Let the Blogging Begin

Dear EMS Students,

It's time to begin your first blog entries.  Start by creating your profile.

As one of the blog authors for the Media Class (B)Log project, you will make regular contributions and you will be expected to comment critically on the blog postings of your classmates.

The media blog is like a workbook or notebook, but less formal. It will consist of writing, pictures, hypertext links, and video, that you will be sharing with both your classmates and teacher. The blog can be your place to:

• Write responses to your TV and film watching, magazine and newspaper reading, music listening, websites visited, Facebook page, popular culture involvement, and any other monitoring you may do.
• Post your own media survey questions for the class to answer.
• Record your answers to survey questions I ask.
• Record your thoughts, opinions, questions, ideas, quotations, stories, and jokes related to the media and popular culture that you wish to explore in depth.
• Deconstruct particular media texts.
• Write about your thoughts and feelings related to aspects of the media that you may have taken for granted or never really thought about.
• Develop your critical thinking skills.
• Practise writing in a variety of forms.
• Record your growth and development in media literacy.
• Make relevant connections between the key concepts of media studies and your chosen topic.
• Explore and reflect upon issues such as stereotyping, gender issues, violence in the media, and so on.
• Demonstrate consistent and effective work habits, homework completion, initiative, teamwork and organization.

Minimum Requirements:

• You must make a minimum of SIX (6) blog postings.
• A blog post always has a title and labels.
• Each blog posting must be at least 150 words long.
• Each blog posting must make relevant connections to TWO (2) media key concepts.
• Each blog posting must relate to one of the following FIFTEEN (15) possible areas of inquiry:

• advertising,
• gender issues,
• violence in the media,
• mass media (TV, radio, film),
• music,
• journalism,
• popular culture,
• role models,
• the internet,
• video games,
• pulp fiction,
• graphic novels,
• media standards and laws,
• media ownership, or
• future trends.

• When you are deconstructing a media text, such as a print ad, news report, magazine article, music video or so on, you must either INSERT the picture or video into your posting or include a LINK to the original site.
• You must assign labels to each of your posts. Your labels must include your topic, your two key concepts, and your name. This labeling is important to help organize the blog site and to let me see the full body of your work as separate from that of your classmates.
• You must write on at least TWO of your classmate's blogs for every ONE blog posting that you submit.
• There is a spell check button. Use it often.

Note:  All comments are sent first to your teacher.  Comments will be checked for appropriate language and tone before being made available for general viewing.  Abusive comments will be forwarded to the appropriate vice principal and to your parents.

Note:  All blog posts will be checked for appropriate tone and language.  Sexist, racist, and otherwise prejudiced posts will be removed from the blog and forwarded to the appropriate vice principal and to your parents.