INTRODUCTION TO MEDIA LITERACY MINI-UNIT Literacy and... · James Banks’ Dimensions of Multicultural Education Into Curriculum Design 3 ... principles, generalizations and

Ali Barclay, and Tanya Auclair

INTRODUCTION TO MEDIA LITERACY MINI‐UNIT This mini‐unit on multiculturalism media literacy will encourage students to perceive

stereotypes and negative representations of groups when viewing free floating media

images. The links we have made between this mini‐unit and multiculturalism

contemplate the key concepts of stereotypes, the burden of representation, racism,

sexism, classism, normalization and the dominant ‘gaze’, commodification of groups for

commercial intent by media makers, naturalization of groups, essentialization of

character traits and the effects of historical representations of women, race and

hierarchical structures. We have focused our unit on deconstructing stereotypes of race,

gender and class in Western society in the hopes that students will be more aware and

critical of inequity in mass media. We would like students to become increasingly

conscious of discrimination by mass media and floating images and how they perpetuate

stereotypes. We believe that it is crucial for students to develop critical judgment when

viewing images due to their power to control, manipulate and socialize citizens in

society. This unit will hopefully make marginalized groups less invisible to our students,

allow them to deconstruct images relevant to their life experiences and shift the ‘gaze’ of

the dominant norm. While we see the challenge of changing students’ beliefs about mass

media, we also believe that it is necessary to persuade students to ‘unlearn’ their pre

conceived notions due to conditioning. Implications for the classroom will include

creating an active learning environment with an emphasis on discussions and

collaborative group work. We will focus on permitting students to voice their concerns,

opinions, beliefs and values in the classroom helping them to build on their self identity

and citizenship in society.

Subjects Areas: Art and English

Grade Level: Sec 4 and 5

Unit Theme: Media Literacy and Multiculturalism


Table of Contents:

1. Introduction to Media Literacy Mini Unit

2. James Banks’ Dimensions of Multicultural Education Into Curriculum Design

3. Banks’ Cross Curricular Multicultural Competencies

4. Subject Specific Competencies

5. Lesson 1: Introduction to Stereotypes, and the Understanding Behind the Creation

of the Other

1. Canadian Image Activity

2. Canadian Quiz Activity

3. Stereotype and Representation Activity

4. Self and Other Activity

5. Representation Reading

6. Lesson 2: Stereotypes and Discrimination in Past and Present Images

7. Stuart Hall Reading from Representation: Cultural Representations and Signifying

Practices

1. Racism Activity

2. Examples

3. Images of Women in the Present Activity

4. Sexism Reading

5. Anti Semitic Examples and Activity

8. Lesson 3: Creating a Diversity Friendly Ad with a Descriptive Written Text

1. Images on Television Activity

2. Media Research

3. Diversity Ad Construction

9. Lesson 4: Social Action Plan

1. Activity on Media Images

2. Social Action Plan Activity

10. Evaluation Rubric


11. Resources on Multiculturalism for Teachers


Introduction

In this mini unit there will be an in depth analysis at “stereotypes” and how these negative

representations perpetuate racism, sexism and anti-Semitism. These images were created by rulers

of our past for power over the “Other”. There is a connection between representation, difference

and power. In order for a dominant group to degrade the “other” they make physical and social

characteristic as “naturalized” and fixed by nature. If we look back at history we can pinpoint

when racism against black people and Jewish people started. Negative representations of certain

groups of peopple were created by leaders that wanted power over them. When Europeans

colonized Africa they wanted control of the African territory, markets and rich raw materials.

Colonialist in Europe also needed to build up their economy, and in order to do this they needed

free labor. The Colonialist leaders managed to make the differences between black and white as

very obvious. They managed to make them look like natural slaves that needed leaders. They were

going to use Native Americans instead, however Africans were more resistant to European

diseases. At this point colonialist wanted what was beneficial to them and their profits. To promote

this idea they had to “naturalize” the differences. They created stereotypes, such as animal like,

uncivilized, etc….

The key concepts from multicultural education that we are incorporating into our mini-unit plan are media literacy, stereotyping, representation of the ‘other’ and the ‘self’, social identity through difference, power struggles and the dominant gaze.


