This semester I am teaching a new class, which is taking a lot of prep time. The class is called Reading Media Critically. I am using the text book Rhetoric in Popular Culture by Barry Brummett. I am very pleased with the textbook because it allows me to add on even more information and ideas. Brummett gives me a great starting point and the students some solid theoretical background to start criticizing the media. Of course I add such readings as Plato’s The Republic and neat journal articles that apply theories that Brummett uses.
The first chapter was all about signs and learning to read them in the media. So, after my students read chapter 1, I had them watch the Job Switch episode from I Love Lucy to find cultural signs on how the media viewed gender issues in the 1950′s. I want students to understand that cultural meanings are reinforced through the media and that the media is powerful. Just as Gorgias said in The Encomium of Helen–”Words are a powerful lord”–I think the media is our modern day powerhouse of persuasion!
The class is fun and it’s challenging to find new and innovative media to show. I’m very excited to teach it and it’s definitely fits my research interests to a capital T. I want my students to walk away looking at the media deeper than what they are now.
As for assignments for this class: A class blog that will put theory into practice (20 posts for the semester) and a 10 page research paper that will allow students to pick a media artifact and apply a theoretical approach to watching, listening, etc the artifact. So, not only are we going to learn media criticism, but we’re also going to learn good ol’ fashioned research–which I LOVE to do myself!
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Glad you’re enjoying your new class, Janet. You sound like such a good teacher (unlike the one who shall remain nameless)! Thanks for checking in on my blog from time to time…always nice to get opinions and know that someone sees what I have so much fun doing. I’m sure people are sick of me posting Hannah pics, but I’ll keep right on doing it, because she’s the joy of our lives and so much fun to practice on!