Final project

Unit: Teen representations in media

Note: This unit would be after an initial unit on the basics of media studies-what media is, different kinds, how much people use it, ect. This would not be an introductory unit, but one that is more focused on teens specificially.

Grades: 10-12

Timeline: 8 lessons of 1.5 hour block classes, or 16 lessons of 45 minutes.

Unit objectives:

• Every student will be able to:
• Voice how teenagers (13-19) are depicted in popular culture, and give 3-5 examples of this.
• Develop an argument stating how and why teens are represented in a certain manner.
• List 3-5 issues that are popular in teen programming.
• Compare and contrast how teens are represented across television genres.
• Explain how advertising affects young people.
• Analyze advertising marketed to teens.
• Describe the implications of teen representations in popular media.

Unit rationale: Adolescents are using different medias more than they have in the past. However, they are not taught how to understand the images and messages that they are receiving each day. In order to understand what they are viewing, they need to be taught media literacy. This includes understanding the way that they are represented in media, as well as understanding the media that is aimed at them as teenagers. Through this unit, students will explore the messages that they are receiving through teen TV programming as well as they messages that others receive about teenagers.

Essential Question: What are the implications of teen representation in popular media?

Lesson 1: Teen representations

Anticipatory set: Show the two cartoons and ask for reactions to them. What do they say about teens? Do you agree with those viewpoints?

Teenager talking to grandpa on deathbed

Teenager wearing shirt "One Size Fits None"

Body:

• Explain the unit and the objectives. Discussion will be important in this unit.
• Develop a discussion charter.
• Present media representations and why they are important.
• Organize students into groups of 4. Have 2 students in each group brainstorm words that are associated with teenagers. Have the other 2 students brainstorm words that are associated with adults. After time is up, have the small group share with each other and discuss:
• Are the two lists different? If so, why?
• Where do we see these characteristics displayed?
• Do all teens and/or all adults fit the list of characteristics that you listed.

• Have students choose the top 3 characteristics that they feel represent teens/adults. Report back to the whole group. Debrief.

Assessment: Answers to discussion.

Homework: At home tonight, watch one TV show or the evening news where a teenager is shown. How do they present this character/person? What qualities does s/he represent? If you had only this image to go on, what would your opinion of young people be? Would it be accurate? Write a summary of your findings.

Lesson 2: Teen representations 2

Activities and materials taken from: http://www.layouth.com/index.php?module=htmlpages&func=display&pid=48

Anticipatory set: Show video of popular TV show. Have students write down their immediate reactions. Share with group.

Body:

• Have students share their homework findings from the previous night. Conduct a cocktail party discussion. Students talk to a different student for 2 minutes about their findings. Do this 4 times. Have a few students report back to the whole group. Where are these images coming from? Who is putting them on television or in the newspaper? Who is the audience for these images? What messages do these images deliver about young people? Do they, as young people, find these to be accurate or representative of them or their peers? Are there any other images of teens in the media that either balance those images on the board or at least offer a different perspective? Where do these other images come from? Who is their audience?
• Have students read the 3 articles. Have them put their chairs in a circle. Discuss the articles.
• With what points in each article do you agree? With what do you disagree? Why?
• How do you think Michelle would answer Gohar and Sarah's claims of anti-teen bias in the media? How do you think Gohar and Sarah would answer Michelle's view of the issue?
• In light of these three articles' arguments, look back at your observations from the previous exercise. Do these images support the arguments of any of the articles? If so, how?
• Where do you get your images of teens, besides personal experience? What television shows, movies, magazines, and other media outlets supply images of teens? What are some of these? Are they "true-to-life" or do them seem false? Does a representation's truthfulness or falseness matter when you choose to watch it?
• What does it mean to be "media literate"? How can you read and interpret media images like a text? Why might it be necessary to read commercial media images critically? (Why are these media images "commercial"?)

Assessment: Answers to discussion questions

Homework: Respond to the following questions in writing. How might adults for example perceive the young , based upon the way they are depicted in local and national news? What effects might these perceptions have upon adult attitudes about youth? How might these perceptions shape public policy in the way adult institutions like school and the legal system react to them?