JAMES BANKS’ DIMENSIONS OF MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION INTO CURRICULUM DESIGN

Content Integration Suggests that teachers use examples and content from various cultures and groups to demonstrate key concepts, principles, generalizations and theories in their subject area.

Media Literacy Unit This unit will delve into images from history; but, we would like students to openly discuss stereotypes relative to their own backgrounds so that we do not run the risk of creating stereotypes or stigmas of others country’s media sources. We will discuss generalizations and obvious stereotypes; however, the emphasis will be on allowing students the freedom to research key concepts and theories on media literacy from other countries at their own pace.

An Equity Pedagogy Teachers should create equity pedagogy by modifying their teaching to accommodate students from diverse backgrounds, social class groups and gender. There are a broad range of learning styles represented.

Media Literacy Unit This unit will hopefully allow students of various backgrounds, class and gender groups to vocalize their concerns, beliefs, values and attitudes towards the media and the images portrayed in our society.

An Empowering School Culture and Social Structure Interaction of staff and students that crosses ethnic and social lines is integral to school culture. Empowerment of all groups is necessary to develop a positive school culture.

Media Literacy Unit This unit will have students create a diversity advertisement with a written text explaining the ad with the aim of displaying their views on diversity and inclusion around the school. This will hopefully let students participate in a more inclusive and unbiased atmosphere by creating positive images and thought provoking work.

The Knowledge Construction Process Teachers should allow students to understand, investigate, and determine how cultural assumptions, frames of reference, perspectives and biases influence the ways that knowledge is fabricated within a subject.

Media Literacy Unit This unit will encourage students to investigate and analyze the way media images circulate and perpetuate stereotypes. It will also provide a framework of historical images that have helped to establish and maintain negative images of race, class, and gender. Students will use their critical judgment to research advertising and ‘unlearn’ socialized norms.

Prejudice ReductionPrejudice reduction looks at students’ racial, social and sexist attitudes so that teachers adapt materials and teaching methods to create more democratic values.

Media Literacy Unit This unit will serve to deconstruct socialized concepts of race, class and gender. Discussions and interactive group work will help teachers to understand the prevailing opinions of the class towards media images and ideas.

The media literacy unit focuses on James A. Banks’ transformation approach to integrating multiculturalism into the High School

curriculum. The unit will help to deconstruct knowledge as objective and expose students to concepts, themes, issues and events surrounding stereotypes and discriminatory images that have circulated in the past and continue to be portrayed at present.

Banks’ social action approach acts as an additional step to the transformation approach. Students will decide on a

discriminatory advertisement and write a letter of complaint to the advertiser to provoke change and awareness of harmful derogatory images in advertising.


“Media play a powerful role in the social construction of knowledge

about diversity.” (Hall, 1977)The media literacy unit will focus on making students more aware of their media experiences and how they affect their self identity, consciously and unconsciously. The constant bombardment of themes, meanings, messages, and images encourage pride and privilege for some and strip others of self-esteem and confidence. This unit will attempt to unravel some of the themes and meanings while supporting students to research images that affect them in the hopes of expanding their critical judgment of the media. The construction of the diversity advertisement will broaden their scope of media to become equally inclusive to all ethnicities, gender and class. As Carlos E. Cortes explains in “Knowledge Construction and Popular Culture: The Media as Multicultural Educator” whether they realize it or not, image makers often become teachers be it intentional or incidental. The intent of the media literacy unit is to have students become increasingly aware of the power of image makers and their role in society.

Transformation Approach-James A. Banks

The Social Action Approach-James A. Banks

The Role of Media Literacy in Multicultural Education

The unit will look at: 1. Content Analysis-What the mass media have taught us about race, gender, class as well as

diversity. 2. Control Analysis-The ways that media makers have repeated and perpetuated stereotypes

and discrimination. 3. Impact Analysis-The short and long term influences of the media on society and

socialization. 4. Pedagogical Analysis-Understanding the connection between mass media and school

education to benefit multicultural education.


