Some Suggestions on Assessing Media

There are many ways that could assess media.  Using a variety of tools is what is best for the students.
You could use:

-rubrics
-peer assessment
-self assessment
-checklists
-reflections
-anecdotal comments

Ways to Integrate Media into the Curriculum

The easiest way that you can integrate media into the rest of your curriculum is to use the different forms of media as culminating tasks for some of your units. 

Here are some examples:
-an advertisement for a scientific invention (science)
-a newspaper article for a natural disaster (geography)
-a brochure for environmental issues (science)
-a podcast for debates (language)
-a video for character education
-the possibilities are endless

How to ANALYZE Media

¨  Purpose: People make media messages to inform, entertain, and/or persuade for political, commercial, educational, artistic, moral and/or other purposes.

¨  Values: Media messages communicate explicit and implicit values.

¨  Representation: Media messages are constructed—they are only representations of real or imaginary worlds.

¨  Codes, conventions and characteristics: Each medium has its own set of codes, conventions and characteristics that affect the way messages are transmitted and understood.

¨  Production: People who understand the media are better able to make purposeful media messages.

Once we learn how to analyze media, we are said to be

Media Literate

What Does Critical Literacy Look Like In Practice?

The classroom

When critical literacy is practiced, the classroom should be print rich and language rich.  This means that there should be a wide variety of texts which include many types of written forms and from different perspectives.  There should be access to online resources as well for all children.  Students are accustom to using technology and if should be at their finger tips and used to express their opinions and show their understandings.  To achieve this type of classroom there should be different learning spaces that the students use to further their use of these resources.

The Lessons

The lessons taught during critical literacy should enable students to become constructive sceptics.  The students should be encouraged to read complex texts and look for meaning and intentions from them.  They must be taught to make their own thoughts about these texts and not just answer questions given to them by the teachers.  Students can learn best when they are given choices and thoughts and opinions are share in groups and feel comfortable making their own decisions about texts.

How Comics Can Be Used To Convey Media Messages

I think comics are a great way to convey media messages.  They are easy to read, are at a lower reading level so that they can hit a large audience and are usually short.  It almost seems that if you put information into a comic and call it humour you can say anything you want.  Most political comics are meant to be funny, but really state the truth or things that people are thinking and are scared to say. Students are more likely to read a comic since they thought to be only for pleasure reading.  Students also have a great time creating comics to show their understanding of information.  They look at it as more of an art activity then a pure language activity.

The webpage that I found was Political Cartoons and I think this website could be useful in class to show on a smart board or projector.  I think it would be a great way to show student what’s going on in the world and let them determine the meaning.  I like how you can search through the comics by date.  This site sells the comics, but that’s only if you want your own copy.  You can simply show them on a screen for the students.

Things To Consider

·        Media can be used to create a positive classroom

·        Social networking can be used as an educational tool

·        Students are always influenced by different forms of media

·        Students use different forms of media everyday and the classroom should resemble
            society

·        Students should be taught about internet safety

·        Media can be used to create an inclusive environment

·        Media is a great way to meet the needs of all types of learners

What a Media Classroom Might Look Like

1.      Students reading about world events and looking at newspaper set-up
2.      A large library of different texts showing media
3.      Interactive tools and televisions used in the classroom
4.      Copies of different newspapers for the students to read during reading response times
5.      CPS remotes used for tests and quizzes
6.      Students using podcasts or doing radio advertisements
7.      Students doing interviews to get public opinion
8.      Laptops used as a resource whenever possible
9.      Students working together in groups while working with technology so that they can
        discover together and help out whenever it is necessary   
10.   Smart board used in the classroom as a multimedia tool
11.   Smart board used to help teach students about computer programs or to show websites
12.   Students making videos as an option to show understanding of text and media styles

Why Teach Media

- Media is a great way to create a positive classroom environment.

- Students enjoy media topics because it is something that they can all relate to.

- Media usually has visual components that every student can see and be a part of.

 - Most students enjoy making posters, designing websites or creating drama skits about their topics.

- If students enjoy what they are doing they are more motivated and usually do a better job.