Today I woke early to the sound of small footsteps going downstairs. I decided that I wanted to try my new snowshoes and I thought it would be a good activity to do with my son. After making a few phone calls to find a place to rent snowshoes for him, we made our way up the Middlebury gap to the Rikert Ski Touring Center at Breadloaf. What a beautiful day it was with pristine snow conditions and the sun shining so bright. It was crowded at Rikert since it was graduation weekend for Feb freshmen at Middlebury College and families were parking at Rikert to be shuttled to the Snowbowl where graduates traditionally ski down the slopes.
We spent about 45 minutes snowshoeing on trails and taking breaks laying in the snow on the sides of the trails. The highlight of my son's first time out on snowshoes was when we came upon some animal tracks along the trail. We followed them for a ways until they were lost in tire tracks of the snowcat groomer. We turned back when my son's hands became cold in his wet fleece mittens and he grew tired of walking.
We returned to the lodge and described the tracks we saw to a man behind the counter. He brought out a card with different animals' tracks and we came to the conclusion that we didn't think they were tracks from any of the animals we saw on the card. We sat in the lodge for a while eating our snacks as we watched folks go in and out.
Finally it was time to head home so we made the trek down the gap back into Middlebury. When we got home the first thing my son told his dad was about the animal tracks we saw. I think it was a good first experience for him and I am hoping he will be inclined to go again. Maybe next time we will remember to bring our animal tracks book.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Week #4: Chapter 3 (Books) and Chapter 16 (Mass Media Effects)
Chapter 3:
O> I am amazed by the information you can find on Wikipedia. The fact that it was created based on software in which people contribute writings and editing anonymously on almost any topic. I can remember as a child our family’s set of encyclopedias that were kept in my sister’s room. When I was young and I had to do a research project otherwise known as a diorama, we would pull out the encyclopedias as a starting point for researching a topic. Today all of that information can be accessed through Wikipedia on the Internet. When I read the statistics that it “carries 1 million articles, compared to 120,000 in Encyclopedia Britannica”, I was astonished since I thought as a child that our set of encyclopedias were all encompassing for the time period.
Q> I am not surprised by the findings of the study conducted by the National Endowment for the Arts which said that young people are choosing not to read even though they are alliterate. My question is as a parent who chooses to read to my children at bedtime, how can we otherwise reverse the current trends and encourage our children to be engaged in reading and other activities which excite a child’s wonder and curiosity in the world we live in?
Chapter 16:
O> I am intrigued by Herbert Schiller’s concept of cultural imperialism, the idea that one culture can dominate another culture in particular U.S. media companies dominating abroad. As an Anthropology major, I relished in learning about indigenous cultures that were so removed from the Western world. However, as technology spreads and becomes more accessible across cultures it is inevitable that cultures which were once untouched by the Western world would remain that way through out time. Another phenomenon which is happening today is that many cultures are becoming major influencers of their own media productions by incorporating Western ideas that are even infiltrating the U.S. I hope this trend in media continues as I think Americans have a lot to learn from other cultures.
Q> There is one primetime show which I find to be grueling in its murder scenes, Criminal Minds. My question is why so many Americans find violence appealing in television programming and should more programming be required to display a warning at the beginning which says something similar to “due to the graphic contents this show may not be appropriate for young audiences”?
Book:
A few years ago a friend recommended a great children’s book titled Happy Birthday Moon by Vermont author Frank Asch. In this book a bear wants to give the moon a birthday present but he must first find out what the moon wants. The bear journeys across a river, through the woods and climbs a mountain where he speaks to the moon not realizing that he is hearing his own voice echoing off the mountains. The book speaks of friendship and the act of giving to others which I feel are important concepts to instill in a young child. Since then I have collected many more of Frank Asch’s books and I often give them as gifts to friends with small children.