BANKS’ DIMENSIONS OF MULTICULTURAL DIMENSIONS AND CROSS CURRICULAR

COMPETENCIES: MULTICULTURALISM

Competency 2: Problem Solving (Developing Critical Judgment) This mini-unit will focus on the further development of critical analysis and critical judgment skills and strategies. We would like our students to dissect media images and media advertising through visual representations. This will help to create a better understanding of marketing schemes, stereotypes and floating images in the media. The unit will also be directed at fostering our students’ ability to identify images that prevail in Western society that portray subliminal bias and discrimination. Our unit will contemplate images in magazines that inflict discrimination particularly on race, class, and gender. We will also discuss the affects of historical images that have perpetuated discrimination in the past. The intent is to nurture our student’s analysis of media sources so that they will be able to deconstruct images daily in society. We will present our students with media images, historical images in the hopes of provoking discussion in and outside of the classroom. We will encourage discussing these ideas and relating them to the broader world of oppression and symbolism. We will also support discussion solutions to this issue after weighing our the consequences of discrimination in floating images that prevail in society. Comparing viewpoints and discussing their opinions will help our students to trouble shoot effective solutions to the potentially oppressive nature of images. The ultimate goal of the unit is to deconstruct media images; nurture a well rounded understanding of the historical influence of images on our society; create an advertisement without bias or prejudice and a written text to accompany the ad; and, our students will choose an offensive ad and write the advertising company a letter of complaint. Competency 7: Achieves his/her potential (Prejudice Reduction) This unit plan will deal with the idea of deconstructing stereotypes, images, historical images and creating a social action plan in writing to a company with a discriminatory message. We will work at developing Competency 7 so that students may voice and identify their feelings, thoughts, values, morals, and cultural background in relation to stereotypes in the media. We will establish an environment whereby all students will have a sense of voice in regards to the issues presented and be able to understand their own identity within the community. Discussions will revolve around sense of self and identity in society, social conditioning and the role of images in our society on our socialization. This context will contribute to their self-knowledge, their goals in life and society, and further awareness of their own beliefs, values, and social attitudes. The ultimate goal is to increase awareness of harmful and discriminatory images, respect for others, sense of self in the world, a more open minded world view, and expressing their opinions in a well balanced way. We would like our students to see the influence of the media on our lives and produce their non biased ad with two written texts.


SUBJECT SPECIFIC COMPETENCIES: ART AND ENGLISH Competency 2: Problem Solving (Represents her/his literacy in different media) Media literacy and awareness is increasingly more important in the information age. The intent and focus of the unit is to create an understanding of the links between producer of media image and the viewer. The English component of the unit will include developing a written text that explains their advertisement that they will fabricate and a letter directed towards the advertiser of a discriminatory or offensive image. This will help our students see the connections between producer, audience and media text and/or visual representation. Students will contemplate and discuss the impact of media images on their sense of self and the role they play in society. We would like students to create a written piece which will explain their thought process and analytical skills to illustrate their own unbiased advertisement. They will also have to demonstrate their opinion towards a discriminatory ad and direct their criticism of the ad in question to the advertiser. Competency 2: Problem Solving (Creates Media Image) The unit will help students to use their ideas to create a media image without discrimination or bias. Students will take into account their target audience and illustrate their values, feelings and opinions in a visual representation of their thought process. They will analyze and discuss their creative goals for their project. The students should show genuine thought provoking work that expresses their beliefs in anti-discrimination with their own advertisement. Using graphic, digital, and/or collage art, the students will visually communicate their personal view towards advertising. In groups or individually, students will be encouraged to make adjustments of their work and make changes wherever necessary. They will discuss and present their image to the class and participate in an active discussion for creating their image. ESSENTIAL UNDERSTANDINGS The broad Areas of Learning targeted in the mini-unit are media literacy, health and well being and citizenship and community life. Our objectives are to enable students to understand the importance of media literacy and the impact that it has on our daily well being. This project allows students to analyze their personal, social and cultural ideas in regards to stereotypes and discrimination. We would like students to be able to deconstruct media images, establish and maintain a positive sense of self and well being, as well as be an open minded and perceptive citizens. Our focus for inclusion and interaction will be to discuss issues that we are deconstructing by using visual images, engaging the students prior knowledge, and permitting them to debate their values and beliefs. CRITICAL PEDAGOGY Making knowledge relevant to students is necessary to attract their attention and participation. The unit will present stereotypes and negative images in the hopes of beginning to deal with difficult knowledge. Sometimes we have to learn, relearn and unlearn knowledge that has been transferred to us subliminally and directly. The goal of the project is to activate the minds of students and stimulate ideas about biased ads. We would like them to change from the role as passive observer and participator to active deconstructionist and critical analyzer. Our role as a teacher is to facilitate active discussion, insight personal discovery and breakthrough. “Critical pedagogy teaches us not to trust prescriptive recipes.” (Wink, Critical Pedagogy, p.26)



