Welcome to IDC4U - Media Studies
Activity 1 - review
Course Description
Thursday, 4 September 2008, by C.Antonini
Today we will set up the class forum and begin a discussion that should refresh a few of the key concepts of media. First, you need to register for the forum. Register by clicking the link below. NOTE: your user name MUST be your First name _ last initial. For example "Jane Doe" would be "jane_d". Return here once you have registered.
It will take me a moment to activate your accounts, so quickly preview the 8 key concepts on the right sidebar of this web page. Then, click here to login to the forum. Select the proper class and complete activity #1.
We will review the 8 concepts and the media triangle as a class to better "deconstruct" media messages
Samples to deconstruct:Cadillac
Activity 2 - Theory
Applying the 8 Concepts
Today you will start your first assignment. Now that we have reviewed the 8 key concepts, you will apply them to some media images from the web (3-5). The images can be ads, banners, images, animations , etc.
In a clearly written report, you will apply each of the key concepts to the media texts. Note: you do not apply all 8 to each image; instead, select an image and apply 1 or two concepts to it. You are finished when you have applied each concept once.
The media triangle questions will help you apply the concepts and provide a method of "deconstructing" and "decoding" the message.
For each concept, asking the proper question is crucial. For example, for number 1 you might ask, "In what ways is this message constructed?" "What elements make up this message?". For number 2, you might ask, "What reality is this message constructing?" "What does this message say about how the world works?" For number 3, you may ask, "How would someone different from me interpret this message." For number 4, you may ask, "How is money made from this message?" "Who owns this message?" etc. NOTE: one phrase answers are not enough. You must always justify your answers in order to demostrate your understanding.
Length: Not all responses to each concept will be the same length, but overall you should have approx. 300 - 350 words.
Format: Complete sentences, Word Document, 12 font, headers and footers, single spaced, MLA works cited (for the images). Images must be embedded with lables (I will give a demonstration).
Assessment/Evaluation: Theory, Process Strands and IC rubric
due: TBA