Journal Entry #5

Research implies that most teens do not choose healthy methods of weight loss; they take diet pills, force themselves to throw up, and restrict daily caloric intake to dangerously low levels (Thomsen et al., 2001; Thomsen et al., 2002). These behaviors can result in development of disorders such as anorexia and bulimia. These eating disorders typically manifest in adolescent girls because these are the years when they are particularly sensitive to cultural pressure to be thin (Thomsen et al., 2002)

When I was in my freshman year in college I had to create an informative paper for English focusing on persuasive types of media. I chose to write my paper about the negative influences media can have your young girls, particularly focusing on their body image. In our society, girls "should" be skinny, average height, long neck, and clear skin to be considered beautiful. This is the message that the media sends to our society. What young girls do not understand is that these models are beautiful, but their are altercations to the picture to make them look even better. Many times airbrushing is used to coverup blemish or appearances of cellulite. Models are placed in positions that make them look skinner than they are, as backgrounds are used to create this effect as well. But this article talks about how it is only affecting young girls which is false, think of how many celebrities are suffering from these same symptoms because of the pressure they are under to look a certain way. It is interesting to think that historical cultures used to want a woman that was filled out with big hips - this meant she was a child bearing woman and today it is the opposite. As educators I think it important for us to show our students particularly our young girls the truth about how these images are modified to lhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifook better. I think that we have so many children that try to look the opposite of these models because they do not believe they are beautiful - so they dye their hair multiple colors, put holes in their face, and where large baggy clothes - to hide their true appearance. The media influences identity crisis and makes our young girls believe they are "suppose" to look a certain way. It is a delicate area and a hard one to fix.

Reference Article
The Media's Influence on Body Image Disturbance and Eating Disorders: We've Reviled Them, Now Can We Rehabilitate Them?

This article is a scholarly article which has studied the influence media has on body image and eating disorders.

Heignburg, L. J., & Thompson, K. J. (1999). The media's influence on body image disturbance and eating disorders: we've reviled them, now can we rehabilitate them?. Unpublished manuscript, School of Medicine , University of South Florida and John Hopkins University , Flordia. Retrieved from http://jkthompson.myweb.usf.edu/articles/The%20Media%27s%20Influence%20on%20Body%20Image%20Disturbance.pdf

People Magazine Cover

I misunderstood the assignment a little. I was so focused on the quote about having a voice and really saying something through a project like this, I didn't read the actual assignment. I think that this is a great way for our students to focus on what they want to say through a project. It allows our students to express their self. I guess to put a swing towards the assignment you could consider Ben Stiller to be the person of the year, as he is not afraid to admit who he is and where he came from. Even though I don't quite know him. Hope this still works.


References
(2011). The jewish star . (2011). [Web Graphic]. Retrieved from http://thepulpit.freedomblogging.com/2010/09/03/creating-a-jewish-scroll/7005/

(n.d.). Ben stiller celebrity profile. [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://grokzone.com/gallery/Actors/Ben-Stiller/Pictures/List/index.shtml

(n.d.). Albert einstein. [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://www.scientificpsychic.com/search/famous-jews.html

(n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.anunews.net/blog/?tag=jewish-supremacism

(2009). The bar code, which changed retailing, turns 35 – nytimes.com.. (2009). [Web Photo]. Retrieved from The Bar Code, Which Changed Retailing, Turns 35 – NYTimes.com.

Alber Einstein Wikipedia . Wikipedia. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Einstein

Journal Entry #4

One major irony in American education is that no philosophy or pedagogy has been developed to take into account the role of visual representation in instruction, while at the same time increasingly large portions of the education budget are being spent on iconic technologies such as computers, video recorders, and video cameras.

I found this quote to be very interesting, and something I had never taken into consideration before. We base our instructional methods on past theories and ideas. The education system is hesitant to accept new instructional ideas and methods of teaching. We still have our students sit in a classroom at desks while we stand up and lecture them. Some educational systems are beginning to make efforts to change they way we teach our students but for the most part it still follows the traditional method of education. Education systems fear change and want to continue using the traditional method of teaching. Many say it has been successful for many years so why should we change it now. But while these educational systems fear removing traditional instruction methods they ask teachers to incorporate 21st Century Learning styles into the curriculum. They purchase all of the latest technologies to help increase learning in the classroom. But even though educational systems are buying technological items are they really changing their instruction methods. A PowerPoint uses a computer but isn't it still a lecture? Response clickers are great, but are the students still answering questions from a standard format and choosing a letter. Are the students really making the decisions and finding the correct path, or are they just choosing form a list of answers and memorizing facts? Yes technology is being incorporated but are we using technology in ways to improve critical thinking or are we just adjusting our traditional methods?

Great quote!

Reference Article -Using Technology as a Learning Tool, Not Just the Cool New Thing
Click Here to Read

I copied a section of the article that really emphasizes my point. Please see the quote below.