LESSON PLAN OUTLINE

LESSON #1 : INTRODUCTION OF STEREOTYPES, AND THE UNDERSTANDING BEHIND THE CREATION OF THE ‘OTHER’ Periods: 2-4 periods/ 75 minutes each Inclusive Learning Strategies: Students will be introduced to stereotypes and how they have been ‘naturalized’ by our society. Learning objective: Students will get the chance to deconstruct stereotypes and

made aware of their presence, and effects on the groups they label.

Lesson Plan: -Students will read the handout for the activity and discuss in groups what they believe is a stereotype.

-In groups complete the activity booklet and research key concepts.

Resources: Stuart Hall (ed.) 1997. Representation: Cultural

Representations and Signifying Practices. London; Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications, in association with The Open University. pp. 16-17.

The Canadian Image

In groups of 2-4 discuss the following, and be prepared to share your findings with the class.

1. What type of person do you believe represents Canada?

2. Think of Canadian role models, how are they represented?

3. Do Canadians have one official image that represents them? If yes what?

Canadian

4. Does media play an important role in how Canadians are represented?


Canadian Quiz

1. What is your family background? Where are your ancestors from? 2. Do you see Canada as a country that has multicultural

backgrounds?

3. What are some things you like about being Canadian?

4. Are you privileged to be Canadian? Why? Who?

6. Can you think of countries who are not privileged?


STEREOTYPES AND REPRESENTATION

In groups of 2-4 do the following activity:

1. How do you define a stereotype? (research and discuss)

2. What stereotypes can you think of for the following: Woman Man ‘Black’ ‘White’ Native

3. Think of stereotypes that are free floating in our society:

Stereotypes



(Self) (Other)


LESSON PLAN OUTLINE LESSON #2: STEREOTYPES AND DISCRIMINATION IN PAST AND PRESENT IMAGES

Periods: 2-4 periods/ 75 minutes each Inclusive Learning Strategies: Students will discuss multiple perspectives on ads and media images. Dissection of values of the dominant culture as well as those from other

countries. Students will develop a more complex understanding of their sense of self

within their social identities. The focus will be on building the conceptual knowledge base of the student

to introduce new ideas. Learning Objective: We would like our students to recognize familiar advertisements and free

floating images from the past and present. Lesson Plan: Discussion of the definition of ‘stereotype’ and ‘naturalization’. Examples

will be shown of stereotypes in magazines, media, and art. Students will dissect sexism, racism, classism and anti-Semitism in images from the past. They will build an understanding of how history ‘naturalized’ these stereotypes and makes them fixed and permanent. They will deconstruct the idea of the (Self / Other) and how contemporary media images still perpetuate these stereotypes of the ‘other’.

In groups of three students are to research an advertisement image, and

dissect all the stereotypes and ‘isms’ that are represented. Students will brainstorm ideas to partake in class discussion.

Resources: Stuart Hall (ed.) 1997. Representation: Cultural Representations and

Signifying Practices. London; Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications, in association with The Open University. pp. 225-259.

Peel District School Board, (2000). Manifesting Encouraging and Respectful Environments. Mississauga, ON: Peel District School Board (ISBN 1550381520) (Sexism section).

Activities: Excerpt from reading on stereotypes, Sexism, and racism Racism group discussion questions with accompanying images selected by

teacher Images of women in history and group discussion activity Sexism quiz Anti-Semitism discussion questions and dissection of historical images


Activity on Stereotypes and Representation

( Images that are free floating in our Society) In groups of 4-6 research and discuss the following : What is a stereotype? What stereotypes can you think of for the following?

• Women • Men • Native • White • black

Brainstorm stereotypes that circulate in our society

Stereotypes


3. Which women are usually shown in advertisement, what age, race, class etc….? 4. Brainstorm words that describe the ‘naturalized’, and perceived floating image of Women and men in our society. 5. What are the different and similarities of the past and present representations of women?


