Mass+Media+and+Children

BTMM 4997 Temple University Spring 2011 Mass Media and Children

This advanced, writing-intensive course examines the history, economics, and structural features of media industries that cater to a young audience. The potential effects of television, video games, and the Internet on children and youth are examined, including issues of personal and cultural identity, violence, learning, consumerism and health. Contemporary issues regarding media's changing role in the lives of children and families are explored.

This semester, we look at both child audiences and the impact of media on attitudes and behaviors as well as the authors of children’s commercial media, who must attract large audiences in a hyper-competitive and converging media landscape. We focus on two primary themes: (1) an exploration of role of media violence in the lives of children and young people and (2) a close examination of I-Carly, a popular cable television and web program for tweens.

Course Syllabus

Assignments and Activities

 * PART 1: DEVELOPING KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS**

Memoir: Media in My Childhood

Summarizing, Paraphrasing and Direct Quotation: Into the Minds of Babes by Lisa Guernsey

Compare and Contrast: Differing Views of Sesame Street

Key Ideas from Killing Monsters by Gerard Jones

Creating Realistic Dialogue

to examine in an inquiry about ICarly. || Develop a Research Proposal DUE: March 18 || DUE: March 25 || DUE: April 1 || hypotheses or explore particular issues of interest. || Research Report 2 April 8 || different target audiences about our journey of exploration. [|Mass Traffic Sites] || Final Report wirh Multimedia Production Component DUE: April 27, 29 ||
 * PART II: PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER TO CREATE NEW KNOWLEDGE**
 * **OUR FIVE-WEEK RESEARCH PROCESS** || **ACTIVITY** ||
 * FINDING QUESTIONS. Brainstorm to identify the most important questions
 * BEGIN THE JOURNEY. Build background knowledge about Nickelodeon. || Write a Precis
 * DEVELOP YOUR RESEARCH. Gather more information to develop your project or review videos closely to develop your argument. Produce some text to demonstrate that you're making process on the project. || Research Report 1
 * DEEPENING OUR QUESTIONS. Tackle more complex questions that test specific
 * SHARE WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED. Present ideas using print and multimedia to inform