Media Literacy

     Although the meaning of media has greatly expanded, the basic concept of media literacy has remained fairly constant. Whether the media is print, televised, images, or web based, it remains imperative to remember that whoever the media might be, they control the message. The consumer of media needs to develop the skills and habit to analyze the media and interpret its message. This includes reflecting on the purpose of the media, the audience it is directed at, and the creator of the media. The main difference in the current world is the amount of media that is available to people and the increase in exposure to multiple forms of media.
    It is important for educators to teach and model analytical media skills. The pervasiveness of media in our lives is likely to continue to increase, making media literacy all the more important. I think a recognition of this has entered schools. Recently at my school I have noticed flyers promoting media literacy and awareness. These flyers focused on gender, gender roles, and stereotypes. In order to reach more students social media is used as an avenue for discussion of these topics. I think media literacy should be taught directly as part of the curriculum and indirectly within class instruction. I also think it is a topic that needs to be addressed every year in order to help students improve their skills and incorporate any new media that emerge. Media literacy is a skill that students will need to continue to improve throughout their lives, and it is competency that will serve them well in all aspects of life.
     I think the most striking detail from the media literacy presentation is how little the portrayal of women has changed in the past 50 years or so. In fact, the negative portrayal of women is even more maddening now because it has become embedded in so many games, videos, advertisements and songs. It seems even more difficult in the present-day to teach our children about the media because there are so many more avenues for the media to reach people. The internet has brought the world to our fingertips, but this means that families no longer watch, listen to, or read the same media. Parents have to make even more of an effort just to be aware of what their children are exposed to.

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Web 2.0 Tool: QR Codes

     The final tool I decided to try is the QR Code. This tool was the easiest to learn and use. It was also the simplest in terms of what it does. The sample code that I created provides a link to my animated Jeanne d'Arc that I created using Blabberize. I wanted to try the QR code as a way to share my Jeanne d'Arc to see if it would be a practical way for students to share their work. I think it is a useful tool to enable students to share their creations with others in the school and the school community. It allows them to simply and quickly make an accessible link for people who are not present in the class with them.
     I think I would like to use this with my students. It could be useful on Open House night and parent-teacher conferences as a way for students to show their work to their parents, or other parents who are interested. There may not be time during the evening event at school to showcase much of the students' work, but the QR codes can enable the parents to view the work while waiting for a conference, or even at home. Parents love to see what the students are doing in school, and this is a practical way of showing them some of the finished products.
     I also think I would use this to share my students' work with other students in the school who are not in their class. The QR codes could be displayed in the LLC or in the hall. Students could use their ipads to read and/or take a picture of the QR code to view their peers' work. I would like to try this with the Famous Francophone project. I would also like to use it as a way for students to share their projects about the regions of France. Each region of France is quite unique, and I don't think people realize how much more there is to France than just Paris.
     Give my QR code a try!

Web 2.0 Tools: Thinglink

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     Thinglink is the second Web 2.0 tool I explored. I was attracted to it because it offers a way to combine various media and information in one place. I think my students would enjoy using Thinglink, and that it will give them another viable way to demonstrate their knowledge. I think the multimedia aspect of Thinglink lends itself well to foreign language instruction. 

     The sample I created is for the 2016 Eurocup of soccer. I realized last year that many of my students, and other students, wear the soccer jerseys from soccer teams all over the world. They also follow their favorite teams abroad. Although I like soccer, I don't follow it, so this was a revelation to me. Luckily, someone mentioned that the European soccer championship (the Eurocup) will take place in France in 2016. That's when I knew I had to learn about international soccer. I would like to incorporate the Eurocup in my curriculum this year. One idea I had was to learn about the cities in France where the matches will be played. My sample Thinglink shows a map of France with links to information about each city where the Eurocup will take place. It also gives some information about France in general, relating to the Eurocup, and there is a link to an outline of the final draw on December 12, 2015.