O> I am amazed by the information you can find on Wikipedia. The fact that it was created based on software in which people contribute writings and editing anonymously on almost any topic. I can remember as a child our family’s set of encyclopedias that were kept in my sister’s room. When I was young and I had to do a research project otherwise known as a diorama, we would pull out the encyclopedias as a starting point for researching a topic. Today all of that information can be accessed through Wikipedia on the Internet. When I read the statistics that it “carries 1 million articles, compared to 120,000 in Encyclopedia Britannica”, I was astonished since I thought as a child that our set of encyclopedias were all encompassing for the time period.
Q> I am not surprised by the findings of the study conducted by the National Endowment for the Arts which said that young people are choosing not to read even though they are alliterate. My question is as a parent who chooses to read to my children at bedtime, how can we otherwise reverse the current trends and encourage our children to be engaged in reading and other activities which excite a child’s wonder and curiosity in the world we live in?
Chapter 16:
O> I am intrigued by Herbert Schiller’s concept of cultural imperialism, the idea that one culture can dominate another culture in particular U.S. media companies dominating abroad. As an Anthropology major, I relished in learning about indigenous cultures that were so removed from the Western world. However, as technology spreads and becomes more accessible across cultures it is inevitable that cultures which were once untouched by the Western world would remain that way through out time. Another phenomenon which is happening today is that many cultures are becoming major influencers of their own media productions by incorporating Western ideas that are even infiltrating the U.S. I hope this trend in media continues as I think Americans have a lot to learn from other cultures.
Q> There is one primetime show which I find to be grueling in its murder scenes, Criminal Minds. My question is why so many Americans find violence appealing in television programming and should more programming be required to display a warning at the beginning which says something similar to “due to the graphic contents this show may not be appropriate for young audiences”?
Book:
A few years ago a friend recommended a great children’s book titled Happy Birthday Moon by Vermont author Frank Asch. In this book a bear wants to give the moon a birthday present but he must first find out what the moon wants. The bear journeys across a river, through the woods and climbs a mountain where he speaks to the moon not realizing that he is hearing his own voice echoing off the mountains. The book speaks of friendship and the act of giving to others which I feel are important concepts to instill in a young child. Since then I have collected many more of Frank Asch’s books and I often give them as gifts to friends with small children.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Week #2: VIDEO: Michael Wesch's "A Vision of Students Today"
With the advent of media technology over the last ten plus years, the educational system we once engaged in has been turned upside down. The YouTube video, “A Vision of Students Today” by Professor Michael Wesch and his 200 students from his spring 2007 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology class is a strong statement about “what the roles and responsibilities are of teachers, students and technology in the 21st century classroom”. Through careful examination of the film in terms of the media tools used as a means to present the premise, the role that media technology plays in the classroom, it is quite apparent to me that our educational system is archaic and in need of a makeover.
The film begins by engaging the reptilian part of what Paul MacLean termed the triune brain through the clunky and startling opening of the classroom door. The production technique of a hand held camera is used as you are led through the door of the classroom with a visual looking into the lecture size room with empty seats. You are asked to quickly engage the neocortex part of your brain through reading the quote by English professor, Marshall McLuhan on the plight of our educational system in 1967 which is also used by the authors as a testimonial persuasive technique. At the same time a soft, soothing musical tone begins to engage the limbic part of the brain. Rhetorical questions are used to set the premise of the film as they are written both on the walls and on the backs of the chairs. I noticed that the pacing of the film shots are rapid enough as the camera flashes quickly to each piece of script in the ethnographical signs hand held by the various student participants portraying their observations on the current educational system. The persuasive technique of scapegoating is used in one of the student’s sign as she states that these problems with the educational system were not created by “us” but yet “we” must deal with them. The absence of speaking is a strong statement in further conveying their message about education. In the students’ eyes there is a sense of anonymity in our educational system if you are able to marginally pay attention and still get by.
