Module 2 Reflections

Module 1 gave me a solid background on what media literacy is and different approaches to media education. With those foundations in mind, Module 2 has challenged me to look deeper at media, how it is developed, and looking for what is not easily seen. Visibility is a fundamental theme when teaching media literacy to students because media has the power of changing what is or is not easily seen (Tollefson, 2008). In this module we have learned many ways media lies with images.

Knowing how media lies with images is important to media literacy students, because it gives them the power to see more than what is easily seen. Furthermore, having tools and knowledge on how media deceives, can help consumers navigate through what is deception and what is truth.  Visibility is often times controlled by those in power, meaning that media makers with power can hide the truth to those with little or no power (Tollefson, 2008). When reading The Inversion of Knowing from Volatile Knowing written by Dr. Kaia Tollefeson (2008), I could not help but to make connections between power and visibility with white privilege. Once explained to me, white privilege is like being a white crayon on a white piece of paper; it can go anywhere and not be noticed however, the other crayons will be noticed everywhere they go. This to me is proof of how power and visibility works in our society. Another example is how critics blame popular culture and social media as reasons students lose out on education instead of focusing on the structural conditions that effect the education system (Sternheimer, 2013). Those who have power in media tend to focus on stories about electronics, blaming parents, or using television as a scapegoat, instead of investigating the cultural and educational structures that are cause of these issues.

Stereotypes, generalizations, and labels are also types of visibility. When used in media labels can be beneficial because they help categorize social issues (Cortes, 2000). These categories help people see a larger picture that can lead to understanding and acceptance. Generalizations develop based on personal experience and are created in order to help people understand the world (Cortes, 2000). However, often times media contributes to stereotypes based on generalizations that do not capture the entire picture of a cultural group.  When media only highlights bad activities of a social group it is only giving visibility to a small portion of said group, and can contribute to a bad stereotype. I also have learned that these generalizations have effected the LGBTQ community in television and movies. The visibility of the  LGBTQ community has been small and underrepresented in popular culture due to mainstream ideals (Gross, 2001). Although, and thankfully, I think this is changing I do believe that the film industry has more work to do to represent sexual minorities on the big screen.

This module was enriching because it opened my eyes to how important visibility really is from larger social issues to shopping in the grocery store. Children are one of the most sought after consumers because it starts brand loyalty at a young age, their world views are easy to manipulate, and even at young ages children have tremendous purchasing power (Shah, 2010). With so much debate about how much “screen time” a child should have, learning about all the ways marketers reach children makes the debate that more valid in my opinion. Holidays, major movies or television shows, and even the education system are commercializing childhood itself (Shah, 2010). If a movie is successful toys and games are manufactured to make excess revenues, corporate influence is trumping a parents influence, and even auto manufacturers are targeting children. This unchecked power is even allowing corporations to provide curriculum, school lunches, and gymnasiums to the education system (Shah, 2010). Marketers are using every single angle they can to reach children and the dollars that follow. Just to add another example, even at grocery stores children are being targeted. Cereal companies are using visual strategies to reach children from bright colors, love able characters, and even making the eyes on the characters angled so the children make eye contact with the box (Tuttle, 2014). Visibility in the grocery store, on television, and in societal structures are all controlled by people whose biggest interest is to sell. This is why I find it so important to teach the youth media literacy so they can look at everything with an inquisitive perspective. Not just to lose trust but to question what is not easily seen and to search for the truth.