Lesson 3: Content Analysis in Teen Television Programming

Anticipatory Set: Brainstorm a list of issues that are dealt with in teen television programming.

Body:

• Ask students: How often is sex/drugs/bullying portrayed in teen programming? How do teen shows deal with sex, drugs, drinking, bullying? How is sex portrayed in the following clip?

• Assign small groups. They will work together to come up with a content analysis on one of the following: news (stories related to or about teens), magazines related to teens, ads during teen programming, TV shows.
• Must answer the question: What are the implications of these findings? Based on these findings and the representations of teens in the media, what will others think? What is your viewpoint on that: are the representations similar to reality?
• Groups must create a presentation that summarizes their findings: iMovie, powerpoint, posterboard.
• Work time in classroom and/or computer lab.

Assessment: will take place on the last day of the unit

Homework: work on project

Lesson 4: Genres of Teen Programming

Anticipatory Set: Show TV clip. What genre is this?

Body:

• List the 4 types of genres most common among teen programming: Sitcom Drama Sci-Fi/Fantasy Reality. Define each of these genres.
• Have students list the shows that they watch under each genre
• Watch a clip of Buffy the Vampire slayer. What themes are in the show? How are teens represented? How are adults represented? Is learning presented as meaningful? What is presented as meaningful? Repeat with clip from Friday Night Lights, Taking the Stage, and What I Like About You.

Assessment: Answers to questions.

Homework: Watch 2 TV shows from different genres. Compare and contrast the two. What are the different themes? Write a 1-2 page paper. Due in 3 days.

Lesson 5: Advertising

Anticipatory Set: Show ad from teen magazine. Ask students: What age group is this aimed at? What message does the ad send?

Body:

• Have students fill out a KWL. K-What they already know about advertising. W-What they want to know. L-What they learned. They can use this the next day during the video to take notes.
• Present on advertising: the basics.
• Present the 4 Ps: Product, Placement, Promotion, Price. Have students brainstorm how they feel about the 4 Ps in relation to: McDonalds, Calvin Klein Jeans, Target, Sprite.
• Show some examples of ads in print sources. Have students attempt to analyze them.
• Read the article: Brands, Not Marketers, Define Teens
• Discuss article: Do you feel that all young people fit into a certain group? Do you avoid a product if it is advertised everywhere? Why? How do you feel about the techniques used to advertise to teens?

Homework: Take an ad from a print source, newpaper or magazine, and analyze it.

Lesson 6: Merchants of Cool

Ideas and video taken from: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/cool/

Anticipatory Set: Ask students to define the word “cool”.

Body:

• Watch the PBS Frontline video “Merchants of Cool”. Have students take notes during the video.
• Explain that the following day, students will engage in a Socratic Seminar. Therefore, it is very important that they complete the homework assignment. Explain the process of the discussion.

Assessment: none

Homework: Answer the following questions. You must have the questions completed or you will not be allowed into class until they are completed.

• Is the media really reflecting the real life of kids, or is it the other way around?
• Are there trends that are not popularized by the media?
• What is “cool”? Who decides that?
• What are the implications of marketing to teens?
• Do kids create a culture of their own?
• Do you feel like you are being fed more explicit material, or that as a teen culture, you are asking for more explicit material?
• Does the idea of the “mook” or the “midriff” ring true to you? Do you see real life examples of these phenomena?

Lesson 7: Merchants of Cool 2

Body:

• Arrange circles in a chair. Review the guidelines for the Socratic Seminar.
• Begin the Socratic Seminar.
• Is the media really reflecting the real life of kids, or is it the other way around?
• Are there trends that are not popularized by the media?
• What is “cool”? Who decides that?
• What are the implications of marketing to teens?
• Do kids create a culture of their own?
• Do you feel like you are being fed more explicit material, or that as a teen culture, you are asking for more explicit material?
• Does the idea of the “mook” or the “midriff” ring true to you? Do you see real life examples of these phenomena?

• Fill out reflection/evaluation.

