I am so happy that I was able to view several of the videos on Listen Up! Many of the videos show a different side of teens rather than the ones that are portrayed and stereotyped as being "bad, alien life form, disrespectful... A lot of the videos that I watched were positive ones, but some were negative as well. They were about topics that are relevant and common in the lives of teenagers. Topics like GLBT, abuse, suicide, school, drinking, and sex are discussed.
I was really enjoying the site until I came across some of the more negative videos. The teens were not being serious about the topic nor where they necessarily teaching something good in the end. This is one that really bothered me, check it out!
These teenage views and thoughts are taken more seriously by the teens that view them (at least I think) because they are not being done by adults. Instead they are from the voices and perspectives of teens. Therefore, teens will want to listen, watch, and learn from them because it seems more like reality to them.
Even there are some negative videos on the site I still enjoyed it. I think that it is a good way for teens to teach others and express themselves. Things like this should be brought up in schools so that many teens can get involved in advocating for real life topics like these.
If I am substitute teaching the teens and need something to do with them, I might mention of do some work with this site. I think that there can be some very good things learned from it.
Off the top of my mind I cannot think of any other site that is exactly like this. I mean there are things like YouTube, but EVERYTHING is on that. I am sure that teens look up other things rather than stuff that is talked about and expressed on the Listen Up! site I am running out of time to search the web now, but I'll doing it another time. This topic/site is interesting and I definitely think it should be talked more about in the WMST350 class.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Monday, April 20, 2009
Listen Up! Youth Media Network Link
Okay.... I tried this site a few times and I cannot get the videos to load for the life of me. But, I read pretty much every piece of text that I could find on the site as well as viewed a few classmates blogs. I might not have been able to get the "real deal" of viewing the site, but I did find some information and was able to see what it is all about.
I found the site to be useful, helpful, and informational. The videos that are posted (but I couldn't see) were ways that teenagers were able to express themselves and speak out. As I read some of the video titles, I thought that they were creative, expressive and unique.
From reading blogs, I was able to read that some of the videos were related to the class readings. This is great and I could see how they could be related simply through the titles. Furthermore, I believe that the site itself relates to the class and themes. It is a site about teenagers, being themselves, representing something they want and believe in, and taking part in the media. I feel as though teenagers should be able to represent themselves in this way. I think that it is good for the mind, body, and other teens to view. Everyone can see different outlooks on various topics (chosen by teens). Although I think that this is good, there might be others (adults) that do not like this or see it as being anything that is "good". These teenagers are brave for wanting to stand out in the way that they do, creating media and having it posted on the computer for others to view.
I hope that we can watch a few of the videos in class so that I can see what it is truly about. :-)
I found the site to be useful, helpful, and informational. The videos that are posted (but I couldn't see) were ways that teenagers were able to express themselves and speak out. As I read some of the video titles, I thought that they were creative, expressive and unique.
From reading blogs, I was able to read that some of the videos were related to the class readings. This is great and I could see how they could be related simply through the titles. Furthermore, I believe that the site itself relates to the class and themes. It is a site about teenagers, being themselves, representing something they want and believe in, and taking part in the media. I feel as though teenagers should be able to represent themselves in this way. I think that it is good for the mind, body, and other teens to view. Everyone can see different outlooks on various topics (chosen by teens). Although I think that this is good, there might be others (adults) that do not like this or see it as being anything that is "good". These teenagers are brave for wanting to stand out in the way that they do, creating media and having it posted on the computer for others to view.
I hope that we can watch a few of the videos in class so that I can see what it is truly about. :-)
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Project--Teen Interviews
SORRY SO LATE...
Steph and I met today to work on out project. We were able to complete the following:
--Interview 3 teens
--Compare the answers
--Put together a layout of out presentation
--Discuss and plan the class handout
We are going to continue to work on the project together and alone. We plan to meet next week to put everything together and make sure its good to go!
After the interviews we were shocked by some of the answers. It was interesting to learn about even though I (we) expected some of the answers. Can't wait to teach the class about it. :-)
Steph and I met today to work on out project. We were able to complete the following:
--Interview 3 teens
--Compare the answers
--Put together a layout of out presentation
--Discuss and plan the class handout
We are going to continue to work on the project together and alone. We plan to meet next week to put everything together and make sure its good to go!
After the interviews we were shocked by some of the answers. It was interesting to learn about even though I (we) expected some of the answers. Can't wait to teach the class about it. :-)
Monday, April 6, 2009
Henry Jenkins:Discussion: "MySpace and Deleting Online Predators Act (DOPA)"
Some things I understand...
Through reading the interview it was hard to keep track of the main point. I had to keep going back and forth thinking about what was trying to be said. It seemed that the only words sticking in my mind were MySpace and Facebook. While reading I could understand all of the controversy that was being brought up about these communication website. Should school allow them, should we teach students about them, are they safe, who should use them.... All of these questions are relevant and important. Unfortunately, not everyone will agree with the same answer and this is what makes it difficult. Yes, I do think there is harm that can happen through the interent, but it can happen anywhere. Teens should be allowed to use the internet including MySpace and Facebook. It allowes them to chat with their friends and stay in touch. Although I think they should be able to use it I think they need to be taught about it first and that parents should monitor it. Parents should most definately take the time to "learn the system" and be able to know what their child is doing.
Some things I don't understand...
>> Why do schools want to take away internet access?
>>Do parents monitor what their children do on internet and the computer?
>>Why do their have to be sick-o's in the world; lurking, searching, and harming those through the internet?
Connections...
>> The interview relates to Prensky's "Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants" article. People of this time are digital natives so of course they are going to encounter in every online aspect that there is.
>> The interview made me think of the MEDIA MATTERS assumption. It stated in the interview that if you did not have MySpace then you don't exist. This shows how important the media is looked at, it is sad, but very true. Teens are sucked into this idea of needing to have the latest things and being vitrually connected to their friends at all times.
Questions/Comments/Points to Share...
>> I think that MySpace and Facebook can be dangerous to those that are younger. It give them a chance to do things like lie about age, be friend with people that they really don't know, and portray themselves as someone that they are not.
>>I absolutely think that schools should educate the students on the do's and don't of these website and the harms that can come from them.
