Chapter 30 Creating Media Products:
Lesson 1: Choosing Your Medium:
This section of the text educates and encourages readers to express ideas using visual and electronic media. According to Language Network, “Visual and electronic media can bring new dimensions to your projects, allowing you to express ideas and themes in new ways. This is a concept that theorists such as Pascopella and Richardson would greatly support. In Pascopella and Richardson’s essay “The New Writing Pedagogy,” they discuss the many benefits of incorporating the use of internet and media into the classroom. According to Pascopella and Richardson (2009), “85 percent of youth’s ages 11-17 engage, at least occasionally, in some form of electronic personal communication” (p.2). By including a chapter specifically for the purpose of educating students about creating media products, the authors of this textbook are demonstrating their support for the incorporation of technology into classroom instruction. It is important to note however, that this textbook was written before social networking sites such as MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, etc. were created. Therefore, this textbook provides a limited amount of media options for students to select from. If Pascopella and Richardson were to add on to this textbook we think that they would include all of the new social networking sites that have become so popular throughout the years. The incorporation of technology and media into the classroom is so important in this day and age because it has become such a large part of our society. Since the use of social networking is increasing, so is the demand for it to be incorporated into the curriculum. We greatly support Language Network’s encouragement for students to use different mediums to present information because it provides more opportunities and options for students to choose and create from.
1. Media Options:
In this section of Language Network, the authors of this text compare choosing a medium to choosing a style of writing. The textbook states, “Choosing a medium is similar to choosing a style of writing,” in that you want to make sure that you use a form or medium that is appropriate to your message (pg.552). In order to help students select a medium that works best for them, the text provides a chart that specifies the different types of mediums and their “best use.”
2. Making Your Choice:
This section of the textbook emphasizes the importance for students to choose a form of presentation that “best suits your message, purpose, and audience” (p.552). The textbook provides a set list of questions for readers to ask themselves when selecting a multimedia presentation. These questions include: Does your message have any interesting visual possibilities? Would music enhance the delivery of the message? Do you want to be able to interact with your audience? Does your topic need to be constantly updated to stay fresh?” (p. 553). These questions are questions that we believe theorists such as Flower and Hayes would support. Again, this text emphasizes the necessity for students to consider the many components that shape the rhetorical situation in order for them to create an effective product. The text encourages readers to consider who their intended audience is, as well as how they will create an effective product that will produce a desired effect on their audience. This emphasis on the consideration of one’s audience is a factor that supporters of both the rhetorical and expressivists pedagogy would support. The authors of Language Network recognize that “each audience requires a different approach and perhaps a different type of media product” (p. 553).
Lesson 2: Creating a Multimedia Presentation:
Language Network states that “At some point in school or at work you may be asked to present a report or a proposal to a group of people” (p.557). Multimedia presentations give students a variety of options to select from to present information.
1. Planning the Presentation: This section of the textbook stresses the importance for students to participate in detailed planning in order to make ones presentation go as smoothly as possible. The text presents a chart in which it addresses the various aspects to consider when planning a presentation.
Planning the Presentation Chart (p. 557):
1. Brainstorm the topic, content, and main points of your presentation
2. Research background material on your topic as you would for a writing assignment. Check books, newspapers, and magazines; talk to experts check out other media sources.
3. Decide on the authoring tool you will use to design and develop the presentation.
4. Create a flow chart to organize your information, and a storyboard to show where visual and audio elements will complement a text.
Although the process for creating a multimedia presentation is presented in more of a linear process for which Expressionists and theorists such as Nancy Sommers would not approve of in regards to the writing process, we see the necessity for using the linear guideline when creating a multimedia presentation. Creating a multimedia presentation requires much more detailed planning prior to designing the actual presentation as opposed to writing. In a writing piece, it is much easier to go back and revise or change one’s ideas, whereas in a multimedia presentation, this would require a lot more time due to the technology that you are using.
2. Evaluation and Revision:
Again, the text book emphasizes the necessity for students to participate in peer reviews for the specific purpose of receiving feedback. This textbook suggests that similar to when writes a paper, or gives a speech, students should also seek out peer reviews for their multimedia presentations in order to find out what aspects of their presentation work and what components do not. The textbook provides a list of questions for peers to consider when evaluating another students work. These questions essentially ask peers to review the effectiveness of the presentation, the improvements that could be made, and the appropriateness of the presentation in regards to the topic. The textbook suggests that students should “use the feedback to revise and improve those areas that were confusing, uninformative, or uninteresting” (p.559). Although we think that it is great that this textbook is promoting revision, we think that it should be mentioned even prior to this section. In order to make the text more effective, the authors could encourage revision throughout all of the stages of the production processes as opposed to just the end. In Nancy Sommers’ essay “Revision Strategies of Student Writers and Experienced Adult Writers,” Sommers (1980) discusses how “revision is understood as a separate stage at the end of the process—a stage that comes after the completion of a first or second draft and one that is temporally distinct from the prewriting and writing stages of the process” (p. 323). This concept from Sommers could also be applied to the process of creating a multimedia presentation. Revision should always be viewed as an ongoing process by students. It is important that students realize that revision is continuous rather than just something that occurs at the end. Acquiring this knowledge will help students continue to build upon and develop their ideas whether it be in a multimedia presentation or in a written piece.