Assessment: Reflection from discussion

Homework: Finish reflection if did not finish during class.

taken from website

Socratic Seminar Reflection

Name

Seminar #

Text Title:

Author:

Opening Question(s):

1. Summary of key ideas:

2. Reaction: Identify what someone said; write down his/her comment. React to his/her statement.

3. Explain how the Seminar influenced your thinking about the topic or the text(s).

4. Socratic Connections: Identify and explain a connection to . . .

another writer/poet	news article	movie	song
commercial	Photograph/painting	TV show	person you know
experience you had	observation	another culture	famous/infamous person
your choices . . . .

Explain your connection fully:

5. Self Assessment

Taking a position on a question	5	4	3	2	1
Using evidence to support a position or presenting factual information	5	4	3	2	1
Drawing another person into the discussion	5	4	3	2	1
Asking a clarifying question or moving the discussion along	5	4	3	2	1
Highlighting and marking the text with questions/commentary	5	4	3	2	1

Identify a personal goal for the next seminar:

Identify a group goal and how you would be willing to contribute to it:

Lesson 8: Present Final Projects

Students take the class periods to present their final projects. Students do a self-assessment to be included with the assignment.

Teaching history through music

I created an iMovie for Marvin Gaye's song "What's Going On". I realized that there are many things that you could do with it in the classroom. Instead of doing a timeline about a song, I wanted to get at the meaning. This song was created during the Vietnam War, during a time when there were many protests and police intervention were becoming violent. The United States was in turmoil. In addition to the war, others were dying such as Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcom X. In his album, also entitled "What's Going On", Gaye addresses many issues that were meanful and relevent, finding his voice in social change.

This iMovie could be used to teach about the protests during the Vietnam War, or could also be used to teach how music is important in history and can address important issues of the time. I feel that using music in the classroom can be very powerful and intriguing.

As a follow up activity, I would have students analyze the new version of "What's Going On", created by the MTV All Stars (below). Students could do something similar, using pictures and words in an iMovie, powerpoint presentation, ect. to express their point of view, or giving a historical perspective to the new version. Some questions for the followup activity: What issues or events do they present? What was the significance of the release date? Why do you think that the MTV All Stars chose this song to remake? Do you feel that Marvin Gaye's orginal message was still present in the remake of the song?


Another activity would be to have students write their own stanza, as stated in the using music to teach history article. I believe that any of these activities would be engaging and thought provoking for students.

Local News...snore.

Fox9 News

9:00 PM Broadcast

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Viewing Log

Story Preview: Weather, winter storm watch. Weatherwoman explains the danger and then says more will come up soon. 1 min

Top Story: Red River Valley in Fargo. Leah Beno, reporter, gives us information and updates on the flooding in Fargo. Interviewed people who are evacuated. Story shows stadbagging going on in Fargo at the Fargodome. Jody Ambros tells us about conerns about a dike that is failing in Fargo, and could possibly damage a nearby school, interviews with National Guard and volunteers. Also talks with community members about possible damage to the neighborhood. 5 mins

Local News Story: Shooting in nursing home in North Carolina. 1

Local News Story: 35W Construction project. Jeff Goldberg talks about expected delays in traffic and traffic changes. For 5 months one lane on each side of the freeway will be closed. He also talks abut changes, and shows what it will look like when project is finished. Interviews with drivers and residents. Summer of construction hassels. 3

Local News Story: House fire in Minneapolis 30 sec

National News Story: Delta and Northwest Airlines merger 30 sec

Preview to upcoming stories and commercial 1

Investigative Report: School Bus Safety. Reporter starts by following up with a family that was involved in a school bus crash in December. He then moves to “shocking” statistics: 1015 buses flunked the check done by the state inspectors. He then interviews the family hurt by the school bus crash in December about the failed inspections. The reporter then shows how safety inspections differ within school districts. He finds that a janitor is in charge of buses in St. Charles school district. because of lack of funds. He then compares St. Charles to Edina school districts and shows that metro schools have fewer problems compared to outstate schools. He also shows how buses vary due to the different companys. The story ends with a public service announcement about checking school buses safety in your area through myfox9.com 5 mins

Preview to upcoming stories and commercial 30 sec

National News Story: Aid for American auto industry, brief story about CEO of GM stepping down 1 min

