Media Literacy Guide for 8th Grade Waldorf Students

Traditionally, students who attend private Waldorf schools have very little or no exposure to media within the school day.  Most parents who send their children to these schools already know the value of the limited exposure and limit their child’s usage at home as well.   Students who continue through Waldorf High school are equip with the skills, including technology usage, to prepare them for adulthood.  These students have reported relative ease entering college. 

Continuing a Waldorf style education through high school, is not an option for many families because of availability and cost.  Therefore, many of these 8^th graders will be entering high school with students who have had access to electronic devices since elementary school or younger.  Many skills such as critical thinking, collaboration, research, note taking, and general courtesies will already be covered without technology within the curriculum.  Typically, a student who completes elementary and middle school in a Waldorf classroom is competent in traditional literacies, visual literacies, spatial orientation, and mechanical competencies, problem solving, and expresses confidence to learn and try new skills.  

This guide is intended to identify new media literacy competencies that can be explored to familiarize the 8^th grade Waldorf student with the technology demands of a mainstream high school.  It is intentionally general to accommodate for the rapid change of digital media skills.  As students develop critical thinking and safety, they should be encouraged to participate in online and offline discussions with their peers, parents and teachers about information accessed, tips, and programs they discover.

 

Skills:

A.    Typing

Students should continue to type using proper keyboard position and posture.  An average of 30-40 words per minute is ideal.  Students should be comfortable using a touch screen and manipulating a touchpad or mouse.  Students should be familiar with using keyboard shortcuts or know where to access them.

B.     Netiquette

Students should be aware of online courtesies, appropriate use of communication platforms, and accepted language.

C.    Formalities

Students should be aware of the proper use of online communication (composing a formal email, business correspondence, messaging, posting, replying, etc.)

D.    Legalities

Students should understand the ethical issues and proper use and citation of text, images, and resources.

E.     Safety:

Students should be familiar with the use of passwords, information sharing, fraud, scams, and viruses.  Students should have a clear understanding of privacy and the sharing of images.  Students should be familiar with the effects of excessive screen time and be aware of resources for internet addiction and cyber-bullying.

F.     Choosing a medium

Students should be familiar with popular computing programs and accessing tutorials or help sections for usage.  Students should be able to manipulate and transfer data across platforms.  Students should be familiar with saving files and understand storage capabilities.

G.    Search skills

Students should be familiar with search cites for scholarly content, non-scholarly information, and commentary.  Students should be skilled in determining the accuracy, source, and motivation behind information posted. 

 

Reference

Graber, Diana.  2015. A Funny Thing Happens When You Teach Media Literacy: Kids Get Smarter. Media Literacy Now.  Retrieved from: http://medialiteracynow.org/a-funny-thing-happens-when-you-teach-media-literacy-kids-get-smarter/

Screen Time and Sleep Time

Light contains a spectrum of colors. 

Blue light suppresses melatonin. Melatonin regulates the body's circadian rhythms.  

Having a regular circadian rhythm allows for proper restfulness and thus promotes overall health.  

Digital electronics' screens typically have LED or Fluorescent light which use back-lighting technology.  This technology exposes us to more blue light at times (after sunset) when humans previously did not receive exposure.  

The Harvard Medical school has been researching the effects of increased screen time (particularly during normal resting hours) and its impact on human health.  The preliminary findings are showing a connection to many of the health issues (cancer, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and depression) that have been plaguing developed nations in the last few decades.

Teens Technology Survey

I surveyed an 11 year old girl and 16 year old boy to submit a brief self report of their relationship to technology.  Unfortunately I wasn't able to interview them in-person to clarify or adjust any questions. 

The most interesting aspect of the experience was that the 16 year old was very troubled that it required him to write and not click.  (Perhaps I should have used Survey Monkey!  I did give the option to call, email, or record responses.)  In the end he opted to print, hand-write, and scan me his answers.   For reporting high proficiency with technology, I was surprised at his use of this "old fashion" method!

What technology do you use? (which devices? Apps? programs?)

 16: iphone, macbook, ps4, instagram, imessage, snapchat, facebook

11: phone, ipad, laptop, games, social media, google classroom, khan academy, etc

How long have you used these?  Are they your own?

 16: 4 years (since I was 12), all of the devices are my own

11: I have had a phone for a long time, but I just got a new one last Easter.  I have also had my ipad for a long time.  My laptop was from last year. Yes, they are my own.

How many hours per day do you use technology (iphone, tv, computer, game console, etc)? 

