AUGSBURG COLLEGE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT SYLLABUS

 

Course: ESE 352S Media Literacy

Credits: .5

Prerequisites: Admission to the Education Department

 

Course Description:

Students seeking the 5-12 Communications/Arts licensure will be introduced to the teaching of media literacy. The course presents a theoretical framework for the critical analysis of media texts and emphasizes instructional strategies and curriculum development. Topics include tools for reading print and electronic messages, perception and literacy, and the role of electronic media in cognitive, emotional and moral development.

 

Education Department Mission Statement:

The Augsburg College Education Department commits itself to developing future educational leaders who foster student learning and well-being by being knowledgeable in content, being competent in pedagogy, being ethical in practice, building relationships, embracing diversity, reflecting critically, and collaborating effectively.

 

Mission Themes (MT) assessed in this course:

Being competent in pedagogy; collaborating effectively; reflecting critically; being knowledgeable in content.

 

Applicable Standards of Effective Practice:

Standard 1

Students will develop their knowledge, skills and abilities in the areas below and will develop competence to teach their students to:

 

5.     knowledge, skills, and ability to teach media literacy including:

a.     relationships among the elements of the communication process across various types of print and nonprint media;

b.     effects of the various types of electronic audiovisual media on the communication process;

c.     competent participation as a consumer and producer of media communication;

d.     functional aesthetic, and ethical values of media communication;

6.2.

c.2. understand and apply the research base for and the best practices of middle level and high school education.

 

Objectives: Students will be able to:

1. Apply the keys (framework, worldview, process, production values, context) to interpreting media messages.
2. Consider the role of the medium in individual decision-making.
3. Identify the stages of cognitive, emotional, and moral development and their relationship to media literacy.
4. Learn general information about mass media, including definition, descriptions of the various media, and uses.
5. Discuss and critique the media’s influence on behavior, values, and ethics.
6. Recognize the growth in the management and manufacture of information and its dissemination by the media.
7. Evaluate the ideological importance of the media and their influence.
8. Acquire critical skills for understanding the construction of media messages, both print and electronic.
9. Examine effective instructional strategies for teaching media literacy.
10. Develop a rationale for teaching media literacy.
11. Write individual lesson plans that integrate media literacy with writing, speaking, listening, and reading.
12. Develop a unit on media literacy with an awareness of diverse student populations with a range of learning styles, and learning and special needs.
13. Write lesson plans that use various teaching techniques: lecture, demonstration, questioning, case study, discussion, cooperative learning, role-playing, inquiry and audiovisuals.
14. Write lesson plans that use a range of objectives.
15. Teach lesson plans.
16. Critique mini-lessons taught by pre-service teachers.

 

Instructional Materials:

 

Silverblatt, Art. Ferry. Jane. Finan, Barbara. Approaches to Media Literacy: A

Handbook. 1000. M.E. Sharpe.

 

Silverblatt, Art. Media Literacy: Keys to Interpreting Media Literacy. 1995. Praeger.

 

Supplemental materials provided by instructor.

 

Course Policies:

 

1. Attendance: It is important that we all make it a priority to be here to contribute to the class and learn from each other. Being absent will have a direct effect on your grade unless the absence is an emergency. In the event of an emergency or if you anticipate a class when you will not be here, it is your responsibility to let the instructor know.

 

2. Class Participation: Think of the class as a learning community. Show up and share your ideas. Be prepared with all assignments. Meet deadlines for individual and group work. Express your ideas, try them out: that is one way we sharpen our thoughts and gain skills. Also, listen to others. Participation will influence your grade.
3. Late Assignments: Hand in work on time. Late assignments will lose one full grade.

 

4. Plagiarism: Unauthorized use of others’ material without permission or citation will result in a non-passing grade for this course and will have ramifications on your academic career.

 

5. Special Needs: If any of you have special physical and/or learning needs, please discuss these with me as soon as possible.

 

6. Incompletes: Incompletes will be granted only for extraordinary circumstances.

 

7. Grading: Grades will be based on the quality of the work as it stands on its own. How much effort was put into a piece of work cannot be a fair criterion for grading since there is no way to measure effort. Following are some guidelines for interpretation of your grades:

 

A         Exceptional work; exceptional in all regards: creativity, depth, writing and speaking excellence, critical thinking.

B         Work that goes beyond competence into areas of insight, effective writing, speaking.

C         Work that meets the minimum requirement of the course and satisfies all aspects of an assignment.

D         Work that does not meet minimum requirements

F          Work that is incomplete, dishonest, or is not a serious presentation.

 

Criteria for assessing assignments

Written (W) and oral (O) assignments will be evaluated on the following:

1. Demonstrates professional appearance: word processed, properly formatted. W
2. Meets deadlines. W and O
3. Demonstrates thoughtful planning and creativity. W and O
4. Satisfies all requirements of the assignment including assessment rubrics for individual assignments when applicable. W and O
5. Uses appropriate content for age and context of lesson. W and O
6. Use of language is clear and precise. W and O

 

Assignments

1. Reflective papers. (20% of grade)

Word process a total of three, 1-2 page reflections on specific groups of readings and class discussion. We will use these as springboards for discussion so include your ideas, questions, reactions and rough ideas for your final unit. Also, during the course, each student will bring sample media texts (print/electronic) to analyze related to the readings. You will lead a discussion on the related to the media approaches we learn about from our texts.