A strong drum beat is quickly introduced about a quarter of the way into the film again engaging the reptilian part of the triune brain. Throughout this film it is so clear that the technology shift which we are all experiencing as part of the 21st century media culture through the use of MP3 players, cell phones, blackberries, personal computers, the internet, social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook that we have not quite figured out what their roles are in our educational system. By students choosing to not engage in the classroom, they are becoming disengaged in the educational system and using media technology as an outlet to ignore the problems. I think that the value messaging which comes across in this film is that the students are more interested in using the media technology for personal use when the real question is how to incorporate it into the educational experience. I wouldn’t be surprised if some schools ban the use of certain media devices in classrooms.
Since this film was first posted on YouTube it has engaged many individuals in the dialogue on the current state of our educational system. In reading many of the blog posts to this short film and also going to the website created by Professor Wesch for further discussion, it is apparent to me that this issue has sparked something in enough people that it will be interesting to watch how the educational system responds to the onset of media technology in the 21st century.
The film begins by engaging the reptilian part of what Paul MacLean termed the triune brain through the clunky and startling opening of the classroom door. The production technique of a hand held camera is used as you are led through the door of the classroom with a visual looking into the lecture size room with empty seats. You are asked to quickly engage the neocortex part of your brain through reading the quote by English professor, Marshall McLuhan on the plight of our educational system in 1967 which is also used by the authors as a testimonial persuasive technique. At the same time a soft, soothing musical tone begins to engage the limbic part of the brain. Rhetorical questions are used to set the premise of the film as they are written both on the walls and on the backs of the chairs. I noticed that the pacing of the film shots are rapid enough as the camera flashes quickly to each piece of script in the ethnographical signs hand held by the various student participants portraying their observations on the current educational system. The persuasive technique of scapegoating is used in one of the student’s sign as she states that these problems with the educational system were not created by “us” but yet “we” must deal with them. The absence of speaking is a strong statement in further conveying their message about education. In the students’ eyes there is a sense of anonymity in our educational system if you are able to marginally pay attention and still get by.
A strong drum beat is quickly introduced about a quarter of the way into the film again engaging the reptilian part of the triune brain. Throughout this film it is so clear that the technology shift which we are all experiencing as part of the 21st century media culture through the use of MP3 players, cell phones, blackberries, personal computers, the internet, social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook that we have not quite figured out what their roles are in our educational system. By students choosing to not engage in the classroom, they are becoming disengaged in the educational system and using media technology as an outlet to ignore the problems. I think that the value messaging which comes across in this film is that the students are more interested in using the media technology for personal use when the real question is how to incorporate it into the educational experience. I wouldn’t be surprised if some schools ban the use of certain media devices in classrooms.
Since this film was first posted on YouTube it has engaged many individuals in the dialogue on the current state of our educational system. In reading many of the blog posts to this short film and also going to the website created by Professor Wesch for further discussion, it is apparent to me that this issue has sparked something in enough people that it will be interesting to watch how the educational system responds to the onset of media technology in the 21st century.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Week #3: Media Technology & Media Research
Chapter 2:
In reading chapter two one aspect I found interesting is that regulators are “non media people who influence communicators’ messages”. The Federal Communications Commission, a regulatory arm of the U.S. government, both grants and denies licenses to over-air stations greatly influencing media messaging.
My question is the U.S. is quick to comment on the fact that many foreign governments censor their own media communications, but isn’t the FCC through their regulatory process censoring media communications in the U.S? I am not aware of any censorship occurring on the internet besides installing restrictions on your personal computers to block certain websites from children, for example. Another question I have is do you think it’s possible that individual governments could censor media on the internet?
Chapter 15:
In reading chapter fifteen I found it interesting when in 2006 before the motion picture “Snakes on a Plane” was released film bloggers had already begun critiquing the film which ultimately had a positive effect on its debut in theatres. Executives from New Line Cinema came to the conclusion that, “the publicity from blogging far outreached whatever hype an orchestrated promotional campaign could have had.” This phenomenon reinforces the idea that advertisers may no longer need to spend huge money in traditional ad campaigns but can potentially leverage the internet through blogs promoting at maybe minimal costs with successful results.