16: 4-6 hours

11: 4-5 hours (I think)

How many hours per week? (If you use one day more than others.  Which day(s) do you use the most?)

 16: 20 hours

11: 24 hours (I think)  I usually use it on the weekends to play games or do homework.

Estimate the average percent of your usage time for:

Homework:             16: 30%           11: 50%

Communication: 16: 50%           11: 25%

Fun:                     16: 20%           11:25%

Should there be limits on teens access to technology?

 16: No, because we use it for every aspect of our lives

11: Yes or else we would only focus on our electronics rather than what's actually happening

What would be a fair policy?

 16: Let us decide what is fair.

11: I think a fair policy would be if you finish all your work, you can play on your electronics.

Do your parents or school have a usage policy?

16: Yes, no screens after 11pm

11: yeah.  My mom makes sure I balance my time and do other stuff.  I am not allowed to use my phone in school.

Compared to your friends, are you ahead, behind, or average in ability to use technology.

16: Ahead

11: average/ahead

Do you act/type differently online than you do in person? 

 16: NO

11: nope

Do you communicate online with friends that you regularly see in-person or global friends (that you may not have met)?

16: I talk to my friends, but not people from around the world.

11: both, depending on what I am doing

Do you have any concerns about the use of technology?

16: Not really

11: Sometimes people send too much time on their electronics and don't socialize with the people in real life sitting next to them.  Also, there's cyber bullying

Deconstruction Of A Video Ad Reflection

I chose to deconstruct the video advertisement of Old Spice's body wash:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hteeecX1oQ

A few items that were striking was the lack of product in the advertisement, the feeling of amateur production, and the use of humor.

The ad is one of many, demonstrating men in relatively bizarre, but manly scenarios.  Rather than convincing the viewer of the effectiveness of the product, it is my impression that the videos are not intended to be viewed once, but to be shared via social media because of the humor element.  The limited product images, allow the advertisement to be understood as an entertaining clip and less as brainwashing advertisement.  These qualities allow it to reach a wider audience exposure rather than convincing the viewer of its benefits and hoping the product will further be discussed organically.

As discussed in Networked Publics, the culture around this advertisement was created to be a parody of manly men and uses a juxtapose filming technique giving the video a amateur/real feel that users are comfortable with in everyday life.

The advertisement itself had very little written text, but used visuals and sounds created the images of  manliness (playing tennis/baseball on a whale blindfolded), cleanliness (ocean splash), and intelligence/thoughtfulness (speaking in a profound tone).

Varnelis, K., & Annenberg Center for Communication (University of Southern California). (2008). Networked publics. Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press.

Rote Knowledge vs Critical Questioning

Marshall McLuhan used the concept of an acoustic world to describe the change from processing text to electronic media (of the 1970s).  My impression is that he was using the term acoustic to mean accepting multiple inputs rather than a single visual text.  McLuhan's covered privacy, communication theory, journalism, politics, the work methods, secrecy, schooling, and ecology.  Underlining each of these topics seemed to be a feeling of fear for this shift.  I think his intention was to give an unbiased operational report on the changing technologies, however his main purpose came across as a cultural warning.

I was struck by Ivan Illich's suggestion that schools were obsolete now with the easy access to information.  A thought like this, I can see being proposed now with the heavy reliance on computers, however I am shocked he was feeling this in the 1970s!  In response,McLuhan said, "I'm suggesting that the answer is not that, but to put the questions in the classroom and start a real dialogue there."
From this statement, teachers are responsible for teaching critical literacy-and not necessarily anything else as the students can already access anything they want.  They need to be taught to ask critical and leading questions to begin their journey of knowledge.  Perhaps without blindly feeding information to children we will eliminate the "knowledge creates ignorance" idea.  If children learn to question  fixed concepts and accepted theories will we have a more innovative critically literate society?




Marshall McLuhan Speaks Special Collection: Living in an Acoustic World. http://www.marshallmcluhanspeaks.com/lecture/1970-living-in-an-acoustic-world/

Youth and Politics

As we near the 2016 presidential elections, talk of politicians, view points, parties, and debates can be found just about everywhere.  Despite the coverage, are the candidates reaching (or engaging) all potential voters?  Have young people lost their sense of citizenship?