Interaction

Third, technology must be relevant and interactive to the coursework. A faculty member who uses PowerPoint in a lecture is not using technology interactively. Students need a practical use for technology, whether to manipulate data or to explore the inner recesses of the human body without cutting up cadavers. Students need to communicate quickly with each other, but in a centralized manner. That is why message boards are great. Members-only message boards allow students and faculty to communicate with each other. Plus, faculty members can use the course lockers during lectures and provide information outside lecture for students to explore at their own pace.
Relevance

Fourth, technology must be used for a practical purpose—that is, taking the fundamentals and technology learned over a semester and applying it to a final project, where creativity and uniqueness is required and rewarded. In my technical document design class, we had to create a useful technical document: write the text and design a technical document using Pagemaker. My group designed an instruction booklet for a video game. Chris Reynolds used his sound-editing software to help a friend with a music project. They wrote a short piece of music, recorded and edited it, and burned it to a CD for the professor to evaluate. Chris was excited because it gave him a chance to "play" with his software. While he doesn't use his music software in his business courses, he is learning skills that could be marketable after college. Plus, his friend got an "A" on the project.

Using technology for some practical purpose, and not for the sake of using technology, must be the clear objective. "Students are often the guinea pigs in 'IT-enabled' classes as faculty test out whether the latest innovations actually help learning," Assa said. "Some faculty, in an effort to use the latest buzzword or receive the next big grant, are testing technology simply for the sake of technology, rather than using technology as a tool for learning, such as paper and pencils. When people focus too much on technology, they lose sight of the true purpose of technology, which is to facilitate learning in the classroom."

McNeely, B. (n.d.). using technology as a learning tool, not just the cool new thing. Unpublished manuscript, North Carolina State University, North Carolina. Retrieved from http://www.educause.edu/Resources/EducatingtheNetGeneration/UsingTechnologyasaLearningTool/6060

Magazine Cover Deconstruction

1. What do you think about this person based on the cover of the magazine? How does he look? How does he make your feel?
This man appears to be very athletic and concerned with his body, possibly he is a body builder. He seems to be very tough. The image instantly makes me think of a setting from an action movie. From the surrounding titles and words on the page you can see that this magazine cover was intended to persuade an audience that is concerned with body, appearance, and specifically muscles. If you notice the lighting on his muscle this could be considered the focal point of this magazine cover as the lighting directs your eye to his muscle. His arm is also centered in the middle of the page again pulling your eye to the page. This magazine follows a pattern which is also known as the Z Pattern. Your eyes see the title going across the top of the Magazine cover your eyes are then pulled to the title "GET LEAN", notice how get is in a darker font to really attract the viewer's eye. You are then pulled towards the image of his arm and then again back to the title "20 INCH ARMS". This creates a Z pattern as your eyes are moving in the shape of a Z as you look down the page. They want you to grasp the title of their magazine, then create a mood about muscles, enforce that mood with an image and finish that mood with a specific saying.

2 What is the main purpose of this magazine?
As described above the main purpose of this magazine is to encourage the customer to buy this magazine to learn more about their muscles and how to increase their muscle size and improve their overall body image. They used a very well known actor to encourage the results.

3. Describe who you believe is the magazine's intended readership.
This magazine is directed at males probably between the ages of 16 and 50 who want to improve their muscle mass and overall appearance. This is directed to an audience that is interested in building muscle mass, most likely an audience who already has a gym membership and lifts regularly.

4. What lifestyles, values, points of view are represented or omitted?
It seems to address muscle increase, however I do not see anything about nutrition or health improvement, mainly appearance and muscle size.


1. What do you think about this person based on the cover of the magazine? How does he look? How does he make your feel?
This magazine shows success most likely in the business world or in politics. I think this image represents a high class man with many persuasive skills. It represents power and encouragement. Arnold is pointing at you to make you think like he is directing this magazine personally to you. What throws me off about this magazine is the girl on the right hand side in under garments. You are first under the impression this is a magazine about success, leadership, and business; however after your eyes are drawn to the woman it seems to make you think Arnold is saying if you are successful you can be like this and have any girl you want. That might be a little to much but that is an honest opinion of how the cover makes me feel. It goes onto to add a title about her being British, does this mean if you are in politics you get foreign women. I do not understand the purpose of that image. This cover has an asymmetrical design creating balance on both sides of the cover with different elements. Arnold and his success is the center of the page and the main focal point of this magazine. The titles are varied but seem to all speak about successful people or results. You have words like legend, next governor, and achievement which all represent success. But you still have your other titles which seem to be areas of interest rather than success stories: rock'n'roll, whats good-what blows, fiction, science, and American music. This magazine seems to mix success and interests together to draw in more customers.