National New Story: Alaskan volcano erupting 1 min

National News Story: Wildfire contained in Arizona 1 min

Preview of upcoming stories and commercial 30 sec

Preview of upcoming stories and welcome back 30 sec

Local News Story: Paul Blume: Sending supplies to Red River Valley to help them rebuild the area. Interviews with Minneapolis residents about donating supplies and what they think about the flooding. ACE Hardware and Salvation Army are collecting items and Paul gives us information about donating and why we should donate. 3 mins

Weather: Upcoming storm. Start with chit chat between news anchors and weatherwoman followed by video of kids playing outside today and then warnings about winter storm warning coming up for the next few days. 5 mins

National News Story: Digital TV Coupons/switch to digital TV 1 min

National News Story: Bigger Paychecks 30 sec

Plug for Fox 9 Morning News and preview of upcoming stories 1 min

National News Story: Salmonella outbreak in Georgia Peanut Plant and possible new bill to 3mins

National News Story: Operation Toad Day Out 1 min

International News Story: Penguin deaths in Chile 1 min

International News Story: Anti-missile system in Japan 1 min

National News Story: Bill about education for illegal immigrants: reporter Claudia Cowan 3 mins

Health Story: Heart Risk to triathalon competetors and medications for heart problems. plug for myfox9news.com 2 mins

National News Story: Free Fishing licensues to MN residents when they turn 90 years old 30 sec

Entertainment News: Monsters vs. Aliens, Weekend Box Office 1 min

National News Story: Lights Out for Earth Hour 30 sec

Preview for upcoming stories and Fox9 News at 10, commericals 30 sec

National News: Whiskey thieves, still looking for theives 2 mins

Switches to Fox at 10 without transition (extra 15 minutes) recap of 9:00 news with a few extra short stories 15 mins

Analysis

The newscast started out with “local” news about the flooding in the Red River Valley. Though this is not really local news, it is close enough to us and many Minnesotans have family in Fargo, and so it can be considered local news. Local news was the first few stories, but after that, the news was all national or international, although little time was given to these stories.


The investigative report was one of the longest segments of the news broadcast. It started out talking about a family, drawing the viewer in and given reason as to why people should care about this story, as well as connecting emotions to it. After talking with the affected family, the investigation findings were presented. The family was asked to comment on these findings in the middle and at the end of the segment.

The broadcast was really long. One thing I noticed was when a story was over 3 minutes long, I started to get bored or frustrated. This could be due to the tone of the reporters or my short attention span while watching the news.

The other strange thing about the broadcast was that there was no sports news. The NCAA Tournament was played today, and a Big 10 team made it to the final 4. This was not included in the broadcast, although from 10:15-10:30 there was a 15 minute sports news broadcast which follows the 15 minute recap of the 9:00 news.

Media Ethnography

March Madness. The NCAA Tournament. Whatever you call it, it’s one of the most exciting times of the year for sports fans and gamblers alike. During the last week, the first week of the Tournament, my roommates’ behaviors have changed. More often than not, the TV is on and is featuring basketball for our viewing pleasure. I have watched and recorded their behaviors and comments. I also interviewed each of them (2 males, 1 female) about the NCAA Tournament and their Internet and TV usage during this time. In addition, I looked at the blog of Gary Parrish at CBSSports.com, a blog frequented by Roommate 1, and analyzed the comments that follow a post.

Roommate 1, or my husband, has demonstrated the most increased media usage during the last 4 days. Thursday, the first day of the Tournament, he came home for an extended lunch to watch the games that were on TV. On Friday, day two, he took the day off work so that he could enjoy 10 hours of basketball viewing. He watched the games with a group of friends at a few local establishments. During the day, he consistently talked about the games, often speaking like a coach with phrases such as “they need to step it up” and sports talk like “and one” (when a shooter is fouled, makes the basket, and is given one penalty shot). While watching the games, roommate 1 claps, screams at the TV, and makes a running stream of comments about the game or the players’ abilities. Constant time updates are a must. “2 minutes left! 34 seconds...ahhh!” Saturday and Sunday were similar. No activity could be done without checking scores via Internet or phone. Only special trips were made outside of the house and with consideration of game time. On Sunday, he watched a game on the Internet while watching another game on TV. In addition, he was spotted wearing the same Arizona t-shirt on Friday and Sunday.

