Unit 2: Media StudiesObjective: Use a critical lens or lens of your choosing to research and observe a particular aspect of media.
Overview:
In this unit, students will choose a compelling research question relating to media and create research based on it. The research question will incorporate at least one of the lenses that are a part of critical theory. Each student will develop an inquiry question, do background research, design an observation, conduct an observation, and write about their results. Outcome Targets and Evidence: 1. INVESTIGATE: Design and/or conduct an inquiry and gather appropriate information to complete the inquiry. Evidence: double sided notes, planners 2. COMMUNICATE: Produces writing in a style that is appropriate to the task, purpose, and audience. Evidence: research proposal, final paper 3. PLAN: Makes appropriate plans and follows them in a timely manner with attention to deadlines. Evidence: research proposal, writing process 4. CONCLUDE: Forms accurate conclusions or claims based on evidence. Evidence: response to observation paper 5. COLLABORATE: Participates positively and effectively in a range of collaborative discussions, activities and projects. Evidence: Whole class discussion at end of project Key Terms: media gender/feminist lens post-colonial lens Marxist/social power lens |
Unit Tasks and PhasesPhase Zero: Establish a background understanding of the purpose of our study:
1. Begin a set of double sided notes for this new unit. Add key facts from the "What is Media?" document to your notes. Consider what types of media you would be most interested in doing a media study on. 2. We will be using different "lenses" or perspectives to look at media. One of our options is the gender/feminist lens. Add some key aspects of this lens to your notes. We will look at an example together.
3. When you are complete, write a paragraph analysis of the "artifact." Pick at least three parts of the artifact to mention and analyze using the gender/feminist lens. How would someone with that perspective say about these parts of the artifact?
4. Follow the same instructions from Tasks 2-3 about the post-colonial lens info you see below. 5. Follow the same instructions from Tasks 2-3 one last time about the Marxist/social power lens.
6. Now use the image below to do one final response. You can choose any of the three lenses you'd like or maybe use more than one.
7. Share your lens notes and responses with Scott and Grace along the way. You should have 3 entries each.
Phase One: Choose a topic and join a research team if you'd like: 8. Consider some types of media that you'd be interested in studying and ask yourself what you'd like to investigate about them. Consider using your critical lit lenses as inspiration, like looking at gender roles in a specific show or genre. 9. Fill out the form indicating which media study topics you'd be interested in. Phase Two: Use established research to develop a specific focal topic and inquiry question.
10. Document your topic in your Media Research Planner. 11. Use the current draft of your inquiry question to get back to researching. Find 3-5 pieces of information relating to your driving question. Add these to your double sided notes. Remember, that when you are reacting, you should be trying to apply information to your driving question. 12. Use models and the initial research to develop a draft of your inquiry question. Document that in your planner also. Phase Three: Finalize your inquiry question and develop a plan and rationale for your research
13. Return to your Media Research Planner and report your inquiry question. Also, complete the remaining sections, identifying how you plan on conducting your observation. We are all doing a case study this time. 14. When you have completed your planner with your group. Write a research proposal that you will turn into Scott and Grace.
Phase Four: Break down inquiry question into tasks and "to-do's"
15. Create a list of tasks for your group to complete in order to do your observation. For this unit it will involve dividing up the media for each member to consume and finding a way to share data. 16. Execute your group's "to-do" list. Phase Five: Conduct research in order to answer your inquiry question 17. Practice doing yourobservation yourself. Test it out to see how it feels and if any revisions need to be made. 18. Do your observation! Make sure to document your findings in a place to which all group members have access. Phase Six: Create a peer-review ready first draft 19. (Optional) Create an outline of your Response to Observation 20. Use the instructions, model and rubric below to help you write a first draft of your Response to Observation Phase Seven: Utilize peer-review ready draft to engage in peer review, critique and evaluation of draft in a collaborative setting
21. Use the peer revision checklist to read and evaluate a partner's response draft. 22. Share and discuss your evaluation in a peer review discussion. Phase Nine: Use peer feedback to polish and publish the final draft of your Response to Observation
23. Revise and edit your rough draft using your peer feedback 24. Share your writing process with Scott Phase Ten: Participate in a whole class discussion in which you share and relate your observations 25. Participate in the whole class share-out and discussion on our observation. |