     I found Thinglink to be a little more cumbersome to use than Blabberize, but not too frustrating. It was easier to embed than Blabberize.  I can envision using this tool in the classroom for more activities related to the Eurocup in the Spring. Another idea I had while working on my sample was to ask students to create a Thinglink with their favorite activities that they could then share with their pen pals in France. The students could also use Thinglink to create an interactive map of our community.

Thinglink Map of France

Web 2.0 Tools: Blabberize

Painting of Jeanne d’Arc c. 1485. An artist’s interpretation, since the only known direct portrait has not survived
© Centre Historique des Archives Nationales, Paris, AE II 2490

Check out my talking Jeanne d'Arc, created on Blabberize

     Venturing into the world of Web 2.0 tools, I first had to understand exactly what this term means. I learned that this expression refers to tools that are used to create products, often collaboratively, that can easily be shared. All of this is accomplished using the internet. I chose to try Blabberize because it involves speaking, and I am always on the lookout for a new way to offer my students practice in speaking French. The idea I used to create my animated talking picture though does not involve French this time. I decided to try Blabberize to create an example project to show my students as an option for the "Famous Francophone Project" they complete.
     The "Famous Francophone Project" is a chance for students to research and demonstrate their knowledge of a famous French speaking person. I give the students a list to choose from, but they also have the option of choosing a person who is not on the list as long as I approve him/her. The list I have compiled includes historical figures like Jeanne d'Arc, scientists, artists, sports figures, and many others. I think Blabberize could be an interesting way for them to present their person to the class and others. I plan to use this in my class in the Spring.
     I thought the tool was easy to use. It seems very straightforward and intuitive. I did not need to spend much time learning to navigate the Blabberize website. I like this about the tool because although I want to offer my students the opportunity to be creative and have fun, I want the main focus to be on the material. Another application I would like to try is to have my students choose an animal and to introduce themselves as this animal. I would have them do this in French. It would be good practice for the structure of sentences that are needed to tell one's name, age, nationality, etc. They could then share this with their pen pals in France via a wiki.

Digital Storytelling

     

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Digital storytelling provides an excellent assessment alternative to more traditional pen and paper methods. It is an efficient way to combine speaking and writing assessment in foreign language instruction that has the bonus of offering students the opportunity to create a product. Students who are stronger at presentational speaking than written language have the opportunity to showcase what they know. They also have the opportunity to practice and edit their script, so students who do not perform well under the pressure of a test may be able to present a more accurate picture of their knowledge and skills. Digital storytelling also offers students the possibility of sharing their work with an authentic audience via the internet. The audience could be other students in the school, in the community, in other parts of the country or even in another country.
     I currently use digital storytelling in my classes. In the Spring, my eighth grade students produce an imovie about an imaginary trip to Paris. This is a culminating project that offers the students an opportunity to show what they have learned in French over the past four years. There are set requirements, but students can make their script and movie as complicated or simple as they would like, within the requirements. Those who are more curious about language can look up  more vocabulary words or consult me about sentence structures. Those who have stronger speaking skills have the opportunity to shine. There is quite a bit of differentiation that occurs naturally. The students also learn about French culture when researching potential tourist sites in Paris. Another project that offers similar advantages is one in which the students introduce themselves and their families to their pen pals in France. They use pictures they take to show their families, community, likes and dislikes. They record their script, and the teacher tells me that when she watches the videos with her students it's as if the American students are in the classroom with them. What a way to reach across the ocean!
     I chose to make an imovie about buildings I visited in Chicago one day during Open House Chicago. I will share this video with my counter part in France. I think she and her students will enjoy seeing some iconic buildings in Chicago, and some of the lesser known structures. It will give them a more personal tour of the city and its amazing architecture. I enjoyed making the movie because I liked the topic I chose. I also think it will be fun and educational for the teacher and students in France to view. Chicago is not well known in Europe, but when Europeans come here they usually love it. See what you think of my movie!