Media Literacy in the Art Classroom

THIS ASSIGNMENT IS FOR THE 8900 COURSE

View the video below as an introduction to this assignment:



Your technology topic this week focuses on the area of media literacy.  Your assigned readings are as follows:

• Rosen - Chapter 7 "Media Literacy Among 21st Century Kids"
• Kuan Chung & Kirby - "Media Literacy Art Education: Logos, Culture Jamming, & Activism"

In addition to your assigned readings I would like you to watch two documentaries I have embedded here within our blog - Killing Us Softly and Consuming Kids.

Killing Us Softly can be viewed here.

Consuming Kids can be viewed here.

Once you have finished the readings and viewing the films I would like for you to address the following question:

What is the role of art education (or art educators) in teaching students to be media literate digital citizens?

Describe your personal position persuasively using references from the readings and films when applicable.  Additionally consider the following dimension - how would you teach media literacy in the art classroom?  (Kuan Chung & Kirby's article as well as these resources from PBS may be good jumping off points).  This response will be in lieu of your read and react and should be at least 750 words (due to lengthy nature of the content and the broad scope of the topic).

When you have finished writing you will need to respond to at least one other student's post.

Stephen Colbert art challenge

Interesting clips for discussion!

Part 1:

Steve Martin puts his art knowledge to the test by choosing between Ellsworth Kelly's "Green" and a Sherwin-Williams paint swatch. (04:28

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Steve Martin Pt. 1
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor & Satire Blog Video Archive

Part 2:

In this complete, unedited segment, Frank Stella, Shepard Fairey and Andres Serrano add value to Stephen's portrait for Steve Martin. (13:19)

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Exclusive - Steve Martin Extended Segment
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor & Satire Blog Video Archive

Think you can turn Stephen's portrait into a work of art?  Download the original here and resubmit it using these instructions.

creating and investigating intertexts

All images relate to other cultural texts such as books, poems, music, and, of course, other images (Wilson, 2003). Images draw from other sources, copy them, parody them, and, in turn influence other cultural texts. Today, students are familiar with this basic idea through the Internet. With computers, intertextuality is known as hypertext, where pressing on blue words, and often on pictures, immediately takes the user to a related screen.

Duncum, P.. (2010).  Seven Principles for Visual Culture Education. Art Education, 63(1), 6-10. 

Visually deconstructing or representing image/artifact's antecedents can be a great way to get students to think about context in artwork.  Duncum's example (below) shows how students can literally physically connect ideas and imagery by creating intertexts.

This can also be done in a more high tech (though not highly complicated) manner using Inspiration or Popplet. In the example below  I’ve attempted to create an intertext which traces 
the antecedents of the work of artist Fred Wilson.  Wilson is located in the center and around 
the periphery are visual and conceptual connections I’ve made to his work.

the entire intertext - as you can see the connections just keep on going

deconstructing the visual connotations of one of his pieces

deconstructing the conceptual connections with objects and collections in his work
(look at all the connections among and between ideas and images!)

How might you incorporate the idea of

intertextuality in your classroom?

design your own school

- ASSIGNMENT FOR 4750/7750 CLASS -

We've all heard (or perhaps participated in) fantasy football, but what if that same zeal and zest could be applied to another made up world - a fantasy high school.  If you had the opportunity to design your own high school what would it be like?

Here are some questions and resources to get you thinking.

1. What would you name your school?

2. If you could compare the school culture or population to one portrayed in a teen movie - what would it be?  Why?



50 best high school movies

Newsweek's 13 best HS movies

Teen, high school, and college movies (about.com)

MSN.com best & worst HS movies

Highest grossing HS movies

3. What would your school mascot be?

The Deaf Leopards - yes, this really exists.

High School team names

Weird and original names for college mascots

31 Unbelievable Mascots

Weird looking mascots

Mascot Design gallery

school mascot examples

4. School colors?

Uniform company which lists many school color combinations

5. Other things to consider - school mission/motto, fight song, celebrations/traditions?

Reading Material Culture

My dear friend Jodi and I created this presentation and unit on reading material culture as a part of the Missouri Writing Project this summer.  We are currently working on a proposal to take our "show" on the road and present at the 2011 Write to Learn Conference this spring.  I thought I would share it here.  Hope you enjoy!

Material culture and identity

View more presentations from mmudd.