>> I think that teens and other like to use MySpace and Facebook people it makes them feel like everyone else (there can be no outsiders everrrrrr). Also, I think for the younger teens it makes them feel older and more independent. But, they do not realize that there are sick people in the world and what they think might be innocent fun can turn into danger.
Through reading the interview it was hard to keep track of the main point. I had to keep going back and forth thinking about what was trying to be said. It seemed that the only words sticking in my mind were MySpace and Facebook. While reading I could understand all of the controversy that was being brought up about these communication website. Should school allow them, should we teach students about them, are they safe, who should use them.... All of these questions are relevant and important. Unfortunately, not everyone will agree with the same answer and this is what makes it difficult. Yes, I do think there is harm that can happen through the interent, but it can happen anywhere. Teens should be allowed to use the internet including MySpace and Facebook. It allowes them to chat with their friends and stay in touch. Although I think they should be able to use it I think they need to be taught about it first and that parents should monitor it. Parents should most definately take the time to "learn the system" and be able to know what their child is doing.
Some things I don't understand...
>> Why do schools want to take away internet access?
>>Do parents monitor what their children do on internet and the computer?
>>Why do their have to be sick-o's in the world; lurking, searching, and harming those through the internet?
Connections...
>> The interview relates to Prensky's "Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants" article. People of this time are digital natives so of course they are going to encounter in every online aspect that there is.
>> The interview made me think of the MEDIA MATTERS assumption. It stated in the interview that if you did not have MySpace then you don't exist. This shows how important the media is looked at, it is sad, but very true. Teens are sucked into this idea of needing to have the latest things and being vitrually connected to their friends at all times.
Questions/Comments/Points to Share...
>> I think that MySpace and Facebook can be dangerous to those that are younger. It give them a chance to do things like lie about age, be friend with people that they really don't know, and portray themselves as someone that they are not.
>>I absolutely think that schools should educate the students on the do's and don't of these website and the harms that can come from them.
>> I think that teens and other like to use MySpace and Facebook people it makes them feel like everyone else (there can be no outsiders everrrrrr). Also, I think for the younger teens it makes them feel older and more independent. But, they do not realize that there are sick people in the world and what they think might be innocent fun can turn into danger.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Newspaper Articles on Teens
Teens, TEENS, TeEnS...
Article 1: "Confronting Dating Violence by Telling Teens That More Abuse Is Not the Solution"
New York Times, 29 March 2009
This article was both a positive and negative one. It was about teen violence, but it was someone that was explaining it to a group of teenagers; informing them about it. The students seemed as if they were engaged in the speakers (Mrs. Garcia) assembly. She works for Day One, a nonprofit organization that supports those who suffer from teen violence. The speakers goes out to schools and such educating them on what goes one with teen violence, how to get help, and get yourself out of the situation. I enjoyed reading the article. It was nice to see that someone is educating teens about teen violence. Recently I did a project on teen violence and was shocked at the statistics. Hopefully people like Mrs. Garcia and the Day One organization can help teens and stop or at least lower the numbers of teen violence.
Article 2: "Sexting May Place Teens at Legal Risk"
New York Times, 26 March 2009
"One in five teens may be a child pornographer risking life in prison — for the crime of taking and distributing naked pictures of themselves." What is that all about!? This article was discussed a new thing that teens do called, sexting. In other words, the teens take pictures of themselves (naked or semi-naked) and electronically send them to others. Sometimes it gets out of hand, such as s boy that sent a picture to a girl and she sent it to others who sent it to others. In the end the picture reached 300 teens! This like this can get the teens into trouble. "It’s illegal under federal and state child-porn laws to create explicit images of a minor, posses them or distribute them." If caught, the teen could be sentenced and have to register as a sex offender. I did not know about this law until I read the article. Also, I did not know that teens were into this thing of sexting or sending these types of photos to others. Do they seriously think that they will not get sent and sent and sent? The article was shocking, but interesting. If you have a chance, take a look. http://gadgetwise.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/26/sexting-may-place-teens-at-legal-risk/?scp=2&sq=article%20on%20teenagers&st=cse
Article 3: "Depression Tests Urged for Teenagers"
New York Times. 29 March 2009
Yet another shocking article... "An influential government-appointed medical panel is urging doctors to perform routine screening on all American teenagers for depression, a step that acknowledges that nearly two million teenagers are affected by this debilitating condition." I never really thought about teens being depressed. But, the more that I think about it I think it's very, very possible. Teens have a tough time living during these years; finding out who and what they are, accepting or rejecting stereotypes, gaining responsibility, facing peer pressure, etc. With all of this and more going on, it is easy to slip into a depression. I think that parents may let it go by simply thinking that their son or daughter "is just being a teen and they will get over it"
"An estimated 6 percent of American teenagers are clinically depressed. Evidence shows that detailed but simple questionnaires can accurately diagnose depression in primary-care settings like a pediatrician’s office." This made me think about a recent situation, a boy I know just committed suicide at age 15. Are teens sometimes crying out for help and we just do not see it or we choose to ignore it? I have heard about teens committing suicide in the past and many say that they never saw it coming, but do we see it? I think that the screenings should be done. Although I do not think I necessarily agree with medicating the teens for pretty much the rest of their lives with medication, I do think that they need help. Hopefully they would be able to function in later years without the medication and not come dependent on it.
All of these articles were about teens, but they were very different from one another. One about educating teens, teens and technology, and teens health. I enjoyed reading the articles and was glad to have learned new things and become more aware.
Article 1: "Confronting Dating Violence by Telling Teens That More Abuse Is Not the Solution"
New York Times, 29 March 2009
This article was both a positive and negative one. It was about teen violence, but it was someone that was explaining it to a group of teenagers; informing them about it. The students seemed as if they were engaged in the speakers (Mrs. Garcia) assembly. She works for Day One, a nonprofit organization that supports those who suffer from teen violence. The speakers goes out to schools and such educating them on what goes one with teen violence, how to get help, and get yourself out of the situation. I enjoyed reading the article. It was nice to see that someone is educating teens about teen violence. Recently I did a project on teen violence and was shocked at the statistics. Hopefully people like Mrs. Garcia and the Day One organization can help teens and stop or at least lower the numbers of teen violence.
