Blogging Safety!

Here is a list of blogging safety tips adapted from Microsoft's Online Safety tips:

- Don't divulge personal information: use your FIRST NAME ONLY, don't give any details with regards to contact information, home address, phone numbers, last names of friends or relatives, instant messaging names, age, or birth date.

- No questionable photos of you or anything else: If you wouldn't show it to your grandma, don't post it on the web! Avoid posting photos of yourself.

- Remember the internet is permanent! Anyone on the Internet can easily print out a blog or save it to a computer.

- Use blogging provider sites with clearly stated terms of use, and make sure they can protect the actual blogs, not just the user accounts, with password protection. (Even so, it's better to assume anyone can see it.)

- Avoid trying to "out-do" or compete with other bloggers.

- Keep it clean and positive: Our blogs are reflective of our Catholic values. Sexist, racist, homophobic, or any type of oppressive and offensive language will not be tolerated!

Welcome to 2012-2013

Hello all you media and comm. tech students! Welcome back to another wonderful year here at Mary Ward! I am already excited about this upcoming year! I am certain that it is going to be a great one! We have lots of exciting days to look forward to and I am sure that you will be as excited as I am!

As part of your media arts / communications technology course you will be required to create and maintain your own media arts / communications blog. Blogging has quickly become a very popular form of communication and online journaling.

Through this course your will be required to reply to reply to six different media / technology issues or topics that will be posted here for you to respond to on your own blog. Each response must be no less than 300 words and should have discussions relevant to media arts and communication technology. You will also be required to respond to 6 other people's blogs with thoughtful ideas and comments. The evaluation for this unit is found in your unit guide. Once you have completed all tasks (which will take you several months) you will submit your unit guide, with a list of the six blogs that you responded to, for evaluation.

Happy Blogging!
Ms. P.

Web 2.0 and YOU!

Grade Ten Media Arts/Communications Technology

Blog Entry #6

Did you know that there is a blog born every half second? The ability to express your personal perspectives, self-publish and have a potential audience of millions is a phenomenon that was brought about by Web 2.0 technology. The video below examines how human interactions and identity are challenged and changed by emerging forms of web communication technology. Have a look at the fascinating video:

Once you have watched the video, think about and respond to the following questions:
1. How will emerging technology (ie: blogs, videos, e-readers,e-books) affect literacy?
2. How is Web 2.0 challenging us to "rethink ourselves" (ie: friendships, work, education, community, family etc...)?

A Look @ Music Videos

Grade Ten Media Arts/Communications Technology

Blog Entry #5

In 1979, the English New Wave band The Buggles released their chart topping hit, Video Killed the Radio Star. The song laments the fall of a radio singer's career caused by the rise of television. The video for this epic song was the first to be broadcast by MTV (Music Television) on August 1, 1981 at midnight, securing this song and video's place in pop music history. Without a doubt, the lyrics of the song foreshadow the new age of music videos.

With the dawn of MTV, audiences were able to appreciate the song, not only for its melody and lyricism, but also for its visuals. From that moment on, music was no longer simply an auditory experience, but also a multi-sensory one. 

You will use the critical analysis process to formulate your assessment of your chosen music video. Ensure that your choice is appropriate for a high school audience. When in doubt, consult. The Critical analysis process involves:

Initial reaction: What are your immediate thoughts and observations when you view the music video?

Analysis and interpretation: Describe the Principles of Media Arts as they appear in the music video. Why do you think the musician, musical group, or director created this music video? What themes are promoted in this video? Are they aligned with Gospel Values, or do they counter them?

Consideration of cultural context: What events may have influenced the musician, musical group, and director to create this music video?

Expression of aesthetic judgment: How does the cinematography, acting and performance, choreography, storyline, special effects, lyrics, and musicality work together in the music video? How do the visuals affect your admiration or disdain for the song?

Ongoing reflection: How has your chosen music video influenced your reception of the song?

Beauty - Is it Really in the Eye of the Beholder?

Grade Ten Media Arts/Communications Technology

Blog Entry #4

OK - so we all know very well that pretty much every image in the media that we see has been magically touched by Photoshop. Photoshop can be a great tool - but it can also be an evil weapon. We would argue that most images that are used in the media have been photo shopped just a bit too much.  The following video is an example of the wonders of Photoshop.  Watch as the woman gets transformed from beginning to end:

From hair and make-up artists to Photoshop techniques, the woman at the end looks much different than the woman who initially sat in the chair.

