I enjoy purpose; Whether it be purposeful music, TED talks, tweets, people, etc. I enjoy having a purpose. And this semester has been focused on creating purposeful content that enlightened individuals on the many goals of media.
Initially attending this class and seeing the times it began and ended, I was skeptical. I wasn’t sure how anyone was expected to lecture for a full three hours, how the students were supposed to be engaged the entire time, or how any lecture could be significant enough to run for three hours. But, I have no problem admitting when I am wrong, and must I say I was wrong times ten…
The first lecture we had was incredibly eye-opening. We watched the Michael Brown story, and at that moment, I learned a lot about the case, the way the media portrayed African Americans, and how well law enforcement really enforces the law in black communities. Along with this, the students were also required to post tweets of substance-related to the lecture.
From that day forward, the content of the class has only grown to be more intriguing and enlightening of the issues within the world and the media. So needless to say, I enjoyed the lectures and the purpose each class served. I believe since being in the course, I have become much more media literate and grasped an understanding that everything in the media servers a purpose; nothing is coincidental.
Also, since joining the class, I have been forced to watch films out of my norm. Varying from documentaries, movies, and television shows. One show that was watched in class was the infamous Black Screen, to me it was funny since I’ve always heard my friends talking about the show and telling me how I needed to watch it for myself however I just never had an interest in it…well until I had to.
Nosedive was the first Black Mirror episode I saw. Nosedive’, the first episode of Black Mirror’s season three, took this familiar approach to life to the following level. Imagine a form of modern-day Pleasantville where everyone greets one another, smiles are bestowed on you in abundance, and no-one ever speaks ill of one another. Everyone moves through life politely and respectfully and, should a problem ever arise, it’s forbidden in an exceedingly very passive-aggressive manner. Sincerity has become a thing of the past, for an honest comment or a sarcastic remark may quickly end in your numbers dwindling. Yes, within the world of ‘Nosedive’ people were mere numbers: the more “likes” they score, the upper their status in society. The film was full of messages; From the beginning, I grasped the message Charlie Booker was trying to convey to the audience. The over-exaggerated, soft-toned cinema was meant to represent the control social media has on society today. Despite the cliched theme of the film, it raised a question and was extremely thought-provoking to the audience. The comical tone of the scenes created a lighthearted tone for a dangerous situation. I actually preferred the film that way because it made it more entertaining rather than sitting through another dull picture, stressing the importance of millennials putting their phones down.https://giphy.com/embed/Vbo1IF9rVNqvpfCRkc
In my eyes, this film was what the class was all about. Just as Nosedive, the course delivered various thought-provoking messages in a way that kept students on their toes about what was being learned and did it was always done creatively. I genuinely can say I was never bored inside the classroom and learned a lot about being a journalist.
However, one aspect of the class I didn’t enjoy was the weekly vlogs and blogs. I wasn’t a fan of the deadlines or the required word count, mainly because I procrastinate and don’t enjoy writing with deadlines. But since this was expected of the students every week for an entire semester, I had no choice but to adjust and grow accepting on the weekly assignments. I also need to note how much I’ve grown from my first vlog versus my most recent one.
I was nervous! And absolutely hated talking in front of the camera for long periods. In the beginning, I would think: what am I supposed to talk about? Why does my voice sound like that? How am I expected to speak for the entire three minutes? I know…ridiculous *inserts eye roll*
But I kid you not, I have grown immensely in that department and in others as well (if I do say so myself.)In all, it has been a great experience being in this class, and I highly recommend all students take it despite their major. I have learned a lot about the media and grown immensely. It wouldn’t be a reach to say digital media in literacy was by far my most favorite class.
Nyah Speaking. 