This is the season for political ads. The frequency and approach of
political ads drive me crazy. There seems so little meaningful
information and so many obvious attempts to manipulate.
Anyway, I
think an examination of political ads offers a great opportunity for
developing critical thinking and/or media literacy. I have been trying
to come up with a way to involve such skills without getting into the
emotions that come with politics. I happen to think emotion in education
is great and we should take on issues that raise enthusiasm whenever
possible, but I also recognize that some would rather such issues be
avoided.
Here is my basic idea - analyze political ads by creating
and applying bingo cards. This seems a popular way to explore the "in
terminology" during conference presentations I attend so why not apply
in other contexts. Here is my first effort based on phrases and images
(I). Obviously, some of the imagery or phrases would not apply in all
areas of the country.
Consider
that multiple students might create cards and apply to see who had done
the best job of spotting trends. Popular images or phrases might also
allow scrutiny of the messages ad creators think sell. Does the phrase
"all politics is local" apply? Are there more negative or positive
messages? Does the incumbent or challenger use more negative messages?
Are voters being manipulated or informed based on phrases or images are
emphasized?
No comments:
Post a Comment