Roommate 2, female, has not shown any increased media usage during this time. The only difference is that she is involved in a bracket pool, as are Roommate 1 and 3. The winner will receive $250. While watching the games, Roommate 2 is mildly interested, mainly in relation to her bracket. She usually is using the Internet or doing homework while watching.

Roommate 3, male, has shown increased media usage, mainly through TV viewing. Though he does not change his activities due to the Tournament, such as Roommate 1, he watches the games when he can and talks to others about them. When he is gone, the first thing he does when he comes home is check scores, on the Internet or by asking another roommate. While watching the games, he claps and engages in sports talk. After each game finished, he circles the correct picks that he made on his bracket. On Thursday, roommate 3 watched a game through live streaming on the Internet.

In the interview I asked the following 4 questions: 1. Why do you watch the NCAA Tournament? 2. What do you enjoy about watching it? 3. Do you watch more TV or recreationally use the Internet more during this time? 4. If so, how much?

Roommate 1 watches the Tournament because he “loves basketball”. When asked what he enjoys about watching the Tournament he replied, “the pageantry. It’s basketball at its purist. And my team (Arizona) has been in it for 25 years”. He also enjoys watching it with others, and talking to, texting, or facebooking friends about the games. His average recreational Internet usage is about 15 hours a week, and during March Madness jumps to 21 hours a week. His average TV watching time is about 21 hours a week and jumps to 25 hours a week during March Madness. (I personally feel it is more than that during March Madness)

Roommate 2 watches the Tournament for “the brackets”. She also likes the knowledge and states, “it gives me something to talk about in the elevator”. She enjoys watching because she feels invested in her bracket, likes the sportsmanship, and feels the nostalgia of college. She also likes watching because of the connection to others and the pleasure she gets from spending time with friends and family. Her Internet and television usage do not change with March Madness.

Roommate 3 watches the Tournament because he “likes watching competitive sporting events. There are good teams in the tournament which mean good games.” He enjoys watching for the drama at the end of the games, and the suspense. His television usage does increase during March Madness. He uses the Internet recreationally 8 hours a week, which does not change. He feels that he usually watches about 8 hours of TV a week and about 12 hours a week during the Tournament.

Both male roommates agree that the end of the game is the most important. The first half is seen as mildly important, while the end is the best part. This is where the excitement is. My female roommate only really cared who won, not the game itself. Also, both male roommates increased their media usage during the Tournament while my female roommate did not experience this increase.

There are many purposes of watching March Madness. Beach gives the example of the World Cup in our text. He states that fans that watch the games in a social group “engage in ritual-like social practices as well as acquiring information about the teams and players, sharing time with friends and family, and using sports viewing to kill time” (p. 57). The same thoughts apply to the NCAA Tournament. Viewers enjoy watching the games and checking stats so that they can talk about them the next day with co-workers, family, and friends. It gives people a conversation opener, and a chance to relate to others. Also, it comes at the end of winter and I feel that for Minnesotans this is especially important. It gives people a reason to get together, every weekend for an entire month. After being inside all winter, and for many feeling slightly depressed or down, it gives people a reason to make plans with others, and a chance to get out and do something different. Roommate 1 was even inspired to shoot some baskets on Saturday, an unusual activity!

The Tournament is also a male bonding experience. Though males and females alike watch the Tournament and engage in talk, I noticed while watching as a large mixed group, the majority of males sat together and engaged in sports talk while the majority of females sat together and engaged in talk generally not related to sports. While this is a generalization and obviously there are exceptions, this was the norm at our get-together. Though both males and females enjoyed watching the Tournament, they watched it in different ways.

It was only the first weekend of March Madness. I can be sure that these patterns will continue in my household, and many MANY more hours of college basketball will be watched! And read about. See below.

Gary Parrish: NCAA Tournament Recap
Roommate 1 reads this blog daily and does not like the author. He feels that most of the other readers who post comments are from the East and always "hating on" his team. He feels similarly about the author. While looking at the comments, I do agree that the majority of the comments have to do with how great a certain conference is, in this case, the Big East. When somebody disagrees, a derogatory comment is often added such as : "You are an idiot. A top heavy league is having 2 teams possibly make the sweet 16. having 5 make it with a 6th just missing is domination. I guess the BE is top heavy because it doesn't have all 16 teams in the sweet 16. Name me one other conference to ever have 5 teams in the sweet 16."
Many comments end with taunting as well (as seen above).