2 What is the main purpose of this magazine?
The main purpose of this magazine appears to be informative to give you information about topics related to success and interests such as music or politics. It is persuasive in some areas but basically it seems to be an informative magazine. It might be persuasive in trying to change your opinions about certain topics but this magazine is not trying to get you to buy anything, other than the magazine itself.


3. Describe who you believe is the magazine's intended readership.
The magazine is most likely directed to males between the ages of 25 and 60; however it may also be directed to women between the ages of 25-35. It is directed to individuals who are interested in success, music. politics, and whats happening in the world around us.

4. What lifestyles, values, points of view are represented or omitted?
I think this represents a higher lifestyle and provides information about the famous people or politicians it is not related to the everyday life of an average citizen.


1. What are the differences between the two covers? What techniques are used to attract your attention? Pay attention to body language, clothing, camera angle, lighting, color, eye contact ect. How do the difference influence what you think and feel about the person.
In the first one about Muscles they creator uses very warm colors to give you a powerful and hot look. It is bringing up the intensity levels and making you feel very anxious. Arnold represents a very tough and muscular person. Arnold is wear very fitted clothes that represent a workout style and emphasize his muscles. The color scheme includes warm colors, white, and black. The white is creates a good contrast against the warm colors really making the titles pop or stand out. The yellow in the font is used as a reinforcement color reenforcing those main points in white. The atmosphere they are creating makes one feel the need to be tough and strong. The mood created is one of hope of being powerful and reaching your goals. It brings the audience in with the question how to I get there, how do I become powerful and strong. In the second magazine the creator has used cool colors to make the reader seem at ease and secure. They are speaking about Arnold being governor so they want to create a mood that is relaxed, comfortable, and a feeling of security. Notice that there are not many contrasting colors that really make the titles pop, rather darker shades of blue are used along with white and black. They use a Maroon to standout with Arnold's name, notice that this is the only text on the page in maroon, and it matches his tie interconnecting the name and the person. He is dressed for success and power again giving you that feeling of security. I think that the image of the woman throws the feeling off and gives a mixed or confused feeling about the image though.



1. What do you find appealing or not appealing about the cover of the magazine?
I think in each magazine the colors were represented well with the combination of the fonts and title colors. On the second magazine I did not see how the image of the girl fit into the purpose of the magazine.

2. What elements in the design make it appealing or not appealing?
As I spoke about in earlier comments the use of colors, contrast, asymmetrical design, and the Z patter where represented very well in both covers.

3. What elements are included on the cover to sell this magazine? Consider title, imagery, sensationalized headlines, exclusive articles, secrets, gossip, free gifts, and celebrity news.
The titles grasp the interest of the reader's. Arnold is used since he is very well known and famous.

4. Describe the type of content in one issue.
I think that I described this is very good detail in the parts above for the first question. The first magazine really directs its attention to image and muscle size. I think the layout of this cover along with the lighting and colors is a success.


5. What products or services are advertised in the issue?
In the first magazine there seems to be some type of product or workout they are trying to get you to look in the magazine for.

6. What lifestyle, values and messages are being promoted by the contents in the issue?
Again this was mentioned in detail above. The first magazine is directed toward those who are interested in their appearance and muscle mass where the second magazine is directed towards those who are interested in success, leadership, politics, and music.

7.Describe the demographics for what you think may be the magazine’s intended target readership. Consider age, sex, interests and socioeconomic status.
This is specified for each magazine above.

8. What features of the magazine indicate to you that this is the intended readership?
Colors, appearance and topics.

9. What personalities or celebrities are used to promote this magazine?
Successful personalities, athletic or powerful personalities. Arnold is used.

10. Are these personalities or celebrities promoting or challenging stereotypical messages? How?
I think they are promoting well for each topic. They each seem to represent the focus and the message successfully.

Double Journal Entry #3

OK Its a long quote:

In the evolving multimedia environment media literacy is arguably more important
than ever. Cultural studies and critical pedagogy have begun to teach us to recognize
the ubiquity of media culture in contemporary society, the growing trends toward
multicultural education, and the need for media literacy that addresses the issue of
multicultural and social difference.3 There is expanding recognition that media
representations help construct our images and understanding of the world and that
education must meet the dual challenges of teaching media literacy in a multicultural
society and sensitising students and the public to the inequities and injustices of a
society based on gender, race, and class inequalities and discrimination.

