On October 28, 2021, CEO and founder of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, first announced the corporation’s rebrand. The social media company would now be called Meta, and Meta would henceforth focus on a new platform: the metaverse. The term metaverse is an amalgam of the Greek prefix meta, meaning beyond or transcending, and -verse, short for universe (López-Díez). The metaverse … [Read more...] about Facebook’s Metaverse, Virtual Reality, and Bertolt Brecht
Blogs
Social Media and the Years to Come
Social media, since it started, has taken over our lives, in some good ways and some bad. I am not really sure when exactly this era came about, but it has since taken full control of how we see ourselves as a culture, how we view others, and how we connect with one another. For instance, we aren’t really having deep conversations anymore, we mainly are building conversations … [Read more...] about Social Media and the Years to Come
Sensationalism in the Media
What is Sensationalism There are numerous definitions for sensationalism. There’s gossip, exploitation of the facts, etc. In today’s society, media sensationalism has become the norm. Journalism in particular, has become the biggest perpetrator of sensationalism. To appear more dramatic and exciting, the truth is frequently exaggerated. All in the name of increasing … [Read more...] about Sensationalism in the Media
The Influence of Social Media on Children
Social media has had a huge influence on children of all ages. There are many positives and negatives to social media. Starting with the positives, social media gives children the ability to connect with their friends and their family members as well. Social media turned into something very positive when the pandemic started. When the pandemic started, young children were able … [Read more...] about The Influence of Social Media on Children
Watch Out For The Big Grrrls, Indeed
It’s quite frustrating that in today’s overabundant television landscape in which we have an endless number of shows on an evergrowing list of streaming services, there still aren’t many programs that celebrate - or even feature - plus-sized women. According to a study from the International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology, and Education, the average American woman wears … [Read more...] about Watch Out For The Big Grrrls, Indeed
The Issue of Body Image in the Media
Body image is a very sensitive subject when it comes to how it is portrayed in the media and how it affects the lives of the people who witness it. With technological advancements and so many forms of media today, it is easy for unrealistic body standards to be portrayed. You might be shocked to hear that there is correlation between time spent on social media and negative body … [Read more...] about The Issue of Body Image in the Media
Social Media and Its Effects on the Classroom
There is no denying that our social media and networks have transformed the landscape of our entire lives. It is what we live and breathe for every day. They disrupt our sleep schedules, decision-making process, and most importantly our learning and growing development. As a future teacher myself, I am beginning to see the shift in children as young as six and … [Read more...] about Social Media and Its Effects on the Classroom
The Poison that Failed
So the poison pill did not work. The $44 billion Twitter deal is done, despite skepticism among critics whether Elon Musk could raise that kind of money to make the platform a private entity. And with the takeover of 15% of Twitter comes a barrage of fears from concerns over complete private control to private monopoly issues, from the impacts of the promised decontrol over … [Read more...] about The Poison that Failed
Breaking Boba: Walter White’s Transformation vs Boba Fett’s Puzzling Rebirth
When the dust settled on episode 7 of the Book of Boba Fett and one surveys the rubble, it's clear that both Mos Espa and the future of Star Wars need some serious rebuilding. A long, long time ago, in a country situated on top of the Mediterranean Sea a philosopher and scientist named Aristotle set his sights on what makes for good fiction. A couple thousand years later we can … [Read more...] about Breaking Boba: Walter White’s Transformation vs Boba Fett’s Puzzling Rebirth
Just Look Up!: The Sixth IPCC Report, Polar Temperature Spikes, and the Slap Seen Around the World
Don’t Look Up, the Oscar-nominated Netflix film warning of the dangers of an impending planetary crisis, was repeatedly criticized because its satire of US politics and media was seen as a heavy handed and melodramatic caricature. But the spectacle of Will Smith’s live TV assault on Chris Rock during the 94th Academy Awards ceremony and how it obscured alarming climate news, … [Read more...] about Just Look Up!: The Sixth IPCC Report, Polar Temperature Spikes, and the Slap Seen Around the World
