Smart & Good High Schools - The Flippen Group

CHAPTER 5: Fostering the 8 Strengths of Character—Outcome 1response to student interest, to six sections of that courseand two additional, advanced-level courses which includeyear-long internships working with cable TV stations, webdevelopers, newspapers, and the like.These courses have attracted a wide range of students,including many previously unmotivated and low-achievingstudents. Once in the course, she says, these students typicallyshow improved school attendance because theydon’t want to miss the video production classes—one reasonbeing that they are members of a cooperative learninggroup that is working together on a course project.She explained why she first got involved in teachingmedia literacy:The social norms and values of young people are profoundlyinfluenced by the media. I want them to really think aboutwhat’s being conveyed. I want the girls to think about howthe ads are telling them how to dress, how to be sexuallyappealing to boys, and to worry more about “How can Iimpress others?” than about “What kind of a person do Iwant to be?” Among boys I see a lot of posturing, a lot ofconcern with being “cool” that reflects the role models theyare assimilating from the media. Television also leads themto think that money is what’s important and to have expectationsof success—the “I-can-be-an-NBA-star” mentality—that are out of touch with reality.“I want them to really think aboutwhat’s being conveyed by the media.”She said her introductory course begins with commercials.Students view TV commercials together in class andindividually for homework. She has them consider:◆ What’s the message?◆ Who is the target audience?◆ What psychological appeals are being used?◆ What camera angles are being employed, with whateffects?◆ What’s the pacing of images?◆ How is audio/music being used?For the next assignment, they must make their own commercials:one which is truthful and one which is not. Shecomments: “After viewing their commercials, we discussthe ethics of manipulation. Is it ethical to manipulatesomeone to buy something they might not need, or tobuy a product that doesn’t live up to its claims?”The course then involves students in creating high-qualityPublic Service Announcements that are shown on localcable TV stations—work that must measure up to realworldstandards. Topics have included buckling up whenyou drive, not drinking and driving, the dangers of smoking,and so on. “This assignment,” said the teacher,“requires them to research their topic thoroughly so theycan create a message that is clear, concise, factually accurate,and motivating for the viewing public.”Students learn to critically analyzetelevision news.Next, the course turns to critical analysis of the news.They look at TV news, compare the different spins put onthe same story by different networks, and examine howtelevision reporting is very superficial compared to theanalysis found in a good newspaper. They compare Americantelevision coverage of the Iraq war with coverage bythe BBC.They pay particular attention to television interviews. Theteacher explained:First, I have them interview each other on a social or politicalissue that’s in the news. We discuss, what makes for agood interview—a fair interview? How can an interviewerbias an interview? Then we look at actual TV news interviewsand ask:• What questions are being asked?• What questions are not being asked?• How long is the interview?• Is the person interrupted or cut off?• How is the camera being used? The lighting?They see that it’s easy to make someone look bad—by aclose-up that isn’t flattering, for example, by focusing on theperson looking down, or by cutting them off before theyreally explain their position, and so on.She then described a field trip her classes did right afterthe U. S. presidential election campaign—to witness a liveCNN show in which four panelists analyzed the electionand responded to student questions submitted prior tothe program. Students later commented on how “staged”the show was: Panelists’ practiced their responses in a preprogramrehearsal, and there was a noticeable selectivityregarding which student questions got chosen for panelresponse.99Smart & Good High Schools