transcript of interview

I had hoped to post my interview so that everyone could see how animated and wonderful our friend Bill Fichtner is but the battery in the camera I was using only held a charge for a few minutes.

Bill is a published author, retired minister, father, husband and so much more.  He was born in 1927 and has lived through so much in his life.  What I talked to him about was mostly his childhood.  I wanted to see what it was like to live through the Great Depression, racism and poverty in Appalachia.  I haven't decided yet which way I want to take my digital story.

Bill answered questions about what his life was like growing up poor in Morgantown.  He had a wonderful friend, an older black woman, who he named his own daughter after when he grew up.  That relationship was almost unheard of at that time.

We talked a little about technology and at 84 years old, I was surprised to see a brand new satellite dish in his yard.  He didn't even have tv cable until last year.

Week 11 DE Journal

One explanation of adolescents’ lack of digital production, at least in American schools, is that while 66% of teachers reported employing digital media tools and 46% reported using digital resources in their teaching, this still means that students in one third of classrooms are not experiencing use of digital media tools and not using digital resources in about one half of classrooms (Project Tomorrow, 2010).

I think that this is an amazing fact.  We know that a lot of students don’t get the technology in the classroom but I didn’t realize the numbers were so bad.  I wonder if it is because of the lack of funding and the teachers don’t have the tools to work with or if they have the tools but either choose not to or don’t know how to.  I would imagine that older teachers that graduated a long time ago probably don’t have the technology knowledge that some of the younger ones might have.  I know that in the state of WV to renew your teaching license the WVDE is requiring teachers to have an Instructional Technology course as part of their renewal.  That hopefully will help some.

Project Tomorrow (2010). Speak Up 2009: Unleashing the future: educators “speak up” about the use of emerging technologies for learning. Irving, CA: Project Tomorrow. Retrieved October 16, 2010 from http://www.tomorrow.org/speakup.

Core Standards Link

Common Core State Standards Initiative

Common core state standards initiative. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.corestandards.org/

In the article, the author referred to the Common Core State Standards.  This is the information I found on these standards.

Week 10 DE Journal

In the area of technology literacy, students who create digital stories improve their skills
by using software that combines a variety of multimedia tools including working with
text, still images, audio, video and oftentimes, Web publishing. In the area of
technological literacy, Digital Storytelling can provide a meaningful reason for students
to learn to digitize media content by using scanners, digital still cameras, and video
cameras. In addition, as students create the narration and soundtrack for a story, they gain
skills in using microphones, digitizing audio and working with music and sound effects.

I can see how the creation of digital media stories would improve the skills of the students creating the stories.  I've been amazed at how the different projects we have worked on have enhanced my skills (which were sorely lacking).  The main problem I see with digital storytelling and web publishing, is the cost of the technology both hardware and software.  I'm sure lots of school systems have computers and software and microphones and recorders and all kinds of things but I know lots of school systems don't have the funding to support technology.  I did a search and found several websites where teachers could go to write or apply for grants.  Sometimes this is the only way to get some of the things that the teachers would like to have.  That also means extra work for them when they are already overworked.

Grants

Technology grant news/technology grant and resource news [Web log comment]. Retrieved from http://www.technologygrantnews.com/grant-index-by-type/k-12-grants.html

This website shows some of the grants that are available for technology.  It does require a fee.

Interview

I will be interviewing Bill Fictner.  He's a family friend and one of my most favorite people in the whole world.  Bill is a retired minister, a husband, a father, an author, and a farmer.  I plan to interview him next Saturday.

Journal Entry Week 9

"For example, students learned that it takes courage to share their stories publicly; they risk judgment from others. But once they develop confidence and commitment to the storytelling process, students can generate many new insights related to media production as a vehicle for engagement with culture identity work through producing short videos and by remixing and repurposing existing media content to tell new stories."

It takes a lot of courage to produce a video about your own life.  What if your peers think your story is boring, uninformative, stupid, etc?  Does that mean they think your life is like that?  People don't want to come across as dull or stupid.  We want our peers to think that we are successful, smart, funny and to even be a little envious of us.  If you put your whole life out there for others to share, then you put yourself out for review.  If we can get past that part of it, then we might learn a lot about ourselves and our families that we didn't think about or know. 

Digital Storytelling

(Barrett, 2004)

This link shows multiple examples of digital stories and gives some instruction.

Barrett, H. C. (2004). Digital storytelling. Retrieved from http://electronicportfolios.com/digistory

Module 8

Module 8

My favorite story was Spring 2002 Lab.

Clay Life

I really like the way the teen was so open and honest about his life and his desires.  His talent with the clay animation was so amazing.  I am so glad that he was able to use that talent to overcome his shyness and awkwardness. 

I learned from the story that clay animation was not at all what I thought it was.  The student was so extremely talented and to watch the painstaking time with the modeling and the picture framing was really interesting.  I also learned about this particular young man.  How he has grown and overcome his shyness and that he is still scared but knows what he wants and plans to move forward to get it.

Digital storytelling can promote critical media literacy. As we watch these videos and decode them, students should be able to pick out the hidden agendas and the things that are missing from them.  They should be able to infer what isn’t there.  Students should be able to follow the digital story and pick out the important messages.