Assessment: Criteria 1-6

 

Assessment: Criteria 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and Discussion Rubric

2. Media Inventory. (10% of grade)

Design a 1-2 page survey/inventory for a diverse class of students. Your purpose is to gain information about your students media interests, media use, level of critical awareness so you may use this information in your teaching. Include close ended and open-ended questions.

Assessment: Criteria 1-6

 

3. Microteaching Video and Lesson Plan. (50% of grade) The two teaching assignments and the portfolio outlined below will be included as a part of this assessment.

 

Choose two of the lesson plans you write for the unit to teach. Each lesson will be 20-30 minutes and use visuals, and/or demonstrate, and or involve the students through questions and/or reactions. The lesson plans must include a minimum of one or more objectives in writing, speaking, listening, literature, small group and one or more media objectives. You will be evaluated by both the instructor and your peers using a microteaching critique sheet. Also, hand in your lesson plans before your presentation.

Assessment: Microteaching Rubric and Criteria 1-6

 

Include the following:

 

1. Title

Description and/or rationale

1. Use of outside resources
2. Construction and organization of arguments
3. Addressing opposing views and resistances, refutation to media literacy

2. Identify desired results

Graduation standards: list those addressed in this unit.

Learner outcomes-cognitive, affective and psychomotor. List what students should know, understand and be able to do. What is worth of understanding? What enduring understandings are desired? (So what? Why does it matter?)

3. Determine acceptable evidence.

Assessment: How will you gather information to assure outcomes are being met? How will the student know if they are learning?

Evaluation: List specifically what the students will have done; be able to do/understand once the unit is complete. What are the multiple methods the teacher uses to grade students’ performances? Create rubrics?

4. Plan learning experiences and instruction.

Make choices for the unit that is most effective at helping reach the goals.

List multiple intelligences you include in this unit.

Use cooperative learning, technology.

5. Check which perspectives are included in this unit and state how if not obvious: American Indian (Nation); Asian American (ethnicity); biracial children; girls/boys, gay/lesbian students; students in poverty, middle class, wealthy; or any religion; other.
6. List how you will adjust for differences in learning for: physical disabled: slow or fast learners, other.
7. Goals and behavior objectives—cognitive, affective, and psychomotor. (Unit behavior objectives must include a) conditions when appropriate and necessary and b) criteria.)
8. Design each lesson. Consider relevance, variety, and use of strategies discussed in text and in class.) Include 2-5 approaches to media literacy: Ideological, autobiographical, nonverbal, mythic and production analysis.
9. Student and teacher bibliography.
10. Summary (Unit closure) Describe how this unit uses best practices. Does it help students make connections to their experiences, community, and planet?

Does it allow students to study central ideas in depth? Does it engage them in substantial conversations? When possible, does it allow students to rethink/refine their understanding and performance using more sophisticated applications?

 

You will present highlights of your rationale along with overall learner outcomes to the class. This assignment will be turned by the last day of class.

 

Assessment: Criteria 1-6

 

4. Self critique of microteaching (10% of grade)

Critique your presentations according to the critique sheet. In addition to the numerical scores, make sure you word process a one-page narrative identifying your strengths and areas for improvement. Consider content and delivery (nonverbal and vocal qualities); use of materials, checks for understanding, questioning skills, organization.

Assessment: Criteria 1-6

 

5.     Classroom Procedure (10%) of grade

 

Since good communications skills are vital for a teacher, reading, listening, observing, writing and speaking will be emphasized.

 

Please note the importance of attending and participating in every class. Failure to do so will not have a positive effect on your grade. Your attendance is important because much of the learning can only be experienced in the group.

 

If you have any special needs that could affect your performance (i.e. special provisions for testing), please notify me in writing before the end of the first week of class.

 

These assignments are meant to be practical learning experience where you will have an opportunity to practice various skills and receive feedback on your performance from the instructor and your peers. Assignments are to be completed and when appropriate handed in on due date. All written assignments must be typed or done on a word processor. Hand in all assignments to me unless otherwise directed.

 

 

Calendar

Session 1 Topics: Introduction to course/texts

                  Rationale for media literacy

                  Grad Standards and subject matter standards

 

Session 2 Topics: Process, Context, and Ideological analysis

                 

Due: Read Keys Chapter 1-3; Read Approaches Chapter 1

                  Reflections

                  Media Analysis (Inventory)

 

Session 3 Topics: Framework, Production values, Autobiographical analysis

 

                  Due: Read Keys Chapter 4,5 and Approaches 2,5

                  Reflections

                  Video

 

 

Session 4: Topics: Print Journalism, Advertising

 

                  Due: Read Keys Chapter 6,7 and Approaches Chapter 3,4

                  Reflections

 

Session 5 Topics: American Political Communication, Issues

 

Due: Read Chapter 8, 9, 10

Microteaching

 

Session 6 Due: Microteaching and highlights of rationale.

Bring self-addressed stamped envelope for unit. Also, you have four days from the last class to email me your microteaching evaluation.

 

Session 7 Due: All microteaching evaluations need to be completed by session 7. If all are done and turned in by session 6, there will be no class. If not, the class period will be regularly scheduled.