Woman Man

Sexism Quiz

1. What do you like about being male/female? 2. What do you dislike about being male/female? 3. When did you become aware that boys and girls were treated differently because of their

sex? 4. What are some of the advantages of being male/female?

5. Is sexism and inequality towards women still present today?

6. What are some of the expectations that your parents and/or society place on you because of

your sex?


LESSON #3: CREATING A DIVERSITY FRIENDLY AD WITH A DESCRIPTIVE WRITTEN TEXT

Periods: 2-4 periods/ 75 minutes each Inclusive Learning Strategies: Collaborative enthusiasm, optimism and fellowship will be incorporated. Critical thinking and creativity will be fostered by interactive work project,

which should help develop positive attitudes and supportive reinforcement. Learning Objective: Students will be able to brainstorm, discuss ideas interactively and express

themselves artistically while focusing on the concept of anti-discrimination and diversity friendly ads.

Activities: Intro-‘Images on television activity’ by Elizabeth Coelho Teacher will discuss and show advertising images circulating in our society,

and to look at who is widely represented. Students will create an unbiased media image using Photoshop, graphics, magazine cut outs and any other artistic medium available. Students are to work in groups of 3 to offer each other constructive criticism, feedback and advice.

Written text of about 200 words should express the ideas behind their advertisement and the ways that they contributed to its unbiased representation. Rough draft of text is to be peer edited by members of their group.

Final draft is to be displayed with visual image that the students have created.


LESSON #4: SOCIAL ACTION PLAN Periods : 2-4 periods/ 75 minutes each Inclusive Learning Strategies: All students are to receive recognition for their choice of an offensive ad for

social action plan. Students will have diverse ads chosen and will formulate their opinions accordingly. Students will support Social change by expressing their opinion in letter writing form, so that students see the value in anti- discrimination action.

Learning Objective: Students will research independently on the internet for offensive and

prejudicial ads which maintain stereotypes and floating images in the social imaginary. Students will voice their concerns to the advertiser through a written text.

Activities: Students are to choose a harmful ad which perpetuates stereotypes of

racism, classism or sexism. Students will research and help each locate sources of the ad and company. A letter of complaint will be written and sent to the advertiser by the student

through the school. All work is to be approved by the teacher and shared with the class.


Evaluation for Activity #1

Great

Good Not satisfactory Mark out of 15

Actively Participated in class discussions.

Occasionally participated in class discussions.

Did not participate in class discussions.

Works well with peers in group activities, researches topics and offers feedback.

Put in a little effort, and offers peers some feedback.

Did not make an effort, and participation with peer group was low.

Activity booklet was neat and organized.

Some effort was put into booklet, lacking organization.

Activity Booklet was not done, and disorganized.

Total:

Comments and feedback:


RESOURCES FOR MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION: Abrami, Philip C. et al (Ed.). (1995). Classroom Connections : Understanding and Using

Cooperative Learning. Toronto: Harcourt Brace & Company Canada, Ltd.

Adams, Maurianne, Lee Ann Bell and Pat Griffin (Ed.). (1997) Teaching For Diversity

and Social Justice: A Sourcebook. New York: Routledge.

Banks, James A. (2004). Multicultural Education: Historical Development, Dimensions,

and Practice. Handbook of Research on Multicultural Education. Ed. By James A. Banks and Cherry A. McGee Banks. (p.p. 3-29). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Coelho, Elizabeth.(1998). Teaching and Learning in Multicultural Schools: An Integrated

Approach. Toronto: OISE.

Cortes, Carlos E. (2004). Knowledge Construction and Popular Culture: The Media as

Multicultural Educator. Handbook of Research on Multicultural Education. Ed. By James A. Banks and Cherry A. McGee Banks. (p.p. 211-227). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Peel District School Board, (2000). Manifesting Encouraging and Respectful Environments. Mississauga, ON: Peel District School Board (ISBN 1550381520)

Hall, Stuart. (1997). Representation: Cultural Representations and signifying practices. London: Sage publications inc. Wink, Joan. (2000). Critical Pedagogy: Notes From The Real World. New York:

Addison-Wesley Longman Inc.


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INTRODUCTION TO MEDIA LITERACY MINI-UNIT Literacy and... · James Banks’ Dimensions of Multicultural Education Into Curriculum Design 3 ... principles, generalizations and