If it is the case that you are not currently in a classroom, or that you do not
have teaching experience in having your students work with multimedia,
express the ways that you could see multimedia analysis creating an issue
for your students.
I work as a faculty development coordinator, so I have little interaction with students. However, I have grown up alongside many of the new advancements in media distribution and I am now a mother to two littles who are already starting to navigate the world of media.
Just as reading comprehension and literature analysis are key to understanding the written word, multimedia analysis is key to understanding much of what we see on television and our computers. Allegations of "fake news," manipulation, and propaganda abound concerning our multimedia content. As consumers, it is imperative that we are able to process and analyze the media that we are exposed to. Is it true? Is it logical? Is it based on fact or opinion? Whose point of view is being expressed? What is this media attempting to accomplish? Is it informative or persuasive? Different methods of analysis will be needed for different forms of media. For instance, a picture may not be true or false, but it is still essential that consumers identify why they are being shown a particular picture. What is the creator attempting to convey?
There are well-founded reasons for assuming we are at greater risk of manipulation through media than through text alone. You may read an opinion piece, decide that the argument is logical, and adopt the opinion as your own. You will have added a linear argument to your worldview. But media is more subtle. It can dive into your subconscious without notice. As Daley wrote (p. 36), "With the computer, we can now electronically construct images and sounds and manipulate space and time to create meanings." You could read an article about dog abuse and you might feel a little sad, but reflect on how amplified those emotions become when you SEE pictures of abused dogs shown against a dirty background and you HEAR the soulful sound of Sarah McLachlan playing in the background. Suddenly, you're not just sad, you're sobbing into your couch pillow. Media accosts multiple senses through image and sound creating an entire experience for the consumer. Without proper tools to assess and critique the media being consumed, users can easily find themselves swayed by arguments and opinions without fully realizing that they were being exposed to them.
Daley, E. (2003). Expanding the concept of literacy. Educause Review, 38, 32-41.
Hi Erika,
ReplyDeleteI could not agree with you more, ESPECIALLY about Sarah McLachlan's animal abuse commercial, as I have has many an experience crying with my mother on the couch listening to "Arms of an Angel" and half covering my eyes because seeing those images were too much. Multimedia allows use to access a whole new set of connections and emotions that can be a little overwhelming in a classroom setting, but still very very important.
Hi Erika,
ReplyDeleteWow! I really loved reading your post on the importance of multimedia analysis. Your example of the animal abuse commercial really hit the nail of using multimedia to promote some sort of reaction from the views. I agree with you that students need to be more critical about the information they receive online. Although it's amazing by how much you learn by just clicking through a website, we also have to be cautious about the validity of it. I have seen so many pictures of things going on in the world, and that is enough for me to feel something. Considering how much power one part of media can have, it's scary to think about how strong multimedia sources could be.
Erika, it sounds like what you're talking about here is that rather than transmitting concepts, what media does is transmit emotions. And looking back on things, multimedia often takes advantage of this to sway a person against what might be their better sense. It is easy for the average person growing up to understand a message that a commercial is trying to convey, but what seems to be much harder is actually stopping to /think/ about that message. Critically looking at something and thinking, 'I like this commercial, but do I really believe what they are saying?'. I think that if anything it is /this/ skill we need to teach people, not how to be able to interpret the message in the first place.
ReplyDeleteHi Erika,
ReplyDeleteAfter reading your post, I found that I could not agree more. Media is so powerful and prevalent in today's society that many people don't take the time to stop, analyze and understand the truth. I definitely think it could be manipulating or swaying of some sort without being informative. Multimedia through news outlets, advertisements, commercials, and websites are so easily accessible and in this day and age, many people will simply believe what they see or hear. For students that grow up in this society, they are constantly surrounded by media which can powerfully affect their thinking, choices, and ultimately their self. This definitely shows the importance of teaching students to be digitally literate, so they can analyze what they see and make well informed choices and thoughts in the future.