Similar pattern seen here (in response to another comment): "I've got $2 that says you can't get any dumber. You seem so intent on discussing the ACC refs, blah, blah, blah- explain to me then why the ACC did so well OOC, without ACC refs? Do you think the ACC refs mattered much in the Heels' 43 point win over Radford? The 14 pt win over LSU? Seriously? Oh, and now some facts for you (not that you seem to care about those pesky little things), but there are rules in the NCAA tournament around refs from a single conference." (and it goes on from there)

Really? Do we talk to each other this way? Is my "gender" getting in the way of me seeing how this is an acceptable form of communication? Idiot and get any dumber....awesome. And that is just two examples. I feel that a lot of this language has to do with the fact that people are posting online and do not have to have face-to-face contact. There is no "embarrassment" factor. Also, many who comment seem extremely attached to "their" team or the conference that "their" team is in. Many comments state the superiority of "their" team or how they were unjustly treated or looked at by others. I sometimes wonder where is attitude of "my" team comes from. Are you on the team? Did you call any of the plays? Play a part in recruitment, maybe?? Um...no? So what's with the "we" and "us" language? I went to the University of Minnesota but I don't consider the Gophers Mens Basketball team and myself a "we".

While many postings fall in this pattern, not all. Many posters are reading the blog and posting because they love to talk sports. People want their opinions and views heard, and want to add their two cents. Many agree with the blogger. Many disagree and state why. Their shared interest is sports, and talking as if they too were experts, they will!

Vegans in the media--Watch out!

By former Los Angeles Times cartoonist Tony Peyser:

As I was watching Friday Night Lights this week, I was outraged (yes, OUTRAGED) at the way that they portrayed a young, adolescent vegan. She was visiting her dad; she currently lives with mom because dad cheated on mom, spurring a divorce. She was angry and she showed it. The family, minus mom, went camping. While making dinner, dad starts to make steak and the girl says that she is now vegan and that her new step-dad says that meat is murder. Dad gets really mad and tells her she WILL eat the steak. Next, the girl gets really angry (who wouldn’t when forced to eat something that you ALREADY stated that you don’t eat). They get into a fight and dad throws the steaks into the woods. Fast-forward a few days. Nobody has made up yet. They go to a football game and start to feel like a family again. Love is in the air. Everyone has a good time and they make up. Next, and this is truly disturbing, the girl asks if they can go get milkshakes. MILKSHAKES! They were in Texas, and nothing against Texas, but I am going to assume that she wasn’t going to order her shake with rice milk. Dad says he thought she didn’t drink milk and she laughs. So being vegan equals anger and drinking milk equals happiness and love. Was this episode sponsored by the dairy industry?

Veganism can be defined as “a diet and lifestyle that excludes the use of animals for food, clothing, or any other purpose” (www.wikipedia.com) Vegans have been portrayed as angry, militant, hippies, alternative, and strange in the media. Vegetarians are portrayed similarly, but to a lesser extent. One family drew attention to veganism in 2007 when their 6-week-old baby died because they didn’t feed him enough. The parents were vegan and blamed the death on the strict eating habits of their chosen lifestyle. This story sparked controversy, and drew attention to veganism. Reading the comments from the news article builds understanding of how deeply negative some feel about vegans. Do these people know many vegans? Since less than 1% of the population is thought to be vegan, probably not. However, through the media they have “learned” what it “means” to be vegan. One reader wrote, “And to you Vegan militants--get a life, your diet is a mental illness.” Another reader who shares a similar view wrote, “I can't believe how out of control veganism has gotten lately. Sure, us people who eat meat end up making our children sick with our food, but at least were trying to provide health.” (I just wanted to point out that that last statement makes no sense) She continued, “This idea was completely stupid. Those parents don't deserve to go to prison because they killed their child, but because they're also vegans.” (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article1768368.ece)
 So, send all vegans to prison???