Lesson 1: Choosing Your Medium:
This section of the text educates and encourages readers to express ideas using visual and electronic media. According to Language Network, “Visual and electronic media can bring new dimensions to your projects, allowing you to express ideas and themes in new ways. This is a concept that theorists such as Pascopella and Richardson would greatly support. In Pascopella and Richardson’s essay “The New Writing Pedagogy,” they discuss the many benefits of incorporating the use of internet and media into the classroom. According to Pascopella and Richardson (2009), “85 percent of youth’s ages 11-17 engage, at least occasionally, in some form of electronic personal communication” (p.2). By including a chapter specifically for the purpose of educating students about creating media products, the authors of this textbook are demonstrating their support for the incorporation of technology into classroom instruction. It is important to note however, that this textbook was written before social networking sites such as MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, etc. were created. Therefore, this textbook provides a limited amount of media options for students to select from. If Pascopella and Richardson were to add on to this textbook we think that they would include all of the new social networking sites that have become so popular throughout the years. The incorporation of technology and media into the classroom is so important in this day and age because it has become such a large part of our society. Since the use of social networking is increasing, so is the demand for it to be incorporated into the curriculum. We greatly support Language Network’s encouragement for students to use different mediums to present information because it provides more opportunities and options for students to choose and create from.
1. Media Options:
In this section of Language Network, the authors of this text compare choosing a medium to choosing a style of writing. The textbook states, “Choosing a medium is similar to choosing a style of writing,” in that you want to make sure that you use a form or medium that is appropriate to your message (pg.552). In order to help students select a medium that works best for them, the text provides a chart that specifies the different types of mediums and their “best use.”
2. Making Your Choice:
This section of the textbook emphasizes the importance for students to choose a form of presentation that “best suits your message, purpose, and audience” (p.552). The textbook provides a set list of questions for readers to ask themselves when selecting a multimedia presentation. These questions include: Does your message have any interesting visual possibilities? Would music enhance the delivery of the message? Do you want to be able to interact with your audience? Does your topic need to be constantly updated to stay fresh?” (p. 553). These questions are questions that we believe theorists such as Flower and Hayes would support. Again, this text emphasizes the necessity for students to consider the many components that shape the rhetorical situation in order for them to create an effective product. The text encourages readers to consider who their intended audience is, as well as how they will create an effective product that will produce a desired effect on their audience. This emphasis on the consideration of one’s audience is a factor that supporters of both the rhetorical and expressivists pedagogy would support. The authors of Language Network recognize that “each audience requires a different approach and perhaps a different type of media product” (p. 553).
Lesson 2: Creating a Multimedia Presentation:
Language Network states that “At some point in school or at work you may be asked to present a report or a proposal to a group of people” (p.557). Multimedia presentations give students a variety of options to select from to present information.
1. Planning the Presentation: This section of the textbook stresses the importance for students to participate in detailed planning in order to make ones presentation go as smoothly as possible. The text presents a chart in which it addresses the various aspects to consider when planning a presentation.
Planning the Presentation Chart (p. 557):
1. Brainstorm the topic, content, and main points of your presentation
2. Research background material on your topic as you would for a writing assignment. Check books, newspapers, and magazines; talk to experts check out other media sources.
3. Decide on the authoring tool you will use to design and develop the presentation.
4. Create a flow chart to organize your information, and a storyboard to show where visual and audio elements will complement a text.
Although the process for creating a multimedia presentation is presented in more of a linear process for which Expressionists and theorists such as Nancy Sommers would not approve of in regards to the writing process, we see the necessity for using the linear guideline when creating a multimedia presentation. Creating a multimedia presentation requires much more detailed planning prior to designing the actual presentation as opposed to writing. In a writing piece, it is much easier to go back and revise or change one’s ideas, whereas in a multimedia presentation, this would require a lot more time due to the technology that you are using.
2. Evaluation and Revision:
Again, the text book emphasizes the necessity for students to participate in peer reviews for the specific purpose of receiving feedback. This textbook suggests that similar to when writes a paper, or gives a speech, students should also seek out peer reviews for their multimedia presentations in order to find out what aspects of their presentation work and what components do not. The textbook provides a list of questions for peers to consider when evaluating another students work. These questions essentially ask peers to review the effectiveness of the presentation, the improvements that could be made, and the appropriateness of the presentation in regards to the topic. The textbook suggests that students should “use the feedback to revise and improve those areas that were confusing, uninformative, or uninteresting” (p.559). Although we think that it is great that this textbook is promoting revision, we think that it should be mentioned even prior to this section. In order to make the text more effective, the authors could encourage revision throughout all of the stages of the production processes as opposed to just the end. In Nancy Sommers’ essay “Revision Strategies of Student Writers and Experienced Adult Writers,” Sommers (1980) discusses how “revision is understood as a separate stage at the end of the process—a stage that comes after the completion of a first or second draft and one that is temporally distinct from the prewriting and writing stages of the process” (p. 323). This concept from Sommers could also be applied to the process of creating a multimedia presentation. Revision should always be viewed as an ongoing process by students. It is important that students realize that revision is continuous rather than just something that occurs at the end. Acquiring this knowledge will help students continue to build upon and develop their ideas whether it be in a multimedia presentation or in a written piece.