Obeibunka -

Obeibunkaron and ObeinoSeikatsu A: British and American Culture

Teacher: Mr Furmanovsky (Mr.F) Office 4-327 Time: Mon 1 Classroom:
E-mail : michael@world.ryukoku.ac.jp Office Hour: Monday 12.30-1.30
Classpage: http://community.livejournal.com/obeibunka/
Video Websites: youtube.com http://video.yahoo.com apple.com/trailers
Media Literacy Websites: media-awareness.ca mlpj.org medialit.org
www.ibiblio.org/pub/electronic-publications/stay-free/ml/index.html

Welcome to your Obeibunkaron class. I am looking forward to getting to know you during the year and creating a good class atmosphere.

What is the theme and goal of this class?
This class will focus on how the contemporary cultures of the U.S and U.K are exported to other parts of the world, including Japan, through television, movies and advertising. You will develop and refine your media literacy skills while at the same time gaining a deeper understanding of how the mass media shapes the cultural messages that powerful societies such as the U.S and U.K send out to the world. Every week we will watch a few minutes of video from some well known cultural entertainment products of the U.S and U.K such as situation comedies, movie trailers (previews), music videos, advertisements etc. We will then use the tools of media literacy to examine how these products shape our idea and image of American or British culture and lifestyles. All video clips will be in English but the instructor will also give information about them and encourage discussion based on them, in Japanese.

What will we do IN the class?: We will watch short video clips (of TV shows, commercials, music videos, movie previews etc) and look closely at Internet images of cultural products (fast food, fashion items, cars, electronics, toys and other consumer goods). These all contain information or images designed to project certain values and ideas about desirable and undesirable lifestyles in the U.S and U.K.

What will we do OUTSIDE of class?: There is no textbook but you will be expected to watch videos (youtube or yahoo videos) and read articles from certain websites

Attendance: If you miss a class, first check the calendar below. Then, if necessary, talk to another student and complete any missed homework.
Reports and Grading: Your grade will be based on attendance and participation (20%): two reports (60%) and one short test (20%). See below.

Assignments

1 Report analyzing 3 commercials for one type of product from either the U.S or U.K. What values/lifestyle/points of view are being sold or promoted and how do they reflect US or UK contemporary life? Week 6
5/26
1 page A4
2 Report analyzing 3 movie trailers and previews from either the U.S or U.K. What values/lifestyle/concepts are shown in the trailers and what might a viewer outside the US or UK think or believe after watching it Week 11
6/30
1 page A4
3 In class media literacy test Watch one commercial and one movie trailer and apply your media literacy skills by analyzing it Week 13
7/14




Obeibunkaron/Obeinoseikatsu A M1 2008 1st Calendar



4/14 (1) Introduction to the class. What is “mass media”? How has it changed and not changed in the past 20 years. What is a cultural product? What is media literacy? Why is it worth developing your media literacy” Homework: Look at the definitions of “Media Literacy” メディア・リテラシーin English and Japanese

4/21 (2) Teacher continues introduction to Media Literacy. Watch TV commercials. Apple Mac/iPod/Nike Shoes etc and apply media literacy approach in small groups. Homework: Choose a cultural product that comes from and can clearly be identified as coming from and/or representing the U.S or U.K. it could be a musical style, a book, a fashion item, electronic good

4/28 (3) Watch TV commercials or music videos and apply media literacy approach in small groups Homework. Work on report 1 and read www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/cool/teens/

5/12 (4) Documentary “Merchants of Cool”. Homework. Work on Report 1

5/19 (5) Work in class on your report. Share ideas with classmates
Homework: Complete Report 1

5/26*** (6) Report 1 Due. Talk about your report in small groups.

6/2 (7) Introduction to movie previews/trailers. Watch music videos and/or movie previews and apply media literacy approach in small groups Homework: : Choose some U.S or U.K movie trailers which have a common theme or set of cultural values. Take notes.

6/9 (8) Watch music videos and/or movie previews and apply media literacy approach in small groups Homework: Begin analyzing U.S or U.K movie trailers which you chose using guidelines and approach explained by the teacher in class.

6/16 (9) Watch music videos and/or movie previews and apply media literacy approach in small groups Homework: Work on Report 2

6/23 (10) Work in groups on your report on movie trailer or music video. Homework: Complete Report 2

6/30*** (11) Report 2 due Homework: To be announced

7/7 (12) Homework: To be announced

7/14 (13) Media Literacy Test Homework: To be announced



What is Media Literacy?

Definition 1: It is the ability to access, analyze, evaluate and create media in a variety of forms.

Definition 2: It is an approach to education which provides a framework to access, analyze, evaluate and create messages in a variety of forms - from print to video to the Internet. It builds an understanding of the role of media in society as well as essential skills of inquiry and self-expression necessary for citizens of a democracy.

Definition 3: Media literacy is the ability to sift through and analyze the messages that inform, entertain and sell to us every day. It's the ability to bring critical thinking skills to bear on all media— from music videos and Web environments to product placement in films and virtual displays on NHL hockey boards. It's about asking questions about what's there, and noticing what's not there. And it is questioning what lies behind media productions— the motives, the money, the values and the ownership— and to be aware of how these factors influence content.

Definition 4: Media literacy is the process of accessing, analyzing, evaluating and creating messages in a wide variety of media modes, genres and forms. It encourages people to ask questions about what they watch, see and read. Media literacy education is one means of developing media literacy. It provides tools to help people critically analyze messages to detect propaganda, censorship, and bias in news and public affairs programming (and the reasons for such), and to understand how structural features -- such as media ownership-- affect the information presented.

In Japanese:

ディア・リテラシー（英：media literacy）とは、情報メディアを批判的に読み解いて、必要な情報を引き出し、その真偽を見抜き、活用する能力のこと。「情報を評価・識別する能力」とも言える。ただし「情報を処理する能力」や「情報を発信する能力」をメディア・リテラシーと呼んでいる場合もある。なお、この項では主に、「情報を評価・識別する能力」という意味のメディア・リテラシーについて記述する。

メディアリテラシーという言葉を知っているだろうか？
メディアが発信する情報を批判的に読み、真偽を見抜き、活用する能力のことだ。
新聞、 テレビ、ラジオ、映画、 音楽、最近ではインターネットも含まれるメディアの力は計り知れない。情報が何を目的にしているかを読み取ることができれば、それに踊らされることは無くなるということだ。
欧米では１９８０年代学校教育にメディアリテラシーを取り入れてから視聴者・読者の目が肥えて発信情報の質がどんどん上がっていったという。