Article 2: "Sexting May Place Teens at Legal Risk"
New York Times, 26 March 2009
"One in five teens may be a child pornographer risking life in prison — for the crime of taking and distributing naked pictures of themselves." What is that all about!? This article was discussed a new thing that teens do called, sexting. In other words, the teens take pictures of themselves (naked or semi-naked) and electronically send them to others. Sometimes it gets out of hand, such as s boy that sent a picture to a girl and she sent it to others who sent it to others. In the end the picture reached 300 teens! This like this can get the teens into trouble. "It’s illegal under federal and state child-porn laws to create explicit images of a minor, posses them or distribute them." If caught, the teen could be sentenced and have to register as a sex offender. I did not know about this law until I read the article. Also, I did not know that teens were into this thing of sexting or sending these types of photos to others. Do they seriously think that they will not get sent and sent and sent? The article was shocking, but interesting. If you have a chance, take a look. http://gadgetwise.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/26/sexting-may-place-teens-at-legal-risk/?scp=2&sq=article%20on%20teenagers&st=cse
Article 3: "Depression Tests Urged for Teenagers"
New York Times. 29 March 2009
Yet another shocking article... "An influential government-appointed medical panel is urging doctors to perform routine screening on all American teenagers for depression, a step that acknowledges that nearly two million teenagers are affected by this debilitating condition." I never really thought about teens being depressed. But, the more that I think about it I think it's very, very possible. Teens have a tough time living during these years; finding out who and what they are, accepting or rejecting stereotypes, gaining responsibility, facing peer pressure, etc. With all of this and more going on, it is easy to slip into a depression. I think that parents may let it go by simply thinking that their son or daughter "is just being a teen and they will get over it"
"An estimated 6 percent of American teenagers are clinically depressed. Evidence shows that detailed but simple questionnaires can accurately diagnose depression in primary-care settings like a pediatrician’s office." This made me think about a recent situation, a boy I know just committed suicide at age 15. Are teens sometimes crying out for help and we just do not see it or we choose to ignore it? I have heard about teens committing suicide in the past and many say that they never saw it coming, but do we see it? I think that the screenings should be done. Although I do not think I necessarily agree with medicating the teens for pretty much the rest of their lives with medication, I do think that they need help. Hopefully they would be able to function in later years without the medication and not come dependent on it.
All of these articles were about teens, but they were very different from one another. One about educating teens, teens and technology, and teens health. I enjoyed reading the articles and was glad to have learned new things and become more aware.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
L. Greenfield--FAST FORWARD
Some things I understand...
I totally understand where Greenfield is coming from. "Girls look up to Britney and Christina and wear highly sexualized adult clothing in middle school and below. Taking advantage of this point, clothing companies market thong underwear and make-up to pre-teenagers." This is so true! When I substitute teach and see the middle schoolers I am shocked by how they act, what they are wearing, and the words that I can hear them say (the ones they think you don't hear but you really do... teachers hear everything!)
Greenfield brings up the point about name brands. She says that teen don't necessarily have to like in Beverly Hills to want or know what expensive name brands are. People in the media wear them and they can be found all over. I can relate to this...When I was in high school it was the cool thing to wear the expensive Abercrombie cloths, Coach bags, and Tiffany jewelry. These were the "in" things then and you had to have it or you just didn't fit in. These things were marketed in the media and spread to the teens.
No matter how much I read about teens I always learn new things. Some of it is fascinating, shocking, and unbelievable. I can also relate to some of it because I was a teen not too long ago. As much as I want to say that I didn't follow the media, I did. I don't think that I was as "bad" as the teen today, but I was influenced, everyone is! I see the teens of today wearing make-up much earlier than I was, wear very revealing clothing, and acting like pop stars.
Some things I don't understand...
I cannot get why these teens want to grow up so quickly and be someone who they truly are not. I feel like teenagers are losing the concept of being an individual because they only want to look the who they see in the media. If they teens go out looking and acting like this then where are the parents? Some things can be hidden and not so out in the open, but the parents have to understand and see some of the things that their teens are saying and doing.
Connections...
~Media Matters- Greenfield speaks about how teens take into consideration what they see in the media. They want to be and look just like "those" people.
~Some of the pictures that I was able to look at of hers looks similar to pictures that I have seen before (prom, children/teen looking older than they really are, "high class teens")
~Stereotypes can me made and seen about teens from these pictures. Things that we have discussed in class is talked about by Greenfield. Teens (and children) want to be like what they see. They want to be cool and look fashionable, rich, and older.
Questions/Comments/Points to Share...
~How similar would the pictures have looked if they were taken in other states and not the big state of Cali?
~Why is it that even if the young generation is not exposed to things like the radio and television, they still know songs and t.v shows?
~How do the parents take and interpret their teens when they look older than a teen and want the expensive stuff like Prada, Gucci, and Coach?
~I enjoyed viewing the pictures by Greenfield. Some of them were shocking and surprising to me...the teens look like adults!
I totally understand where Greenfield is coming from. "Girls look up to Britney and Christina and wear highly sexualized adult clothing in middle school and below. Taking advantage of this point, clothing companies market thong underwear and make-up to pre-teenagers." This is so true! When I substitute teach and see the middle schoolers I am shocked by how they act, what they are wearing, and the words that I can hear them say (the ones they think you don't hear but you really do... teachers hear everything!)
Greenfield brings up the point about name brands. She says that teen don't necessarily have to like in Beverly Hills to want or know what expensive name brands are. People in the media wear them and they can be found all over. I can relate to this...When I was in high school it was the cool thing to wear the expensive Abercrombie cloths, Coach bags, and Tiffany jewelry. These were the "in" things then and you had to have it or you just didn't fit in. These things were marketed in the media and spread to the teens.
No matter how much I read about teens I always learn new things. Some of it is fascinating, shocking, and unbelievable. I can also relate to some of it because I was a teen not too long ago. As much as I want to say that I didn't follow the media, I did. I don't think that I was as "bad" as the teen today, but I was influenced, everyone is! I see the teens of today wearing make-up much earlier than I was, wear very revealing clothing, and acting like pop stars.
Some things I don't understand...
