multiple sign systems." If there's a need to expand our definitions of reading and reading instruction is there also a need to rethink the way we test a student's ability to read?
2. Silverblatt's section on the credibility of media really stood out to me. His example of the typical wedding was so accurate, the presence of media does alter the event it’s documenting! I can’t count the number of times I’ve had the surreal experience of a sunset or reflective time on a mountain top cut short because the moment had to be “captured” by a camera. Or how many times have you flipped through a photo album thinking what a wonderful trip and then you remember that although you were smiling you were actually cold, wet, hungry, and hating every moment. Is there any form of media that isn’t a “construction of reality” (page 9)?
3. Would you “Strongly Agree” that media has a personal influence on you? I thought it was interesting that only 12% admitted that the media had a strong influence on them but 80% recognized that it had an impact on society as a whole. Are we responsible as teachers to not only ask our students to “respond thoughtfully” to media but to evaluate and study the effects the media has on us personally?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Media has a strong influence on our society (and every other, too). Thus, me as a part of a society is affected strongly by media. It definitely has a strong personal influence on how I communicate with other people and on how I receive political and cultural ongoings. I think nobody can deny that media in general has a strong personal influence on everybody.
ReplyDeleteI find that media does have a strong effect on me and that I am embarrassed that it has this captive power over me. I can see why only 12% actually admitted it though- no one wants to be seen as "so weak" that media can actually sway their opinions and ideas. I think that as teachers we need to advise our students to think very critically of the effect media is having on them.
ReplyDelete