Recently, I discovered a Photoshop parody online.  I informed Ms. Parise about it and we watched it together.  This led to a conversation about how peoples’ self esteem are affected by the images they see in the media.  Please take a moment to watch the following video:

There are uncountable amounts of magazines and advertising companies that do this sort of thing - shave off a little bit here, push up a little bit there.  In the end, sometimes it crosses the line. What kind of message is being pushed onto us if these are the kind of examples we see each day?

Here is a little example of how one of the photo editors did the same thing to one of their colleagues at the National Post:

According to Wikipedia:

“The media's influence on our perception of body images has become one of the most significant crisis's in the lives of young males and females. The sources of mass media, including advertisements, fashion industries, music videos all tend to manipulate society through unrealistic or unhealthy thin body images that paint the picture of perfection of what true beauty should be. Along with product marketing, media tends to utilize various forms of media psychology to possibly influence a set standard of beauty or what is known as the “picture perfect body” for society to carry out. As a result of this, many young adults, especially young males and females, tend to idealize images of their favourite celebrities and/or models presented within media, into their minds.” 

Based on the videos you watched above and the excerpt you read, please comment on the questions below in your blog post:

1.  Why do you think people are portrayed this way in the media?

2.  How are you affected by the images you see?  

3.  What can be done to reduce the amount of young men and women that are negatively affected by these images?

4.  What would your reaction be to a magazine cover where the subject isn’t all glammed up?  Is this a possible route that society should take?  Why or why not?

To Share or not To Share ... That is the Million Dollar Question....

Grade Ten Media Arts/Communications Technology

Blog Entry #3

Let's admit it - maybe only to ourselves - but the truth is - all of us have downloaded files from the internet, whether it was music, a movie or a tv show.  Downloading is happening all the time! Something like 10.5 million songs are downloaded every hour illegally.  So then what?  We know it is happening - but do we really want to do anything about it?  Knowing that there is a possibility of being sued for tons of money doesn't seem to be a deterrent. 

I recently read an article in the Toronto Star about the film-makers of The Hurt Locker suing individuals that illegally downloaded their movie and took part in file sharing.  This seems to be one the few cases where action is being taken here in Canada.  

About a year ago, I got to watch a really great film called "R.I.P. - A Remix Manifesto".  In it, the film maker Brett Gaylor takes a good look at the downloaders point of view.  If you get the chance - I highly recommend viewing this film - it is free to watch online!

According to Wikipedia, file sharing is:

“The practice of distributing or providing access to digitally stored information, such as computer programs, multimedia (audio, images, and video), documents, or electronic books. It may be implemented through a variety of ways. Common methods of storage, transmission, and distribution used in file sharing include manual sharing using removable media, centralized servers on computer networks, World Wide Web-based hyperlinked documents, and the use of distributed peer-to-peer networking.”

Please visit on the following link to read the article Hurt Locker File Sharing Suits Target Canadians:

http://www.thestar.com/business/article/1055631--hurt-locker-file-sharing-lawsuits-put-the-hurt-on-everyone

According to the article people who have downloaded the movie are being sued for large amounts of money. 

Once you have read the article, please answer the following questions in your blog post:

1.     What is your personal opinion towards file sharing?  Is it right or wrong?  Please explain.

2.     If you produced your own piece of art/song/movie, would you hold the same opinion?

3.     Do you feel it is morally acceptable to download copyrighted material if it is only intended for personal use?

Career Mashing!

Grade Ten Media Arts/Communications Technology

Blog Entry #2

On October 28, 2011 all the grade ten media arts / communications students will be going on a trip down to Roy Thompson Hall.  There the classes will participate in a panel discussion and trade show based on careers in technology.

This wonderful opportunity is being organized by a group called Career Mash.  Their initiative is to promote all of the new and amazing careers that are being created everyday!

Before we attend the Career Mash Trade Show, it is important to understand what exactly we mean by "career mash".  Go to their website : www.careermash.ca and read about everything they have to offer.

For your next blog posting, you will read through the entire website, and complete some of the surveys to discover what kind of career mash person you are.  Once you have determined which area you think you could work best in, find a related career and write a blog post about that career.  Be sure to give a thorough description of the career, what kind of education you need to get into that career, and find an example of someone who works in that field and tell me a bit about them.