I cannot get why these teens want to grow up so quickly and be someone who they truly are not. I feel like teenagers are losing the concept of being an individual because they only want to look the who they see in the media. If they teens go out looking and acting like this then where are the parents? Some things can be hidden and not so out in the open, but the parents have to understand and see some of the things that their teens are saying and doing.
Connections...
~Media Matters- Greenfield speaks about how teens take into consideration what they see in the media. They want to be and look just like "those" people.
~Some of the pictures that I was able to look at of hers looks similar to pictures that I have seen before (prom, children/teen looking older than they really are, "high class teens")
~Stereotypes can me made and seen about teens from these pictures. Things that we have discussed in class is talked about by Greenfield. Teens (and children) want to be like what they see. They want to be cool and look fashionable, rich, and older.
Questions/Comments/Points to Share...
~How similar would the pictures have looked if they were taken in other states and not the big state of Cali?
~Why is it that even if the young generation is not exposed to things like the radio and television, they still know songs and t.v shows?
~How do the parents take and interpret their teens when they look older than a teen and want the expensive stuff like Prada, Gucci, and Coach?
~I enjoyed viewing the pictures by Greenfield. Some of them were shocking and surprising to me...the teens look like adults!
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Sittenfeld Novel
Author and Title:
Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld
Some things I understand...
I enjoyed reading the book and I was able to see the points that the author was making. Even though the story is fiction it felt a little real. The story is about his girl, Lee who is learning about herself. She is learning things like her gender, how to "fit in", and about other stereotypical ideas of things (gender, race, class, etc). The novel shows how hard it can be to be a teenager. Having to grow up and try to find out what is wrong or right, good or bad, and having to face many new obstacles and experiences. I could feel for Lee when I was reading the story... She was being blamed for something that she did not do and had to face her classmates. If I was Lee I would want to crawl under a rock due to all of the things that come up in the novel. Curtis Sittenfeld uses some real life stereotypes and actions in his novel. If it was on the television it would be a "perfect show" just like all of the other media things that are out there.
Some things I don't understand...
-I thought the parts of the novel were a good read, I was not confused by it at all (well at least I think, but I'll find out during class discussion!)
--I had to get used to reading with lots of dialogue, its been a while and sometimes I get side tracked with who is saying what.
---I went online to view the entire book and i viewed the chapter titles. As I looked at the titles I wondered, "what could that be about?" The wondering makes me want to read more because I have some questions that need to be answered.
Connections to other texts or course themes...
- The story relates to the course itself... TEENAGERS. I liked how it was a different way to view and "get a hold" on teenagers.
--I think that it had a relationship with the course them of Teenagers are not some alien life form. Teenagers are people just like children and adults and they deserve respect and should not be so stereotyped.
Questions/Comments/Points to share...
-How do younger generations (teens) feel when they read this novel?
--I enjoyed reading parts of the novel and think that I might read the entire book :)
---I think the story made some good points and it made me think about teenagers and how they are treated or mistreated.
Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld
Some things I understand...
I enjoyed reading the book and I was able to see the points that the author was making. Even though the story is fiction it felt a little real. The story is about his girl, Lee who is learning about herself. She is learning things like her gender, how to "fit in", and about other stereotypical ideas of things (gender, race, class, etc). The novel shows how hard it can be to be a teenager. Having to grow up and try to find out what is wrong or right, good or bad, and having to face many new obstacles and experiences. I could feel for Lee when I was reading the story... She was being blamed for something that she did not do and had to face her classmates. If I was Lee I would want to crawl under a rock due to all of the things that come up in the novel. Curtis Sittenfeld uses some real life stereotypes and actions in his novel. If it was on the television it would be a "perfect show" just like all of the other media things that are out there.
Some things I don't understand...
-I thought the parts of the novel were a good read, I was not confused by it at all (well at least I think, but I'll find out during class discussion!)
--I had to get used to reading with lots of dialogue, its been a while and sometimes I get side tracked with who is saying what.
---I went online to view the entire book and i viewed the chapter titles. As I looked at the titles I wondered, "what could that be about?" The wondering makes me want to read more because I have some questions that need to be answered.
Connections to other texts or course themes...
- The story relates to the course itself... TEENAGERS. I liked how it was a different way to view and "get a hold" on teenagers.
--I think that it had a relationship with the course them of Teenagers are not some alien life form. Teenagers are people just like children and adults and they deserve respect and should not be so stereotyped.
Questions/Comments/Points to share...
-How do younger generations (teens) feel when they read this novel?
--I enjoyed reading parts of the novel and think that I might read the entire book :)
---I think the story made some good points and it made me think about teenagers and how they are treated or mistreated.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Interviews with Tricia Rose
Tricia Rose makes some strong points about the differences of hip-hop in the present and hip-hop in the past. She makes the point that hip-hop is not dead (the name of Nas's album), but rather it is buried. By this Tricia Rose means that the history of hip-hop is no longer alive. In the past hip-hop had a wide range of listeners (age wise) and it was about politics, education, and learning about your history. There was still some anger is the past hip-hop, but not the same as today. Nowadays, hip-hop artists rap about drugs, sex, and violence with much anger.
Rose also makes a point that hip-hop cannot just be ignore or "turned off". It is all around, on the radio and several television stations. Although the artists make statements that if you do not like the music then turn it off... they don't mean it. In order to make sales, the artists need people to listen to their music, this is how sales will be made. Not all people like hip-hop music but there are many people that enjoy it. For the audience that does not enjoy it, there is pretty much no escaping it because it is on many television and radio stations.
Reading and listening to the interviews was a different type of read for me. I am not used to the question and answer type of reading, so it was hard for me to find the overview of what was the most important and such. To help me better understand Rose's points on the differences between past and present hip-hop songs I will have to listen so some. I am the type of person that listens to all kinds of music no matter what it is; If I like it then I'll listen.
These two pieces reminded me about how much of a struggle teenagers already have in their life and now they have more to add it it. The music that teenagers listen to plays a role in their life. They listen to it frequently and for some or most the words and the rappers can be influential on the teens decision making. Hearing all of the artists rapping about sex, drugs, money, and violence makes it appealing for the teenage listeners. In the end, they want to be like the rapper and may take part in some of the actions because it looks and sounds "cool".