In one study, Fox &Ward (2003) studied the connection between diet and identity. They found that vegetarians and vegans thought of their lifestyles as healthier than that of a meat-eater. They also reported that this thought is carried over to their identity as a vegetarian or vegan. In the study, one participant remarked, “I feel better, cleaner. I also quit smoking and went back to biking, walking and trying not to travel by automobile”. (Should this person be sent to prison?) They conclude that vegetarianism is both a practice and an identity for its proponents. Also, Povey, Wellens & Conner (2001) looked at four different diets and found that vegans found their own diet to be humane, healthy, and environmentally friendly (p.20). Since Fox & Ward found that there is a connection between diet and identity, it can be inferred that vegans also would use those words to identify themselves.

I think that the media messages are very different than the ideas that vegans hold about themselves. While of course some vegans will be hippies, alternative, or militant, it does not mean that the majority are. These are messages conveyed by the media that seep into the brains of millions, hanging out until they hear about the above mentioned news story. They are then written on blogs, commented on online news sites, and spread through media. Ahhhh!

Works Cited:

Fox, J. & Ward, K. You are what you eat? Vegetarianism, health and identity. Journal of the American Dietetic Association (2003), 103(6), 748-76.

Povey, Wellens, & Conner. Attitudes towards following meat, vegetarian, and vegan diets: an examination of the role of ambivalence. Appetite (2001), 37, 15-26.

Conversational Agents

Doering et al. (2008) found that while conversational agents engaged learners outside of the work that they were doing, they were not very helpful in developing their projects (p. 267). Similarly, Veletsianos, Scharber, and Doering (2008) state “educational technology researchers appear to be overly enthusiastic regarding the possibilities afforded by pedagogical agents, even though it appears that there is no compelling experimental evidence for their learning benefits” (p. 292, Choi and Clark, 2006). In addition, both studies refer to the sexual content that users injected into their conversations with the agents. De Angeli and Brahnam (2001) found that “approximately 11% of user–agent conversations were concerned with hard-core sex”. I find this troubling, but not surprising. Many middle and high school students are going through puberty and beginning to think about sex. Also, technology makes it easier for many to say what you are really thinking. Would most students approach a teacher and ask them about sex? Probably not. Through text messaging, online friend services such as Facebook, and online chatting many adolescents and young adults express themselves in ways that I believe they wouldn’t do when in face-to-face situations. I think that there are often fewer emotions associated with the written word. I would argue that if you asked a student to ask a vulgar question, the chances of them doing it are higher than if they had to speak it.

I think that as they are currently, conversational agents have little educational value, however this could be changed with improved agents. Doering et al. (2008) believe that “if learners are to utilize CAs with success, the CAs need to be intelligent enough to accurately comprehend the questions the learners are posing or the software application needs to offer an interface that guides the learners to ask their questions in an appropriate manner” (p. 267). Agents are not going to be valuable in learning situations if they do not answer the questions that the students want answered. However, Doering et al. (2008) found that agents had other benefits such as aiding in student reflection, helping students think about questions, discussing issues with students, and dialoguing (p. 268). With better, updated agents, they will be very useful in the classroom.

One idea for classroom use is to set them up for students to use while there is a substitute teacher. While working on a paper or project, the students could use agents to answer their questions, as well as the substitute. Similarly, they could be used after a unit, and before a review for students to ask any questions that they might have, as well as have the agent ask students questions, much like a quiz, but more fun and conversational. I do think that agents could be very useful for learning situations if they were really good agents, with a lot of knowledge. I think that the fact that they have personalities will make students want to converse with them, aiding in their interest in the task at hand. Another idea is for students to set up agents, much like we did for our blog, as part of a presentation. This could be especially useful for shy students who often stress over speaking in front of groups. It could be given as an alternative to speaking themselves. Though this does not teach speaking skills, when students are severely stressed out, they do not learn either. I was this student in middle and high school; the student who could not speak in front of a large group. I eventually grew out of it. However, on my way to growing out of it, I avoided every class that involved speaking in front of others. Had something like these agents been an alternative, maybe I would have considered those classes and learned a thing or two about writing speeches.

Overall, I think that agents are a cool, but also totally creepy thing. In the future, with more development, they could become very useful in the classroom. Also, they were fun to set up, though time consuming.

Teaching Film, Television, and Media Studies-A Green Light Activity

Express Yourself with Gizmoz Video Clips