ELA 922: Media Literacy in the Televison Age

(Formerly LEN 908)

Course Description

From the morning news, to the afternoon talk shows, to the commercial-saturated evening sitcoms, daily we are bombarded with hundreds of media messages. The focus of this course is on critical thinking and communication skills as they relate to understanding the world of information around us. Lessons include interpreting the signs, symbols and meanings in media, decoding both explicit and implied messages, and developing the tools necessary to critically evaluate media, with an emphasis on television.

A variety of teaching strategies and curriculum materials, adaptable for K-12 teachers and resource specialists, is provided. By adding the extra element of media literacy, any classroom presentation can become a cross-curricular exercise. The required text, Media/Impact: An Introduction to Mass Media, Biagi, S., 10th ed., ISBN - 10:1-111-83529-2, must be obtained independently; it is not included with course materials.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The text, Media/Impact: An Introduction to Mass Media, Biagi, S., is required to complete the course, and must be obtained independently. The 9th, 10th, Enhanced 10th, or 11th editions may be used to successfully complete the course.

Primary Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the course participants shall:

•Upon completion of the course participants shall:
•Examine the concepts and historical perspectives of mass media.
•Develop an understanding of the elements of visual communications.
•Study the relationships between the media and society at large.
•View video programs dealing with selective viewing and television news.
•Evaluate current television programming as it relates to ethical issues.
•Develop lesson plans based on provided materials.
•Discern between different types of televised programming.
•Consider the economic underpinnings of popular media.
•Correlate assignments to NCTE standards.

Standards Based Instruction

Assignments contained within this course meet several important proficiency guidelines as defined by NCT (National Council of Teachers of English).   

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Course Materials

Workbook - ELA 922: Media Literacy in the Television Age, by Steve Young

DVD - Containing Sound Effects and Music; “Master Control” and “Tuning In To Media” presented courtesy of Continental Cablevision. DVD on loan, must be returned upon completion of the course.

Course Requirements

Assignments (18 in all for a maximum of 100 total points possible):
•Complete any nine of the sixteen textbook essay questions (9 @ 6 pts each = 54 pts)
•Complete any four of the eight media exercises (4 @ 6 pts each = 24 pts).
•Complete four textbook projects (4 @ 5 pts each = 20 pts).
•Standards Correlation Chart (2 points).
•Complete and return the course evaluation.

Grading Scale

Letter grades, should one be requested, will be on the following scale:

90% -100% = A 80% - 89% = B or ‘Credit’ 79% or below = ‘No Credit’

Evidence of Learning

Students will be evaluated on the ability to follow directions as described in the workbook to complete all required projects. Written assignments should contain reflective responses applicable to their personal and/or professional experiences which indicate they have put thought and effort in to their replies.

Grading Rubric	Exemplary (A)	Passing (B or Credit)	Failing (No Credit)
Effort and Perseverance	Project continued until it was complete; effort set forth beyond that required; took pride in going beyond the basic requirements. Experimented freely and frequently.	With a bit more effort and dedication project could have improved; lacks finished quality; chose an easy project and did it indifferently.	Project was not seen to completion; work inadequate. Seems hurried to "just get it done" and move to the next project.
Craftsmanship and Consistency	Project completely and patiently done with great attention to detail; it was as good as hard work could make it. Neatness and pride in work was demonstrated throughout.	Average craftsmanship but not as good as possible with more care, time, effort and attention to detail. Quality varied from project to project.	Below average effort. Sloppy with an overt lack of pride in the quality of work presented.
Written Assignments	Depth of thought with thorough, candid, and thought- provoking replies which reflect personal/ professional experiences. Rare, if any, errors in spelling, punctuation, or grammar. Captivating, interesting and pleasurable to read.	Replies vague, generic, superficial. Strays from topic. Errors in grammar, spelling and punctuation a distraction. Word processing advised due to poor penmanship. Seems rushed. Not engaged in topic.	Replies missing or incomplete. Did not follow directions. Gave only"Yes" or "No" replies without offering further discussion to justify the response.
Lesson Plans	Enthusiastically developed creative and engaging lesson plans which thoroughly incorporated the topic in to the curriculum and were grade level appropriate.	Lesson plans incorporated the topic but not as detailed or engaging as hard work could make them; not grade level appropriate.	Lesson plans incomplete or did not demonstrate incorporation of the topic chosen.

Instructor/Student Contact

FPU advises that some districts mandate a minimum of three student / instructor contacts (e-mail or phone) as part of the course requirements. If your district is one which requires this, please e-mail me for further instructions.

Schedule of Topics and Assignments

Section 1. Text readings, essay questions
Section 2. What is Communication?
Section 3. Exercise #1- Signs & Symbols
Section 4. Exercise #2- Aural Communication
Section 5. Visual Communication & Language
Section 6. Storyboards
Section 7. Exercise #3- Storyboarding
Section 8. Exercise #4- Television Diary
Section 9. Types of Programming
Section 10. Exercise #5- What Am I Watching
Section 12. Exercise #6- Video Lessons
Section 13. Advertising
Section 14. Exercise #7- Violence
Section 15. Exercise #8- Stereotypes
Section 16. Textbook projects
Section 17. Standards correlation chart
Section 18. Course evaluation

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National Council of Teachers of English Standards for the English Language Arts

"The Council promotes the development of literacy, the use of language to construct personal and public worlds and to achieve full participation in society, through the learning and teaching of English and the related arts and sciences of language."

National Council of Teachers of English, Mission Statement

For more information about NCTE and their Standards for the English Language Arts, including a free downloadable .pdf of the complete publication (parts of which are cited below) go to www.ncte.org

The vision guiding these standards is that all students must have the opportunities and resources to develop the language skills they need to pursue life's goals and to participate fully as informed, productive members of society. These standards assume that literacy growth begins before children enter school as they experience and experiment with literacy activities—reading and writing, and associating spoken words with their graphic representations.

Recognizing this fact, these standards encourage the development of curriculum and instruction that make productive use of the emerging literacy abilities that children bring to school. Furthermore, the standards provide ample room for the innovation and creativity essential to teaching and learning. They are not prescriptions for particular curriculum or instruction. Although we present these standards as a list, we want to emphasize that they are not distinct and separable; they are, in fact, interrelated and should be considered as a whole.

1. Students read a wide range of print and non-print texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.

2. Students read a wide range of literature from many periods in many genres to build an understanding of the many dimensions (e.g., philosophical, ethical, aesthetic) of human experience.

3. Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).

4. Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.

5. Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.

6. Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and non-print texts.

7. Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and non-print texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.

8. Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.

9. Students develop an understanding of and respect for diversity in language use, patterns, and dialects across cultures, ethnic groups, geographic regions, and social roles.

10. Students whose first language is not English make use of their first language to develop competency in the English language arts and to develop understanding of content across the curriculum.

11. Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities.

12. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).

The NCTE Standards for the English Language Arts
Found at: http://www.ncte.org/about/over/standards/110846.htm

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