I agree that there is no getting away from the hip-hop of today. It is widely listened to by many, there are many rappers, and it can be found on the radio and television. I also do not think that it will fade away until something new comes out and the audience likes it much better than hip-hop. I do believe that the hip-hop artists should be aware of their main audience (teenagers) and take this into consideration when coming up with song lyrics. Teens will tend to do whatever seems cool to them... if the rappers are aware of this and want to help make a difference or at least some positiveness, they can choose different song lyrics.
Rose also makes a point that hip-hop cannot just be ignore or "turned off". It is all around, on the radio and several television stations. Although the artists make statements that if you do not like the music then turn it off... they don't mean it. In order to make sales, the artists need people to listen to their music, this is how sales will be made. Not all people like hip-hop music but there are many people that enjoy it. For the audience that does not enjoy it, there is pretty much no escaping it because it is on many television and radio stations.
Reading and listening to the interviews was a different type of read for me. I am not used to the question and answer type of reading, so it was hard for me to find the overview of what was the most important and such. To help me better understand Rose's points on the differences between past and present hip-hop songs I will have to listen so some. I am the type of person that listens to all kinds of music no matter what it is; If I like it then I'll listen.
These two pieces reminded me about how much of a struggle teenagers already have in their life and now they have more to add it it. The music that teenagers listen to plays a role in their life. They listen to it frequently and for some or most the words and the rappers can be influential on the teens decision making. Hearing all of the artists rapping about sex, drugs, money, and violence makes it appealing for the teenage listeners. In the end, they want to be like the rapper and may take part in some of the actions because it looks and sounds "cool".
I agree that there is no getting away from the hip-hop of today. It is widely listened to by many, there are many rappers, and it can be found on the radio and television. I also do not think that it will fade away until something new comes out and the audience likes it much better than hip-hop. I do believe that the hip-hop artists should be aware of their main audience (teenagers) and take this into consideration when coming up with song lyrics. Teens will tend to do whatever seems cool to them... if the rappers are aware of this and want to help make a difference or at least some positiveness, they can choose different song lyrics.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Prensky Article
Author and Title...
"Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants" by Marc Prensky
Some things I understand...
In the Prensky article a comparison is made to the people that learn, (live and thirive off) through the digital age to those who are used to learning the old fashion way with lecture and textbooks. He uses the metaphor of "Digital Native and Digital Immigrant" to compare the two. Points are made about how the two are very different, but that we are in a digital age and it is how the learners of this time learn best. Unfortunately, the digital immigrants are having a hard time adjusting and understand this new time of the technology.
At the beginning of the article was the following quote, "Our students have changed radically. Today's students are no longer the people our educational system was designed to teach." The quote is true whether people want to believe it or not. It was a great way to start the article off. Besides discussing the two types of groups/people he does more... He gives an example of how much better and easier people of the digital age learn. The example is from the new CAD software program- the emloyers did not want to adapt and adjust at first because it looked to hard, but after making the learning process into a video game it was much easier and they wanted to do it. This goes to show the importance and difference there is if this type of learning style is used. Not all people of the digital age might want to learn this way, but I bet the majority of them do. Also, I agree and like Prensky's idea that all topics can be taught and turned into a digital learning experience. I cannot wait for the day that all adapt and learn to teach this way. I think it would be fun and interesting. Like Prensky, I think that the digital stuff is not used enough and it really needs to be taken into consideration as a part of learning in the "new way".
I was able to relate to this article and agree with it. I consider myself someone that is a digital native and in school it is sometimes hard knowing that teachers often teach by book and lecture. I believe that technolgy gives a better learning experience and hands on type of learning. As a teacher I hope to encourage my students to technology as much as possible, but to also not forget about reading and learning through discussion.
Some things I don't understand...
> I truly think that I understood everything in the article. I could "see" where the author was coming from with his relationships and metphors as well as be able to make a dicission of agreeing or disagreeing. My though is that I like the article so much because I can directly relate to it, being a digital native. But, I can see where the digital immigrant could be dissapointed or disagree with the article.
> What I would like to better understand is why the digital immigrants are so opposed to learning something new or why the newer generations should learn the old way. I wish they would just give the digital stuff a shot and see how great it is.
Connection to other texts or course themes...
>> I cannot really think of anything off the top of my head to relate this with from class. Oh wait! We use the internet (blogging) as part of our class learning experience... GO Dr. Bogad! We are digital native and you know and understand how we learn best. :-)
>> Also, in one way or another the article can relate to the "Media Matters" assumption, the media is all around us and most people are continually turning to it, using it, and learning from it (good and bad learning).
Questions/Comments/Points to Share...
> What are other peoples outlooks on who should change, the digital native or digital immigrant?
> Is there a point where the two types can meet in the middle?
> I loved this article and was really interested and engaged when reading it!
> I like the titles of digital native and digital immigrant that the author used and I agreed with pretty much all of his points that were made in the article.
"Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants" by Marc Prensky
Some things I understand...
In the Prensky article a comparison is made to the people that learn, (live and thirive off) through the digital age to those who are used to learning the old fashion way with lecture and textbooks. He uses the metaphor of "Digital Native and Digital Immigrant" to compare the two. Points are made about how the two are very different, but that we are in a digital age and it is how the learners of this time learn best. Unfortunately, the digital immigrants are having a hard time adjusting and understand this new time of the technology.
At the beginning of the article was the following quote, "Our students have changed radically. Today's students are no longer the people our educational system was designed to teach." The quote is true whether people want to believe it or not. It was a great way to start the article off. Besides discussing the two types of groups/people he does more... He gives an example of how much better and easier people of the digital age learn. The example is from the new CAD software program- the emloyers did not want to adapt and adjust at first because it looked to hard, but after making the learning process into a video game it was much easier and they wanted to do it. This goes to show the importance and difference there is if this type of learning style is used. Not all people of the digital age might want to learn this way, but I bet the majority of them do. Also, I agree and like Prensky's idea that all topics can be taught and turned into a digital learning experience. I cannot wait for the day that all adapt and learn to teach this way. I think it would be fun and interesting. Like Prensky, I think that the digital stuff is not used enough and it really needs to be taken into consideration as a part of learning in the "new way".
