Journal Entry # 13

Question 1: Should media education have an explicit political and ideological agenda?

My answer to this question goes in both directions. I say yes that education has the duty to help our students understand media both politically and ideologically so that they can be better citizens and understand what they are being exposed to on a daily basis. But I also believe that their is much more to media education than the focus on political and ideological presentations. Some other ideas include creativity, exploration, and communication forms. Our students should be well rounded and educated in all of these areas of importance.

Back to the political and ideological agenda - I feel that it very important that our students understand how politics use the media as a way to both inform and persuade the public. This is an important concept for the students to learn for citizenship and for when they come of the age of voting. As the ideological part - this is probably one of the most important areas of instruction when focusing on media. Everyday students and people in general are exposed to millions of advertisements whether it be a commercial or a billboard - or your best friend where a T-shirt with the company name. Advertisements are everywhere - and it is very important for students to understand those advertisements.

In my digital imaging class we focus on symbolism, and how advertisers use certain symbols or combinations of images or events to create an atomsphere which promotes the product they are selling. My best example would be the TV Dinners - commercials. They will show you a TV Dinner being ate at a table with candles, fancy china wear, and in an elegant home. What this represents is that even the rich eat these dinners (social class) - they are restaurant quality taste (the atmosphere provided) - and they are cooked in a few minutes by you (as they expand to show this elegant table in a kitchen). Students need to understand the message that is being shown to them and be able to evaluate the truth or accuracy behind the message.

In conclusion ... yes I feel that it important that we focus media education on politics and ideologies - but I feel we should focus on more than just those two areas of concern as well.