High Stakes Testing

Day 10 Post

On the final day of the class I think that I can say that I am very happy that I took this class.  It was nice to get back into the classroom and have discussions with people face to face.  I think that I learned allot from everyone and we had some great discussions.  I hope that I have the chance to take some classes with you all in the future...whether online or in person.

Thanks all!

Day 9 Post

Today we looked at he stereotypes that are portrayed in media.  The look at Disney was eye opening because they do feed into so many stereotypes that need to be removed from society...yet we allow it...no we promote it by supporting Disney films.  In many ways it is light hearted but it helps promote some very hurtful ideas.

When I looked at the way that our media portrays People in the Middle East, Muslims, and Persians, I was especially blown away.  I really truly appreciate that I had the opportunity to look at this and address my own biases about people in that region of the world.  I know that I have been influenced by the constant bombardment of negative media.  I try not to associate negative ideas about the Middle East but it is all I know.  I am just glad that I can address it within myself now.

Thanks Mary Bucy

Day 8 Post

Looking at the headlines in the newspapers was surprising for me...not so much on a regular day but on the big event days.  Looking at the amount of press that the Haiti earthquake got around the world was actually refreshing.  I wonder what the level of aide and support was from other countries around the world.

Should advertisers have access to so much information about us.  There are two side to the argument here:
1. Without that information I would get even more irrelevant ads thrown at me than without it.
2. With that information advertisers can manipulate me better.

Which do I prefer?  I think I would rather get things that are more relevant to me.  If I can avoid those AARP commercials then great.  I just need to keep in mind that I am a target.

Day 7 Post

Today we tried to finish up our BBQ style salad...with much frustration.  I really liked the concept but the execution was much more difficult than I expected.  We created a good concept and I think everyone understood what we were getting at but it fell a little short of my expectations.

On a separate note..Semiotics is interesting and irritating all at the same time.  I think that we can actually overanalyze ads so much that it becomes trivial and obnoxious.  It is important to understand the game so that we are not being taken advantage of it but at what point is our analysis too much?

Day 6 Post

Day 6 brought about some interesting questions about reality and the responsibility of ads to portray the truth about images.  Is it ok for advertisers and editors to change a photo to make it more dramatic, more appealing, or even more sinister?  Perception is reality, especially with images...so should we really expect them to be what they look like.  I used too!  Now I realize that images are just as tainted as those images of the batboy, or alien child, in the tabloids.  I think it should be mandated that disclosure must be made if an image is changed...PERIOD!  that would save us from believing something that is a total fabrication.

Media Literacy day 5

I found it really interesting to look at the way that advertisers used jingles in the past.  I find them so annoying to listen to on the radio...but I often humm along or even sing the words.  So why do I know the words to a jingle I don't even like?  I guess thats the trick...get people to listen to it and get it stuck in their head.  Use rhymes and catchy music, well maybe annoying music, attach a product and BINGO!  Where will you go the next time you need a mattress?