In the technology and social media age of today, advertising can be found all around. Many of the advertisements found online and on social media are specifically filtered to a particular audience. Since the Internet and social media are used by a high number of teenagers and young adults, many of the ads are targeted towards this demographic.
This week, I read an article entitled, Advertising and Consumerism: A Space for Pedagogical Practice, by Virginia Funes (2008). In her article, Funes examines a contrast between the way students grow up in society to the way students learn at school. On pages 167 and 168, Funes discusses how students learn in society through audiovisual expression, whereas at school, messages are often transmitted through spoken and written word. Students appear to be facing much more stimulation outside of school. Within school, there is an old style of teaching that uses “lessons locked in books, whereas students belong to a generation that cannot find its place at school” amidst this method of instruction(Funes, 2008, p 165). Unfortunately, even though teachers should design lessons to meet learners where they are, many find it to be difficult to incorporate real world examples, including advertising into the traditional academic setting (Funes, 2008).
One thing that educators can do to improve their pedagogy is to move away from presenting content to developing lessons that “stimulate the analysis and the reflective process” (Funes, 2008, p 170). This can be done if the teacher takes a facilitator role, developing investigations, and helping students question (Funes, 2008) verses lecturing and teaching content. Helping students develop skills such as learning to learn, reasoning, perception, deduction, making connections and synthesis are much more valuable as these are transferrable skills that students can bring to other areas of their lives (Funes, 2008). Advertisements can be used as a vehicle to teach these skills.
The Media Literacy curriculum in Ontario is one area where teachers can incorporate advertising and consumerism in lessons in a meaningful way. Many of the transferrable skills mentioned above can be taught here. Personally, while teaching these specific expectations, I have used print advertisements and commercials and allowed students the opportunity to critically analyze their contents. Many inferences can be made about specific advertisements that students find quite engaging. I find these exercises work very well especially when teaching students about social and personal issues including body image and peer pressure. By bringing in advertisements and real life experiences into the classroom, I find students solidify and consolidate their understanding of concepts in a deeper way.
Funes, V. (2008). Advertising and consumerism: A space for pedagogical practice.
Mirror Images 338, 159-177.
This week, I read an article entitled, Advertising and Consumerism: A Space for Pedagogical Practice, by Virginia Funes (2008). In her article, Funes examines a contrast between the way students grow up in society to the way students learn at school. On pages 167 and 168, Funes discusses how students learn in society through audiovisual expression, whereas at school, messages are often transmitted through spoken and written word. Students appear to be facing much more stimulation outside of school. Within school, there is an old style of teaching that uses “lessons locked in books, whereas students belong to a generation that cannot find its place at school” amidst this method of instruction(Funes, 2008, p 165). Unfortunately, even though teachers should design lessons to meet learners where they are, many find it to be difficult to incorporate real world examples, including advertising into the traditional academic setting (Funes, 2008).
One thing that educators can do to improve their pedagogy is to move away from presenting content to developing lessons that “stimulate the analysis and the reflective process” (Funes, 2008, p 170). This can be done if the teacher takes a facilitator role, developing investigations, and helping students question (Funes, 2008) verses lecturing and teaching content. Helping students develop skills such as learning to learn, reasoning, perception, deduction, making connections and synthesis are much more valuable as these are transferrable skills that students can bring to other areas of their lives (Funes, 2008). Advertisements can be used as a vehicle to teach these skills.
The Media Literacy curriculum in Ontario is one area where teachers can incorporate advertising and consumerism in lessons in a meaningful way. Many of the transferrable skills mentioned above can be taught here. Personally, while teaching these specific expectations, I have used print advertisements and commercials and allowed students the opportunity to critically analyze their contents. Many inferences can be made about specific advertisements that students find quite engaging. I find these exercises work very well especially when teaching students about social and personal issues including body image and peer pressure. By bringing in advertisements and real life experiences into the classroom, I find students solidify and consolidate their understanding of concepts in a deeper way.
Funes, V. (2008). Advertising and consumerism: A space for pedagogical practice.
Mirror Images 338, 159-177.