This information was just to great and I could not find a good stopping spot so I just decided to use it all as my quote. Media is a part of our every day lives and it is the way we communicate with the world around us. Through media we can discover new people and new cultures we can decrease the prejudices and racism that exist in our society with the connections. I remember when I was a student having a pen-pal in England. We wrote each other about once a month or every other month. It was great I really learned alot about her; however I communication only lasted about a year because it was drug out and took so long to receive a response that we lost interest. Today students have the capability to instantly communicate with someone across the world and learn about them. Through the use of media we have connection we once thought were never possible. We can meet real people hands on and learn about them and their cultures rather than reading about how they are in a textbook.It is important for educators to use the media tools as an aid in education rather than look at them as a problem
http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
Kellner, D, & Share, J. (2005). Toward critical media literacy: core concepts, debates, organizations, and policy. Unpublished manuscript, University of California, Los Angeles, US. Retrieved from http://gseis.ucla.edu/faculty/kellner/essays/2005_Kellner-Share_TowardsCriticalMediaLiteracy.pdf

Related Resource:
This is a research article discussing how media influences our thoughts on other cultures and racism. Click Here.

Petrozza, J. (n.d.). Critical multicultural education and the media. Unpublished manuscript, Research Room , D, Retrieved from http://www.edchange.org/multicultural/papers/media.html

Deconstructing corporate media's assault on the American workforce 2

The Force: Volkswagen Commercial


1. Whose message is this? Who created or paid for it? Why?
This is a message from volkswagen.

I assume that volkswagen paid for it because they are advertising a new car with its new keyless start option.

2. Who is the “target audience”? What is their age, ethnicity, class, profession, interests, etc.? What words, images or sounds suggest this? This commercial was made for a middle class family.

At first you are focusing in on the child's interest in being Dark Vader off of a popular movie - Star Wars. But you find the focus is really on making the child gain confidence and succeed in feeling that he has mystical powers (as his dad uses the keyless entry to start the car).

3. What is the “text” of the message? (What we actually see and/or hear: written or spoken words, photos, drawings, logos, design, music, sounds, etc.)

The all new 2012 Passat. Starting at $20,000. We hear the Star Wars music and see the child dressed up as Dark Vader to remind us of the star wars. The child unleashes the force when he discovers the all new 2012 Volkswagen Passat. We see a middle class family owning the car.

4. What is the “subtext” of the message? (What do you think is the hidden or unstated meaning?)

That the car is affordable and that it is the best car for every family. It will make the kids happy and satisfy the parents needs.


5. What kind of lifestyle is presented? How?

Middle class family living in the suburbs of a quite nice neighborhood. The surrounding of out side show you this as the way the mother is dressed she does not appear to be high maintenance.

6. What values are expressed?

Family, Caring about your child, Happiness


7. What tools of persuasion are used? See "The language of persuasion"

The use of a familiar seen and relation to a popular movie.

8. What positive messages are presented? What negative messages are presented?

Positive is the quite solitude of the neighborhood, the quality and cleanness of the home, the mother cooking for the child, and the unity of the family. The most positive image is when the boy appears to have used the force to start the car. The negative images are when the boy fails to use the force on all of the other objects in the house.

9. What groups of people does this message empower? What groups does it disempower? How does this serve the media maker's interests?

White Middle Class are empowered. Upper Class is disempowered. The price of the car and the affordability of the car is part of the point of this commercial, they don't want it to appear you have to be rich to own the car.

10. What part of the story is not being told? How and where could you get more information about the untold stories?

Maybe why the child is dressed up as Dark Vader in the first place. I am not sure where you could get more information on the untold story.

Deconstructing corporate media's assault on the American workforce 1

Century 21 Deconstruction

Is this commercial an example of corporate media's attack on the American workforce? How?
Yes, this is an attack on the American Workforce. To answer the question how we examine first the merger of this company with quest. Due to this merger jobs were lost as well as competition was decreased. Due to the lack of competition the company can charge higher prices and decrease the value of their service and customers will have no other option to turn to. This company is taking hard working American and taking their money for a product that truly is not worth the cost, but the only other option these hard working American's have is to give up the service.

Double Journal Entry #2

Explicit teaching of 21st-century literacy
metaskills can position students to analyze
and evaluate news reporting in today’s
visually drenched world.

I chose this quote truly due to the last four words: "today’s
visually drenched world." This is very true about our world today. Media is not just a benefit to our way of life it is a crucial element to our way of life. Think http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifof our students today - they think they are dying when they go to school and they can not look at their phone for 8 hours or check their social networks. Our students live and function in a digital world. As a new educator I have found the more visual aids and visual instruction I use the more motivated and engaged my students are in the classroom. Today our students learn and understand deeper concepts through a visual or virtual example. As educators we must recognize this and adjust our instructional methods to meet the needs of our students.

Abilock, D. (n.d.). A seven power lens on: 21st century literacy. Retrieved from http://www.noodletools.com/debbie/literacies/newsmedia/PowerLensSingle.pdf

Click Here to watch No Future Left Behind

I have to say this is a great video, it really touched me and wanted to help me help the students in my classroom. If you have the time please watch this video.

Suffern Middle School, Students (Writer). (2007). No Future Left Behind [Web]. Available from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kra_z9vMnHo

The Son of a Citation Machine would not allow me to add additional authors the page would not display.

Photo Analysis