My question is will the future of advertising exist primarily on the internet?
Media Technology:
One piece of media technology that has significantly altered my daily life in recent years would be the internet. The ability to access information and get up-to-date news stories is amazing. I no longer use the yellow pages to look up a phone number but rather google a name since it’s more easily accessible. In my family we use the internet to plan our vacations, do research on products before making purchases, look up recipes to plan our meals. To think how my life was so different without access to the internet and the idea of gathering information from so many different sources now sounds daunting.
In reading chapter two one aspect I found interesting is that regulators are “non media people who influence communicators’ messages”. The Federal Communications Commission, a regulatory arm of the U.S. government, both grants and denies licenses to over-air stations greatly influencing media messaging.
My question is the U.S. is quick to comment on the fact that many foreign governments censor their own media communications, but isn’t the FCC through their regulatory process censoring media communications in the U.S? I am not aware of any censorship occurring on the internet besides installing restrictions on your personal computers to block certain websites from children, for example. Another question I have is do you think it’s possible that individual governments could censor media on the internet?
Chapter 15:
In reading chapter fifteen I found it interesting when in 2006 before the motion picture “Snakes on a Plane” was released film bloggers had already begun critiquing the film which ultimately had a positive effect on its debut in theatres. Executives from New Line Cinema came to the conclusion that, “the publicity from blogging far outreached whatever hype an orchestrated promotional campaign could have had.” This phenomenon reinforces the idea that advertisers may no longer need to spend huge money in traditional ad campaigns but can potentially leverage the internet through blogs promoting at maybe minimal costs with successful results.
My question is will the future of advertising exist primarily on the internet?
Media Technology:
One piece of media technology that has significantly altered my daily life in recent years would be the internet. The ability to access information and get up-to-date news stories is amazing. I no longer use the yellow pages to look up a phone number but rather google a name since it’s more easily accessible. In my family we use the internet to plan our vacations, do research on products before making purchases, look up recipes to plan our meals. To think how my life was so different without access to the internet and the idea of gathering information from so many different sources now sounds daunting.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Week #2: Mass Media & Entertainment
Chapter One:
My question is if media is such a dominant part and focus of our daily lives as evident from the Ball State University study, how do we separate ourselves from it and yet still feel connected to society?
My observation is that it's interesting to know the corporate structures of major media outlets since like other industries it appears as though the landscape is always changing and smaller companies continue to get bought up by the large corporations. With that said I'm wondering if the quality of broadcasting and other media platforms will turn out poor products because they are primarily driven by turning a profit.
Chapter Fourteen:
My question is why hasn't primetime television programming become more segmented into different genres like radio stations have and try to appeal less to the mass/populist audiences but rather more niche segments of society?
One observation I found interesting in this chapter was the fact that even though sporting events broadcast on television attract huge audiences the networks usually lose money since they've been unsuccessful in generating enough advertsing dollars to offset the licensing fees that have been negoitiated by the sports leagues. Thus the networks' goal has been to attract viewers through airing sporting events on television calling them loss leaders. The broadcastings aren't showing profits so they are sold at a loss and the primary goal is to attract customers.
January 18, 2009 1:35 PM
Chapter One:
My question is if media is such a dominant part and focus of our daily lives as evident from the Ball State University study, how do we separate ourselves from it and yet still feel connected to society?
My observation is that it's interesting to know the corporate structures of major media outlets since like other industries it appears as though the landscape is always changing and smaller companies continue to get bought up by the large corporations. With that said I'm wondering if the quality of broadcasting and other media platforms will turn out poor products because they are primarily driven by turning a profit.
