Schedule
Week 1
1/24 1. Syllabus, discussion: the entertainment industries & democracy
1/26 2. Conditions facing youth: what’s the story?
Week 2
1/31 3. Learning democracy: critical pedagogy vs. consumerism, Giroux
2/2 4. Citizenship, empathy, class inequality; citizen/consumer timelines, values/beliefs
Week 3
2/7 5. Oppression matrix; sharing our stories viz. class & consumerism; intro blogging
2/9 6. Visual design, illustrations; in-class blog time
Week 4
2/14 7. Share blog posts, illustrations – in-class gallery
2/16 8. Democratic practices: Happy Meal restrictions; share blog posts on implications
Week 5
2/21 9. Hypercommercialism, youth, & online “social networks” culture
2/23 10. Share parent interviews; formulate skits
Week 6
2/28 11. Urban youth inequities
3/1 12. Youth media council, media literacy, HW/TV whiteout?
Week 7
3/6 13. Generation Debt, neoliberalism, world-wide youth protests – why the difference?
3/8 14. Parent/peer/Facebook responses; Occupy Student Debt campaign
Week 8
3/13 15. Adbusters, resistance theory, alternative paradigms
3/15 16. Resistance for U.S. youth via media networks? Review research topics
3/19-3/23 Spring Break
Week 9
3/27 17. Form research groups; begin online research
3/29 18. In-class research
Week 10
4/3 19. Present first posts with reference list.
4/5 20. In-class follow-up database research.
Week 11
4/10 21. Second posts.
4/12 22. Reports
Week 12
4/17 No class – Monday schedule followed for Patriots Day.
4/19 23. Reports
Week 13
4/24 24. Final posts. Reports
4/26 25. Reports.
Week 14
5/1 26. Last class
Assignments
1. Citizen & consumerism blog 37 points
- consumer/citizen timeline & summaries
- 2 stories
- 3 illustrations
- collaborative essay
- parent interview notes
2. Generational Debt interview notes, Facebook post, illustration 18 point
3. Assessing media democracy 35 points
- (3) posts with hypertext links
- images, YouTube videos, design, revisions
4. Class participation 10 points
Basis for evaluating assignments
Each project assignment is given project points based on the these criteria:
- obvious effort
- responsiveness to assignment questions, directions, and instructor suggestions
- for written work: coherence, clarity, effective organization, correct grammar & spelling
- imagination, creativity, originality
- thoughtful integration of issues & concepts raised in class sessions & readings
In some instances, when learner effort and outcome is outstanding in quality and/or quantity and exceeds expectations, additional points may be assigned.
We start promptly at 4 pm; late attendance & tardy work will lower your grade; 3 unexcused absences will lower grade one full letter. No plagiarism. No mobile device activity or open laptops unless specifically for class work. Grade scale: 100-95 A; 94-90 A-; 89-85 B+; 84-80 B; 79-75 C+; 74-70 C; 69-65 D+; 64-60 D.
Important: If you believe you’ve been unfairly graded or have other concerns about the class, please talk to me. Open, direct, honest, and prompt communication on problematic issues is encouraged.