Dave-Silka


 * VARIABLES**

We isolated variables pertaining to analysis of media texts and likelihood or desirability of taking certain kinds of political action.

TEXTUAL ANALYSIS SKILLS: Analysis of an advertising text with checklist and open responses to evaluate advertising literacy, including identifying target audience, persuasive techniques, questions of authorship, subtext, and omission.

Analysis of a news magazine article with checklist and open responses to evaluate reading comprehension and analysis of a news item. Measures ability synthesize information and retrieve information (summary), identify target audience, use evidence to substantiate response, and identify techniques to hold attention, points of view, basic categories of purpose, and omission.

Use of 4 Likert scale to measure observation of and attitudes toward media effects and techniques. Could be used to measure real-world application of certain core media literacy questions.

LIKELIHOOD OR DESIRABILITY OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT: Multiple choice and 5 Likert scale used to measure civic engagement, including mainstream political procedures (voting, running for office, etc.) and forms of civil disobedience.


 * RESEARCH QUESTIONS**

Determine relationship between ability to vocalize media literacy concepts and likelihood of civic engagement. Measure correlation between use of critical media literacy terms and concepts in magazine and advertisement analysis and intensity of civic engagement (likelihood of civil disobedience, activism, etc.).

Hypothesis: Students who use more critical media literacy terms and concepts to describe media in analysis will be more likely to express desire to partake in political activism.


 * EXPLANATION**

Engagement in critical analysis of media texts may also engage students in transferring those skills to the political arena, and activist activity in particular. Information could be coded carefully to distinguish different types of critical engagement -- detailed analysis, cynicism, contrarianism, etc. -- and see if there is a correlation to certain types of intended or desired political activism (participating in local politics, civil disobedience, etc.).

THE PROBLEM: Teachers focus on an abstract idea of "communication," and hence emphasize technological tools allowing such communication (blogging, etc.), instead of asking core questions about the purpose and outcomes of communication.

Research Question: What is the relationship between the teacher's attitudes and understanding of content of expression versus the ability to communicate through digital tools and students' understanding of the purpose of digital expression?

Design: combination of case studies and content analysis

Hypothesis: Teachers who privilege *digital literacy* -- the use of digital tools to communicate ideas -- as its own teaching objective will tend to produce students who communicate less effectively than teachers who privilege writing as a valuable skill in and of itself, with digital communication only being one way to communicate.

Study various classrooms in which online publication is being taught. Observe teaching methods with particular attention to the framing of online communication in the scope of the class's learning objectives. Code observations for attention to basic writing practices that are either discrete from or tied to online communication skills. E.g., learning a specific online-based blogging skill is "tied to online communication"; developing an argument or engaging students in brainstorming is "basic writing practice."

Do a content analysis of student work across classrooms, coding for clarity of argument, passion of argument, and amount and quality of writing used to convey ideas. Also code for online tool proficiency, design, multimedia integration and aesthetic appeal.

Key quote: "These examples are meant to be illustrative, not exhaustive -- to suggest how a broad range of motivations and institutions has begun to awaken to the civic potential in the media that both fascinate, manipulate, and potentially empower digital natives" (Rheingold, 2008, 107). Here Rheingold invokes the "natural" communicative abilities of students immersed in digital cultures -- to what extent teaching communication ideas discrete from online communication tools requires a separate practice from "teaching the tools" is ambiguous (he advocates a combination of tools and practice, but his rhetoric tends to emphasize new technologies and existing knowledge, opinions, and attitudes).