Chapter Fourteen:
My question is why hasn't primetime television programming become more segmented into different genres like radio stations have and try to appeal less to the mass/populist audiences but rather more niche segments of society?
One observation I found interesting in this chapter was the fact that even though sporting events broadcast on television attract huge audiences the networks usually lose money since they've been unsuccessful in generating enough advertsing dollars to offset the licensing fees that have been negoitiated by the sports leagues. Thus the networks' goal has been to attract viewers through airing sporting events on television calling them loss leaders. The broadcastings aren't showing profits so they are sold at a loss and the primary goal is to attract customers.
January 18, 2009 1:35 PM
WEEK #1: First Blog Posting
1. I have a B.A. in Anthropology and minors in Art History and Environmental Studies.
2. Having recently embarked on a career exploration journey, I have expressed an interest in the field of communications. As this class will be my first exposure to the discipline, I am hoping it will spark my interest to continue on this path.
3. To gain a better understanding of the possible career opportunities within the communications arena.
4. A recent media experience that I've enjoyed is the 2008 PBS food and travel series called, "Spain on the Road Again" with actress Gwyneth Paltrow, chef Mario Batali, New York Times food writer Mark Bittman and Spanish actress Claudia Bassols who travel through out Spain exploring the country's traditional cuisine and history. Even though their travel arrangements are a bit luxurious, the scenery and rich culture has sparked a desire that is deeply rooted in me to travel and immerse myself in another culture. It will probably have to wait a couple of years until my children are a little older.
One specific aspect of our 21st century media culture which I like is when a breaking news story is all over the television I can browse the internet and find almost instantaneous news coverage of the specific news story. The ability to access information about media stories via the internet is amazing and it's hard for me to think what life would be without the internet.
As a parent of two small children I am struck by how our society has become so absorbed in media related activities that I feel as though we are unable to function without various media tools. I think that as a society we're losing interest or the desire to spend quality time not connected to various media outlets and enjoy one another's company the old fashioned way like playing a board game, sitting by the fireplace chatting with friends, reading books, etc. Media tools can be distractions and deterrents to quiet peaceful time which can be very engergizing and often needed in a culture which is saturated with many distractions.After having completed this course I am hoping to better understand current media trends and potential career opportunities that exist for me within the field of mass communication.
January 15, 2009 6:12 PM
1. I have a B.A. in Anthropology and minors in Art History and Environmental Studies.
2. Having recently embarked on a career exploration journey, I have expressed an interest in the field of communications. As this class will be my first exposure to the discipline, I am hoping it will spark my interest to continue on this path.
3. To gain a better understanding of the possible career opportunities within the communications arena.
4. A recent media experience that I've enjoyed is the 2008 PBS food and travel series called, "Spain on the Road Again" with actress Gwyneth Paltrow, chef Mario Batali, New York Times food writer Mark Bittman and Spanish actress Claudia Bassols who travel through out Spain exploring the country's traditional cuisine and history. Even though their travel arrangements are a bit luxurious, the scenery and rich culture has sparked a desire that is deeply rooted in me to travel and immerse myself in another culture. It will probably have to wait a couple of years until my children are a little older.
One specific aspect of our 21st century media culture which I like is when a breaking news story is all over the television I can browse the internet and find almost instantaneous news coverage of the specific news story. The ability to access information about media stories via the internet is amazing and it's hard for me to think what life would be without the internet.
As a parent of two small children I am struck by how our society has become so absorbed in media related activities that I feel as though we are unable to function without various media tools. I think that as a society we're losing interest or the desire to spend quality time not connected to various media outlets and enjoy one another's company the old fashioned way like playing a board game, sitting by the fireplace chatting with friends, reading books, etc. Media tools can be distractions and deterrents to quiet peaceful time which can be very engergizing and often needed in a culture which is saturated with many distractions.After having completed this course I am hoping to better understand current media trends and potential career opportunities that exist for me within the field of mass communication.
January 15, 2009 6:12 PM
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