With the hunting and gathering behind us (for now anyway), and the information collected, it is now time to prepare the meal ready for consumption and ultimately digestion! It is time to reflect on lessons learnt and consider the future- where am I going with this new found knowledge and respect for television?
It is here that I sit at a cross road not only looking towards the future but also seeing quite clearly the road I have travelled. While I began my blogging journey with the idea of investigating the way television could be used to help social and emotional development; I have found the path has diverted, backtracked, and progressed in other avenues. While it may not have been the planned route of travel, the journey has none the less been an interesting one.
Perhaps the biggest transformation can be pinned to the redistribution of my own thoughts of ‘the box’ in terms of it’s (dare I say it)- educational value. Perhaps I best explain….
“I once gave my television away as a protest towards the commercial images it brought – hauling the old back-breaking weight of the box down two flights of stairs to the curb. When I ventured back upstairs, feeling rather liberated, I stared at the void and considered how much more intelligent I must appear following the removal of the ‘iconic popular culture generator’ from my living room. I was destined to form my own thoughts and opinions from experience not from viewing!
After many months of protest I felt as though I was missing out on something- not just world events and news, but some sort of connectedness with my fellow beings. I was no longer able to share in the discussions at dinner parties or bring informed opinion to the table on matters discussed. I was a fringe dweller- not viewing but not participating either. While I was able to read and surf the web there was something to be said about the stimulation brought about by the colourful images and text that quickly races across your eyes on the screen… I had to have it back!
I soon became a mother and initially I returned to a very solid stance against television- choosing to occupy my children’s time with open play and interactions. While I still prefer this ‘play’ to TV time, it is only now with three children, a full time job and post-graduate study that I reflect on the power of television as a time for us all to connect and sit together. It, not in any solitary state or ominous presence, is a part of our-lives and forms a small but important role in our time together. Like sitting down to dinner and catching up about our day, television gives us a chance to catch up with the world- not just in terms of global debate, but with the artistic and creative ventures of others- and you know what? We talk about it!”
From my own reflections I concede that television is, no matter how much we protest, a part of our lives- if it is taken as such then we are much more ready to accept it. However, if we continue to view television as this all encompassing, all consuming power of evil then we lose the battle without a fight.
If this unit has taught me nothing else it has been transformational in terms of my own attitudes. As I have read through the materials, listened to the thoughts of others and participated in the co-construction of knowledge in this blog, I have continued to be drawn back to several key ideas. These ideas relate to new ways of viewing, new ways of connecting, identifying, responding and participating with new medias and popular culture. It is under these guises that I discuss some transformations in my own way of thinking and how these ideas could be translated to the classroom. In the light of collegial sharing I invite others to share their thoughts, opinions and resources so that together we can offer better outcomes for our students.
Viewing: As an art teacher I am often talking in term of critical literacy- shifting from the idea of passive viewing to active participation and ultimately interaction. We look at the way some artworks invites us to view them, we explore the tricks artists use to catch our eye and the ways in which they make them aesthetically pleasing- this viewing is passive. We then go further to deconstruct the messages in what we see, exploring discourses and meaning in order to create narratives or place purpose on the work. This process of analysis is active. Ultimately however if we view a work, look for meaning and then feel changed or challenged by the work then we are no long passive viewers but we are active in an exchange of opinion and idea that leads to interactivity.
In viewing television we can take much of this idea on board to not only study and discuss the methods TV Shows use to catch our attention, but further explore the discourses on which they are built. Through open dialogue and sharing of opinions we can build a culture of understanding where we bring our own views and listen to others in the event of change. By challenging norms and subjects outside of daily reach then perhaps TV can be transformational.
Connecting: what better way to understand others than to watch and critique? Television allows us to share the worlds of others far beyond our geographical scope. By utilising what we have access to in terms of drama, reality and news then we can potentially develop skills of understanding and respect in our students. If we then safely use Web 2.0 capabilities we can extend our thoughts and scope to include blogs and chats with others. In English or Media Studies for example it would be interesting to look at the way Australians are represented in POP culture shows like “Home and Away”. Not only could students watch the shows here, but they could also talk to other students overseas on chats and forums about their views- connecting beyond the screen.
Identifying: We are a multicultural society and the impact of globalisation is evident all around us. But in many instances we still have students who struggle to identify with their peers and who feel like they do not belong. If we were responsive to our students needs then perhaps television could be used as a way to help students make connections and identify with others.
With a push to include culturally diverse perspectives in the classroom- why not extend this to include television and film which really does open a new world of diversity for our students? Why not harness positive role models on TV to help those students feel part of a bigger picture? And let’s not forget the power of television to help students relate and identify with information- when honestly how many of them connect with their teacher?
Responding: gone are the days of reviews- no I don’t mean it, but we do need to perhaps view them in a new light. Rather than watching films and reviewing them in terms of effectiveness of storylines, perhaps we could help students develop more critical skills by having them view programs and film through different roles.
The wonder of collaborative tasks where students work together in different roles/ identities to tackle and report on an issue would be a great way to respond to television. Imagine having students create a group blog where they ‘review’ a program or film from the role of director, an older audience member, a teen or from different sides of the story. Not only do they need to consider a particular POV but the blog also opens up continued dialogue with other peers as they comment and participate in the construction of knowledge.
This brings me to the final step: Participation: it is here that perhaps we will see the greatest impact of television. I have been known to set TV viewing as home work, for creative thinking and innovative design, as a way of starting narratives and as stimulus for the creation of new artworks. Here in the privacy and comfort of their own homes, their real worlds, I am asking students to think about what they see and to participate then in the cultural exchange by presenting their own point of view and commentary. It works! Students are able to take from popular culture and feedback back into it through artworks and musings that move them beyond consumers to participants in cultural experience.
I do enjoy this site- http://www.pbs.org/: I love the access here to TV and videos- heaps of complementary teaching resources and innovative strategies for using TV in the classroom.
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