Week 8 D.E. Journal

"Some see media literacy as a citizenship survival skill, necessary to be a thoughtful consumer and an effective citizen in a superhighway-driven media age. Some see media literacy as a kind of protection for children against the dangers and evils engendered by the excesses of television, and they also see media literacy as an antidote to manipulation and propaganda."

I never thought about media literacy as a survival skill but it really is.  If we expect our children to be able to navigate around the hype and know what is real and what is not, then we have to teach these skills.  I have four nine year old nieces and nephews and they are all about what they see on television.  We warn them about the internet and how dangerous it can be but don't think as much about the evils of excess television.  They want to buy every new thing they see and they really pay attention to the hype around it and what it's supposed to do or not do.  Kids today are so smart we just need to train those inquiring minds to really think.

Kaiser Family Foundation

Roberts, D. F. (1999, November). Kids & media and the new millenium. Retrieved from http://www.kff.org/entmedia/1535-index.cfm

Double Entry Journal #7

1.      Why did the authors do this study?

The authors wanted to see if media literacy in the classroom improves the ability of the students to be able to think for themselves and to be able to identify the main idea. They wanted to prove that there were other ways to learn than just the standard “old” ways.

2.      How did the authors do the study?

The authors used a high school Junior English class.  They used different types of media and images and incorporated them into the class. They then did a comparison of that group of students compared to a group of students that did not have the critical media analysis teachings.

3.      What data/results emerged from the study?

The results were that the students that had the critical media instruction were better able to discern information, to identify the main ideas, identify the purpose and the point of view. They were also better able to notice missing information.

4.      What do the authors conclude from the data analysis?

The authors concluded that the incorporation of digital media literacy into the classroom can be as effective as traditional classroom teaching and may even do a better job with the breakdown of information.

5.      What is the significance of the study?

This study was important because it shows that the incorporation of media literacy into the classroom is just as effective as traditional teaching.  Teachers can feel more comfortable exploring other avenues of teaching.

6.      How do these findings influence your position on media literacy and school curriculum?

These aren’t things that I had really given any thought before taking these classes.  The study helped me see a little clearer that digital media literacy can be very effective in the classroom and why.

Week 7

Lesson 1, Activity 2 Video Clip Decoding
Student Worksheet
 NAME Diana Dunn                    DATE 10/6/2011
Read over the questions below before watching the short video clips. You may want to take notes
as you view the clips. You will then be given time to write your answers.
Title of Film: The Global Warning
1.) Who produced and who sponsored this message?
 Leonardo DiCaprio and Tree Media Group and Birken Studios
2.) Who is the target audience?
 The target audience is everyone.  The graphics appeal to the younger generation.
3.) What is its purpose?
 To make us aware of global warming and how bad it is for our environment.

4.) What messages does it give about global warming?
 That the effects of global warming are affecting our climate and causing terrible catastrophies in the world.
5.) What techniques does it use to communicate those messages?
 Words, Graphic images
6.) Are the messages accurate and credible? Why do you think that?
 Yes. Science has proven that global warming is real.
7.) What is left out of this message that might be important to know?

8.) Who might benefit from this message?
 I think the whole world could benefit from this message.
9.) Who might be harmed by this message?
 Those that profit from the sale of fuel.
. 2010 Project Look Sharp – Ithaca College – Division of Interdisciplinary and International Studies

Lesson 1, Activity 2 Video Clip Decoding
Student Worksheet
 NAME Diana Dunn    DATE 10/6/11

Read over the questions below before watching the short video clips. You may want to take notes
as you view the clips. You will then be given time to write your answers.
Title of Film: The Climate of Fear
1.) Who produced and who sponsored this message?
 Glenn Beck - CNN News
2.) Who is the target audience?
 People that watch the Glen Beck show.  I can't imagine who would bother.
3.) What is its purpose?
 I felt that the purpose was to tell us that the fear associated with global warming was the sell factor for the media.
4.) What messages does it give about global warming?
 That it's just hype to sell story lines.
5.) What techniques does it use to communicate those messages?
 Images of reporters and movies about catastrophies.

6.) Are the messages accurate and credible? Why do you think that?
 I find anything Glen Beck is behind hard to believe.  The thought that global warming is about the hype really ticks me off.
7.) What is left out of this message that might be important to know?
 That global warming is real and we need to do something about it now.
8.) Who might benefit from this message?
 The media - they profit from the hype.
9.) Who might be harmed by this message?
 Scientists, people that work hard to solve global warming problems.
. 2010 Project Look Sharp – Ithaca College – Division of Interdisciplinary and International Studies

Week 6 CSO Assignment

Lesson 1 Framing the Debate

Grade 6-8

Global Warming

CSO

SC.O.E.1.8

relate societal, cultural and economic issues to key scientific innovations.

SC.O.E.2.21

examine global change over time:

climatic trends,

global warming,

ozone depletion.

Can integrating media literacy into your classroom activities help prepare your students for taking the WestTest?

I do think that the integration of media literacy into classroom activities can help prepare students to take the WestTest.  A teacher can integrate critical thinking into most activities in the classroom.  When the teacher teaches a child to think they learn to evaluate and analyze.  This should give them the kind of skills they need for tests like the WestTest.