W. Lance Bennet addressed these and many more points in "Changing Citizenship in the Digital Age."  Bennet explored how the younger generation is less likely to engage in politics and civic organizations, is leery of media, and is less likely to learn civics in school as compared to older generations (birth year prior to 1977) (Bennet, 2008).  The techniques Bennet considered is how youth are integrating digital technologies to redefine citizenship.  Previously citizenship meant identifying with a political party and engaging with a group's goal.   But as Peter Levine is quoted, "Perhaps youth are deliberately and wisely choosing not to endorse forms of participation that are flawed." (Bennet, 2008, p4).

I agree that many young people today feel that the current politicians are fake and foolish.  Their choices and debates have very little to do with issues that I care about, nor would my opinion matter to them if I tried to voice them.  Instead of physically voting with a party that tells me what is important, I, like many other young people, would rather make a difference in my day to day actions.  As Bennet notes, youth are showing their political choices through consumerism, volunteerism, and activism.  Individuality is far more important that associating with predetermined opinions of a group or party (Bennet, 2008 p14).

I agree that youth are less interested in passive absorption of political propaganda as presented by television or news reports.  Voicing an opinion on social media or creating political statement that goes "viral" seems to be the new soapbox for civics.  Being able to interact in real time on individual and worldly issues seems a far better mode of engagement.  However as Raquel Recuero pointed out, politics on social media can easily become an emotionally-charged sounding board without any real communication, interaction, or engagement on the issue. (Recuero, 2012)

Bennett, Lance. "Changing Citizenship in the Digital Age." Civic Life Online:Learning How Digital Media Can Engage Youth. Edited byW. Lance Bennet.  The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Series on Digital Media and Learning. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.  2008. 1–24.doi:10.1162/dmal.9780262524827.001

 

Recuero, Raquel. "Digital Youth, Social Movements, and Democracy in Brazil."  How are Brazilian youth becoming digital, what potential does digital media provide for democracy and social movements? 2012.  http://bit.ly/Qgo0RS
 

Networked Publics: Response to Defining Place

"For those who gather in these hot spots to engage with the network, being online in the presence of others is the new place to be, the bodily presence of the other cafegoers easing the disconnect with the local that the network creates." (Varnelis, 2012 p20)

In Networked Publics, Kazys Varnelis discusses the changing of place, culture, politics, and infrastructure that arise with the changing of our lives and technologies.  The quote above refers to the congregation of people absorbed in using the internet to connect with others at a distant, while generally ignoring the people nearest in their proximity.  

The online network allows one to connect to many others with similar interests.  Varnelis points to this unique situation of simultaneous place that includes both physical and virtual locations (Varnelis, 2012 p6).  The new skills necessary for this simultaneous engagement is the ability to multitask.  In the example of the cafe, one must be able to balance the online content (social media, online banking, photo sharing, etc.) with the physical environment.  If the cafe becomes smoke-filled or your table neighbor begins to choke- you must be able to ignore the blinking chat message or the funny cat video your cousin sent and react in the physical arena.  Likewise, if you become engaged in consuming your hazelnut biscotti dipped in your cooling soy vanilla latte, you must still be able to respond to your boss' tenth email sent within the last hour.  Our culture demands full attention in both spheres.  We would like just as much attention to detail in everyday encounters as we would in response to online communications.  We would also like these responses at the same speed as a face to face connection if not faster.  That being said, I have noticed that as a society we are slowly shifting to a greater acceptance of half-attention responses given in both spheres.

"To be clear, the new is not good by default."(Varnelis, 2012 p15)

Personally, I find the norm of simultaneous location to be exhausting. The engagement in a face to face conversation can never compare to the conversations with people holding multiple places.  For example, I currently have 13 tabs open on my browser and my phone is inches from my fingers.  I am "in" my blog, a classmate's blog, and the university portal.  I am mid text conversation with five different people.  I have about 15 emails awaiting replies.  I am "in" a toy store, a library, a train station, a doctors office, a knitting store, a museum, and the fantasy land of two books.  In an instant, I may be required or compelled to add additional places.  I know that I am not giving any of the people involved in these places my full attention as I would if I were in just one place. 

So is a single physical place the best way to ensure full engagement?  Likely not.  Multi-place communication has already been ingrained into our culture.   In a face to face conversation, I am wondering if my phone is buzzing about an emergency or if anyone responded to my message. I am thinking about what is happening in these other virtual spheres.  Despite my dislike for split place culture, I know that it has already fully familiar part of our culture.


 Varnelis, K. (2012). Networked Publics. Cambridge, US: The MIT Press. Retrieved from http://www.ebrary.com.library.esc.edu