Television and Film in the Classroom

Television and Film in the Classroom

The use of television and film in the classroom is something that many teachers fall into when they have nothing else planned for that day. On the last day of class before the end of the school year, many teachers show a film. If students are going to be distracted and wild during Homecoming week, putting in a movie is often the old stand by teaching technique.

However, by treating films as a fall back lesson plan, many teachers are robbing them of their critical stances and use in the classroom. There are several reasons why using film and television can be a great help in the classroom, and many ways to analyze and discuss them in relation to literature.

The first reason I plan to use film is to help students understand complex literature. Often a visual representation is easier to follow than a narrative, especially one that uses complex language. Also, the format of a film is more familiar to students than some other forms, such a poetry. A great example of when using a film in conjunction with a text is when teaching Shakespeare. For many students, the language of the plays is very difficult to understand. However, when they are shown what happens from a plot standpoint, they can spend more time focusing on the language and literary devices being used.

Secondly, film is something that students can use to compare lenses of critical theory to those used in the actual text. When teaching critical theory and examining how they are used in a text, film can provide a different perspective on a similar theme. For example, the feminist lens may be very apparent in a text when the student is reading it. However, as they views a film, a more Marxist reading may be seen. In this sense, film can offer students a new way of looking at the topics. Then the class can begin to discuss the differences between film and text, and how that changes some of the inherent values of the story based upon the differences between the genres.

There are many reasons to use film and television in the classroom. It can increase engagement, help students understand complex plots and illuminate differences between genres. Film does not have to be a rainy day lesson plan.

Media Ownership

Media Ownership

I was very interested to learn about what corporations own the media I consume. When listening to the radio, I often listen to The Current. This is a station owned by Minnesota Public Radio. I also listen to Drive 105. I was really interested when I learned that this channel is owned by Disney. Drive 105 often advertises themselves saying that they are the only station in the Twin Cities that is not owned by Clear Channel. However, these advertisements leave out the fact that they are owned by Disney.

Aside from listening to Drive 105, I have been to many concerts that are sponsored by Drive 105, especially at First Ave. So, in essence, these concerts and artists are sponsored by Disney. This becomes very interesting when looking at the fact that Disney is often thought of as a family oriented broadcasting corporation. However, when looking at the other types of media I consume, I am more convinced that Disney is changing its image, or just branching out further into the market.

There is one television show that I will take time out of my day to watch on a consistent basis, and it is Gray’s Anatomy. This program is aired on a network that is also owned by Disney. Although I had not previously thought of myself as a supporter of Disney, it is apparent through my media consumption that I, although unwittingly, support Disney.

The corporations that own Media outlets have a large effect on what content they can air. So although Drive 105 is not owned by Clear Channel, it is not free from corporate decisions and censorship. Also, because so few corporations own so many media outlets, the content from one media type and broadcasting station to another may not be that different. This is because they are all owned by the same few corporations. Before there can be truly varied content and multiple perspectives, there must be fewer media outlets owned by the same corporations.

Jack Johnson

My favorite singer is Jack Johnson. I have all of his CD's and have attended several of his concerts. Although the type of music he creates is different from many others, it still has many things in common with other musicians and songs I like to listen to.

Jack Johnson's music is often described as "adult alternative" when placed in a genre. This is typical of many other types of music to which I listen. Jack Johnson's music is happy, and places the listener in a good mood. This is one reason that I listen to his music. Secondly, Jack Johnson is socially conscious when he creates music. Even his CD cases are made of paper product, because it is better for the environment that plastic cases. These are two reasons why I like listening to Jack Johnson.

Of all of his music, my favorite song is "Banana Pancakes." This song is upbeat, and puts the listener in a happy state of mind. It also acknowledges the drudgery and trial that everyday life can become. However, this song looks past the negatives and offers a silver lining. For these reasons, "Banana Pancakes" is my favorite song by Jack Johnson.

Hockey in Minnesota

If I were to create a documentary about something, I would like to focus on hockey in Minnesota. Although Minnesota is known as the state of hockey, I think that many people do not understand the time and energy that goes into the sport.

I would be interested in following a few hockey families, those that have several players at all different levels, and showing how much goes into playing hockey. For example, a family of four, with three hockey players, can have ice times from 4:30 AM to 12:00 PM and everywhere in between. Also, for many people, hockey is a year round, not seasonal sport. Indoor ice rinks allow people to participate in the sport throughout the entire year, leaving families without an off-season.

I would like to ask these families if playing hockey is worth all the time and energy, and what is the pay-off for all their hard work. Although some players will go on to play at a collegiate or professional level, most will not even make the cut for their high school teams. I would also like to portray the sense of community and friendship that is formed through participation in hockey. Hockey mom's are one group that I would like to include in the documentary. And the fathers of many young players who themselves play in Saturday leagues should be included.

One difficulty I see in creating this documentary is the fact that if would have to take place over the course of several months, if not a full year. This in and of itself would present a challenge. Some participants may be less willing to take part if the commitment must be that long. However, I think that a documentary on hockey in the state of Minnesota would be a great thing for others to see.

The Local News

As someone who doesn't watch the local news, it was interesting to view the program with a critical eye. There are several things I noticed about the program, including the audience of the television news and the formatting of the news.

I was really interested in the way they structured the stories. The top story was about a fatal car accident in Minneapolis. It was followed by a few brief pieces about local violence. The stories were very short, about one minute, and did not offer any explanation or editorializing of the incidents. The topics that got the most time were weather, closely followed by sports.

There was also a clear audience for the newscast. They are families and parents, or older people. Many topics were geared towards families, including what to dress your children in to wait at the bus stop the next morning. However, most of the ads during the program were for prescription medication, something normally presented to older people.

During the broadcast, I found very little that was directed towards my demographic. This is probably because most young people are getting their news from alternate sources.