I was able to relate to this article and agree with it. I consider myself someone that is a digital native and in school it is sometimes hard knowing that teachers often teach by book and lecture. I believe that technolgy gives a better learning experience and hands on type of learning. As a teacher I hope to encourage my students to technology as much as possible, but to also not forget about reading and learning through discussion.
Some things I don't understand...
> I truly think that I understood everything in the article. I could "see" where the author was coming from with his relationships and metphors as well as be able to make a dicission of agreeing or disagreeing. My though is that I like the article so much because I can directly relate to it, being a digital native. But, I can see where the digital immigrant could be dissapointed or disagree with the article.
> What I would like to better understand is why the digital immigrants are so opposed to learning something new or why the newer generations should learn the old way. I wish they would just give the digital stuff a shot and see how great it is.
Connection to other texts or course themes...
>> I cannot really think of anything off the top of my head to relate this with from class. Oh wait! We use the internet (blogging) as part of our class learning experience... GO Dr. Bogad! We are digital native and you know and understand how we learn best. :-)
>> Also, in one way or another the article can relate to the "Media Matters" assumption, the media is all around us and most people are continually turning to it, using it, and learning from it (good and bad learning).
Questions/Comments/Points to Share...
> What are other peoples outlooks on who should change, the digital native or digital immigrant?
> Is there a point where the two types can meet in the middle?
> I loved this article and was really interested and engaged when reading it!
> I like the titles of digital native and digital immigrant that the author used and I agreed with pretty much all of his points that were made in the article.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Hines Article
Author and Title...
The Rise and Fall of the American Teenager by Thomas Hine
Some things I understand...
After reading the Hine article I felt as though is was all about the life of a teenager; what they do, don't do, how they are viewed, etc. The article was okay. I agreed but at sometimes disagreed because I do not think that ALL teens are like this. Yes, the majority of them are just like the ones described in the article, but not all. Therefore, my mind was constantly shifting back and forth when reading the article and I am still confused as the where I stand in the end.
One of the biggest things that I agreed with when I was reading was a quote on page two. It states, "Maybe I'm something special, and maybe I'm not. Maybe I'm here for a reason and I might be going somewhere after this, but then again I might not. I wonder where I fit in?" I believe that all teenager face this thought in the during their teenage years. I know I felt this way when I was a teen. I think that teens feel like this and might ask themselves a similar question because their lives are beginning to change at this point, including their mind and body. Some teens are able to get through this point with no problems while others may suffer severely and have rough teenage years.
Another piece of the article that I agreed with and could see where the author was coming from was when he talked about teenagers "falling". He said that there are two different ways that people view teens as "falling", one being positive and then other negative. "Teenagers have been "falling" one way or another-- by dropping out of school, becoming pregnant, joining gangs--from the time society first started raising the age of adulthood. If you take a romantic view, young people "fall" in another way. They grow up. The cut their hair (or remove tattoos), give up their youthful idealism, and fade into the gray mass of adult society." I think that there are definitely both types of teens. Some choose one path while the others choose another. Unfortunately, I feel as though there are more teenagers that choose the negative "falling" rather than the positive one.
Overall, the author made some good points in his article and I enjoyed reading it. Hopefully, class discussion will help me see more of these teen ideas.
Some things I don't understand...
-- The text was hard to view, because all of the letters were smooshed together and some were hard to make out. Therefore, I constantly had to stop myself and say "what was/am I reading about again."
--I didn't get the point that the author made was he was stating that he really started the book when he did the yearbook thing back in high school.
--How can someone have a baby an prom and then just leave it there to die AND show no sign of emotion about what she had just done!!!!!!
--What exactly does the author mean by his title, "Are Teenagers Necessary?" Even if they are not necessary, there is no way of getting rid of them or changing those years of 13-19.
Connections to other texts or course themes...
--All of the things that were said in the article about teens can be viewed and are portrayed in much of the media.
--The article relates to the assumptions of "Youth is a culturally constructed category" and "Teenagers are not some alien life form".
--As I was reading the article I was able to see the connection of it being a parents nightmare when their child turns into a teen (it can be heared by almost every parent, even my own). Also, I thought back to middle school and high school and I would think of a some classmates that followed along with the usual teenager to-do's.
Questions/Comments/Points to share...
--Does everyone view teen as "bad"?
-- Are the teens actions justified by the mental ability because it is the teens that seen to be consistently performing the same acts?
--I enjoyed the article and could see some of the points that were being made about teens BUT I felt as though all teens were being bashed and recognized as bad and this stereotype does not hold true for ALL teens (in my opinion).
The Rise and Fall of the American Teenager by Thomas Hine
Some things I understand...
After reading the Hine article I felt as though is was all about the life of a teenager; what they do, don't do, how they are viewed, etc. The article was okay. I agreed but at sometimes disagreed because I do not think that ALL teens are like this. Yes, the majority of them are just like the ones described in the article, but not all. Therefore, my mind was constantly shifting back and forth when reading the article and I am still confused as the where I stand in the end.
One of the biggest things that I agreed with when I was reading was a quote on page two. It states, "Maybe I'm something special, and maybe I'm not. Maybe I'm here for a reason and I might be going somewhere after this, but then again I might not. I wonder where I fit in?" I believe that all teenager face this thought in the during their teenage years. I know I felt this way when I was a teen. I think that teens feel like this and might ask themselves a similar question because their lives are beginning to change at this point, including their mind and body. Some teens are able to get through this point with no problems while others may suffer severely and have rough teenage years.
Another piece of the article that I agreed with and could see where the author was coming from was when he talked about teenagers "falling". He said that there are two different ways that people view teens as "falling", one being positive and then other negative. "Teenagers have been "falling" one way or another-- by dropping out of school, becoming pregnant, joining gangs--from the time society first started raising the age of adulthood. If you take a romantic view, young people "fall" in another way. They grow up. The cut their hair (or remove tattoos), give up their youthful idealism, and fade into the gray mass of adult society." I think that there are definitely both types of teens. Some choose one path while the others choose another. Unfortunately, I feel as though there are more teenagers that choose the negative "falling" rather than the positive one.
Overall, the author made some good points in his article and I enjoyed reading it. Hopefully, class discussion will help me see more of these teen ideas.