Lifelong Learning Culture Demands “Multidimensional Literacy”
Some generations grew up hearing from their parents that if they chose to pursue a career in Medicine or Law, they would carry the "burden" of studying for the rest of their lives. Times have changed; nowadays it must not be considered a “burden.” Today, lifelong learning is the watchword for any citizen and for the development of nations; moreover, it cannot be seen as a … [Read more...] about Lifelong Learning Culture Demands “Multidimensional Literacy”
The Twists of Turning Red
I had the distinct pleasure the other day of sitting down to watch Pixar/Disney's new feature called Turning Red. Now why was it a distinct pleasure? Because my guest for the screening was my 8-year-old godchild. She happens to be the daughter of Moroccan and Arabic parents. She has a very outsized personality and a vocabulary to match. She had seen the film once before me and … [Read more...] about The Twists of Turning Red
Cartoons: Stereotypes and Social Awareness
A topic that I’ve thought about for a while is how cartoons are changing in the midst of our modern society with cancel culture. In recent times, people have spoken out against certain cartoon characters as they portray qualities that reflect current social issues. One example of recent controversy was the removal of the character Apu Nahasapeemapetilon from The Simpsons. Apu … [Read more...] about Cartoons: Stereotypes and Social Awareness
The Odessa Steps 1905, 1925, 2022
The best film you've probably never seen comes from 1925 and has never been more relevant than today. In 1905, Russian sailors mutinied on a battleship because of their deplorable living conditions under the officers of Czar Nicholas II. After being forced to eat rotten meat they took over the ship and threw the Russian Czar's officers overboard. In that same year, … [Read more...] about The Odessa Steps 1905, 1925, 2022
Dopesick Reaches Back to Try to Tell a New Story
I never need to see Citizen Kane again. After teaching it for 20+ years, I’m done. I first saw Citizen Kane in 1991. It was, of course, number one on the American Film Institute's (AFI) top movie list and as a film enthusiast I thought it was important to see it and find out why. I sat down with a friend and she angrily exclaimed at the end of the film that it was probably the … [Read more...] about Dopesick Reaches Back to Try to Tell a New Story
Cybersecurity and the Internet of Things
The modern issue with media literacy is our production of big data without any knowledge of how it is being used. As technology advances our understanding of how it operates decreases. I feel it is the media’s job to help inform the public more about ways they can learn and prevent possible threats from appearing in their own homes. One huge area with little attention is the … [Read more...] about Cybersecurity and the Internet of Things
Battle with Barbie Imagery
When people think of media in the modern-day, it's often toxic, which should not be the case. Every adult over fifty had brought up the good old times where not everyone focused on media, technology, and appearance and how wonderful that was. Today we see even the youngest generations manipulated by the media, especially young women, and their desire for the "perfect image." … [Read more...] about Battle with Barbie Imagery
Don’t Look Up! Getting the climate conversation started in Media Literacy
We cannot solve the climate crisis if we don’t discuss it. And the fossil fuel industry knows this. Big Carbon understands that if society takes the climate crisis seriously, it’s the end of their business model. To delay climate action and regulation of their industry, Big Carbon plays the long game to generate climate silence and inaction through public relations and … [Read more...] about Don’t Look Up! Getting the climate conversation started in Media Literacy
Media in America… The Road Ahead of Us
Media is all around us at all times. Every screen we have is a source of information: from the big screen on your wall, to the small screen in your pocket. According to corparitech.com, “the average American spends 7 hours and 11 minutes looking at a screen every day” (CompariTech). We are more surrounded by media than ever. Simultaneously, public trust in media is falling … [Read more...] about Media in America… The Road Ahead of Us
From practice to policy? What lies beneath
Can media literacy policy be developed to deliver social justice, to empower the most vulnerable subalterns so that they can feel represented? There are technological, ideological, and socio-political structures that govern media messages and this creates the paradox that media literacy cannot study what remains unarticulated. An upcoming virtual global summit holds the rich … [Read more...] about From practice to policy? What lies beneath