Some things I don't understand...
-- The text was hard to view, because all of the letters were smooshed together and some were hard to make out. Therefore, I constantly had to stop myself and say "what was/am I reading about again."
--I didn't get the point that the author made was he was stating that he really started the book when he did the yearbook thing back in high school.
--How can someone have a baby an prom and then just leave it there to die AND show no sign of emotion about what she had just done!!!!!!
--What exactly does the author mean by his title, "Are Teenagers Necessary?" Even if they are not necessary, there is no way of getting rid of them or changing those years of 13-19.
Connections to other texts or course themes...
--All of the things that were said in the article about teens can be viewed and are portrayed in much of the media.
--The article relates to the assumptions of "Youth is a culturally constructed category" and "Teenagers are not some alien life form".
--As I was reading the article I was able to see the connection of it being a parents nightmare when their child turns into a teen (it can be heared by almost every parent, even my own). Also, I thought back to middle school and high school and I would think of a some classmates that followed along with the usual teenager to-do's.
Questions/Comments/Points to share...
--Does everyone view teen as "bad"?
-- Are the teens actions justified by the mental ability because it is the teens that seen to be consistently performing the same acts?
--I enjoyed the article and could see some of the points that were being made about teens BUT I felt as though all teens were being bashed and recognized as bad and this stereotype does not hold true for ALL teens (in my opinion).
Sunday, February 1, 2009
MEDIA LITERACY
When I was exploring "media literacy" I was able to find many different things about it...
My first finding was the wikipedia definition of media literacy. "is the process of accessing, analyzing, evaluating and creating messages in a wide variety of media modes, genres and forms (Wikipedia)." It also stated that the process helps people to discover findings of "propaganda, censorship and bias" (Wikipedia). I can't say that I agree or disagree with the definition because I have not given it much thought before and I need to do some more research and come to a conclusion of what I think it is.
http://www.ced.appstate.edu/departments/ci/programs/edmedia/medialit/article.html
This site was okay... it gave some more information on what media literacy is, who teaches it, how to teach it, and what to look for. There was lots of reading to go through and the site was not eye catching, although it was informational. The site explained to the viewer that media literacy is looking at both print and non-print in various ways (analyzing, evaluating, communicating).
http://www.main.nc.us/cml/
This is a site that is put up by the non-profit organization of Citizens of Media Literacy. The site has various links to click on and find just what the viewer is looking for (or not looking for). The Citizens of Media Literacy does some of the following: "promotes citizens' responsibility for free speech rights, provides assistance to citizen activists and journalists on issues related to the Freedom of Information Act and Open Records laws, publishes media analysis and criticism, such as Sinclair Media Watch, promotes public access to the media environment, especially via cable TV and the Internet." (Citizens of Media Literacy, 1999). I enjoyed the site and it seems like the organizations is doing great things.
http://www.pbs.org/teachers/media_lit/quiz.html
A site with a quiz. It was made up of media/children/teens and other types of ?'s. I took the quiz of 15 questions and my score was a 6 which is wayyyy low. I guess I don't know all the right answers... and I don't know much about media literacy.
http://pbskids.org/dontbuyit/
This site is great for kids to use and educate themselves on the media. There are spots to click on advertisements and how the people make things look so good to get their attention. Other spaces to click were music and t.v. I don't know the site is hard to explain everything on it, so check it out for yourself. Make sure to click on everything... I think its really educational and even though it is more for kids, it was able to help me learn. As a teacher I might use it in the future with the students.
Overall, there is SO MUCH out there on media literacy. I had trouble determining what to click on and what would be important. Some things I found were good and some were not. I think that anyone could spend countless hours finding things on media literacy and it would never end.
My first finding was the wikipedia definition of media literacy. "is the process of accessing, analyzing, evaluating and creating messages in a wide variety of media modes, genres and forms (Wikipedia)." It also stated that the process helps people to discover findings of "propaganda, censorship and bias" (Wikipedia). I can't say that I agree or disagree with the definition because I have not given it much thought before and I need to do some more research and come to a conclusion of what I think it is.
http://www.ced.appstate.edu/departments/ci/programs/edmedia/medialit/article.html
This site was okay... it gave some more information on what media literacy is, who teaches it, how to teach it, and what to look for. There was lots of reading to go through and the site was not eye catching, although it was informational. The site explained to the viewer that media literacy is looking at both print and non-print in various ways (analyzing, evaluating, communicating).
http://www.main.nc.us/cml/
This is a site that is put up by the non-profit organization of Citizens of Media Literacy. The site has various links to click on and find just what the viewer is looking for (or not looking for). The Citizens of Media Literacy does some of the following: "promotes citizens' responsibility for free speech rights, provides assistance to citizen activists and journalists on issues related to the Freedom of Information Act and Open Records laws, publishes media analysis and criticism, such as Sinclair Media Watch, promotes public access to the media environment, especially via cable TV and the Internet." (Citizens of Media Literacy, 1999). I enjoyed the site and it seems like the organizations is doing great things.
http://www.pbs.org/teachers/media_lit/quiz.html
A site with a quiz. It was made up of media/children/teens and other types of ?'s. I took the quiz of 15 questions and my score was a 6 which is wayyyy low. I guess I don't know all the right answers... and I don't know much about media literacy.
http://pbskids.org/dontbuyit/
This site is great for kids to use and educate themselves on the media. There are spots to click on advertisements and how the people make things look so good to get their attention. Other spaces to click were music and t.v. I don't know the site is hard to explain everything on it, so check it out for yourself. Make sure to click on everything... I think its really educational and even though it is more for kids, it was able to help me learn. As a teacher I might use it in the future with the students.
Overall, there is SO MUCH out there on media literacy. I had trouble determining what to click on and what would be important. Some things I found were good and some were not. I think that anyone could spend countless hours finding things on media literacy and it would never end.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Christensen Article
Author and Title:
Christensen--"Unlearning the Myths that Bind Us"
Some things I understand:
Christensen wants the readers to understand that cartoons are much more than an entertaining show for children. Instead, they are making stereotypes about gender, race, money, happiness, etc. To show how this is being done her class completed a project, charting data of the stereotypes and Christensen shares some of them in the article.
One example that I enjoyed was when Christensen states, "I am uncomfortable with those messages. I don't want students to
believe that change can be bought at the mall, nor do I want them thinking
that the pinnacle of a woman's life is an "I do" that supposedly leads them
to a "happily ever after." I don't want my female students to see their "sisters" as competition (or that scarce and wonderful commodity -men." This is so true! Every little girls dreams about her wedding day as a young girl... seeing the future of being happily ever after and everything perfect. But in many cases this is not true. People can very well be happy, loving life and not married or have any intention of getting married. Another statement by the author, " They looked at how overweight people were portrayed as buffoons... They noted the absence of mothers, the wickedness of stepparents." This is true and I as well can think of many examples to support the stereotypes. Throughout the article the author uses much detail and many examples in supporting her argument. They are all very good and agreeable.
I enjoyed reading the article and I agree with Christensen. I know the media makes many portrayals that are not true, but I did not know or see how there were used in children's cartoons. No matter how hard the creators of the shows will try to not make stereotypes or say that there are none, someone will always find and be able to pick one out. It is sad, but true and I do no think that it will ever be changed. After all, if it was changed then shows would be perfect and who would want to watch a perfect show with no drama, no out of the ordinary, and no chaos?
Some things I don't understand:
--I was a little confused at the beginning or the article (first page, right side) because I wasn't sure where the author was going with it.... until I read on.
--Is there variety of people that create they shows? Why are there so many stereotypes being used?
--Did the essays make a difference (the ones that were published)? No information showed if they were successful in any way, if people agreed, if the writers were persistent with their ideas and arguments.
Connections to other texts or course themes:
--This text relates to "Media Matters" assumption that I discussed with other peers last week.
--The article seems to be what a good portion of the class will be about, because it directly discusses the media (t.v.) and all the things it portrays to the viewers.
Questions/Comments/Points to share:
--Why/how have people become so wrapped up in the media?
--How young do you think the viewers of the media start to pick up on the portrayals of stereotypes?
Christensen--"Unlearning the Myths that Bind Us"
Some things I understand:
Christensen wants the readers to understand that cartoons are much more than an entertaining show for children. Instead, they are making stereotypes about gender, race, money, happiness, etc. To show how this is being done her class completed a project, charting data of the stereotypes and Christensen shares some of them in the article.
One example that I enjoyed was when Christensen states, "I am uncomfortable with those messages. I don't want students to
believe that change can be bought at the mall, nor do I want them thinking
that the pinnacle of a woman's life is an "I do" that supposedly leads them
to a "happily ever after." I don't want my female students to see their "sisters" as competition (or that scarce and wonderful commodity -men." This is so true! Every little girls dreams about her wedding day as a young girl... seeing the future of being happily ever after and everything perfect. But in many cases this is not true. People can very well be happy, loving life and not married or have any intention of getting married. Another statement by the author, " They looked at how overweight people were portrayed as buffoons... They noted the absence of mothers, the wickedness of stepparents." This is true and I as well can think of many examples to support the stereotypes. Throughout the article the author uses much detail and many examples in supporting her argument. They are all very good and agreeable.
I enjoyed reading the article and I agree with Christensen. I know the media makes many portrayals that are not true, but I did not know or see how there were used in children's cartoons. No matter how hard the creators of the shows will try to not make stereotypes or say that there are none, someone will always find and be able to pick one out. It is sad, but true and I do no think that it will ever be changed. After all, if it was changed then shows would be perfect and who would want to watch a perfect show with no drama, no out of the ordinary, and no chaos?
Some things I don't understand:
--I was a little confused at the beginning or the article (first page, right side) because I wasn't sure where the author was going with it.... until I read on.
--Is there variety of people that create they shows? Why are there so many stereotypes being used?
--Did the essays make a difference (the ones that were published)? No information showed if they were successful in any way, if people agreed, if the writers were persistent with their ideas and arguments.
Connections to other texts or course themes:
--This text relates to "Media Matters" assumption that I discussed with other peers last week.
--The article seems to be what a good portion of the class will be about, because it directly discusses the media (t.v.) and all the things it portrays to the viewers.
Questions/Comments/Points to share:
--Why/how have people become so wrapped up in the media?
--How young do you think the viewers of the media start to pick up on the portrayals of stereotypes?
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
T H I R T E E N
When I was 13... I was in eighth grade. During my last year of middle school I remember friends, friends, friends. I was always with my friends and loved being with them. We did everything together (shopping, sleepovers, homework, babysitting, going to the movies, talking on the phone...). This was the age that I can remember wanting to always be with my friends rather than my family. I had a two year old sister at this time and even though she was cute as a button she was also a pain. On the other hand, there were times when I needed to come home. Coming home meant that I had enough of my friends and needed a break from the girls because being together too long just causes girl fights. This is when we don't talk for like 1-3 days and then everything is normal again; weird, but true. :-)
Another memory that stands out like a sore thumb in my memory was back to school shopping. It was around August and I can remember fighting with my parents because I wanted to go shopping on my own, or better yet with Dad because he always lets me get the "cool" stuff. After arguing and getting mad at my parents I got my way. Some cash was handed my way and Dad took me with him. I did some shopping on my own and some with my friends. When I was at the store I can remember thinking that I needed to pick out the coolest clothes because I was going to HIGH SCHOOL and that was a big deal.
On that note... now I just wear what I like and what I think looks good and is "cool" to me.
I'm sure much more happened in the long year that I was thirteen, but I can't remember everything. And if I don't remember it then the time was probably not that important because I can usually remember lots and lots of things.
Another memory that stands out like a sore thumb in my memory was back to school shopping. It was around August and I can remember fighting with my parents because I wanted to go shopping on my own, or better yet with Dad because he always lets me get the "cool" stuff. After arguing and getting mad at my parents I got my way. Some cash was handed my way and Dad took me with him. I did some shopping on my own and some with my friends. When I was at the store I can remember thinking that I needed to pick out the coolest clothes because I was going to HIGH SCHOOL and that was a big deal.
On that note... now I just wear what I like and what I think looks good and is "cool" to me.
I'm sure much more happened in the long year that I was thirteen, but I can't remember everything. And if I don't remember it then the time was probably not that important because I can usually remember lots and lots of things.
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