Abstract
Essay assignments asking students to analyze media are common in all levels of rhetoric and composition courses in the US. Most first-year composition textbooks offer whole sections on the topic. The prevalence of this approach is driven by at least two instructor assumptions. First, that presenting students with a subject in which they are already absorbed will increase their investment in their own development as writers and critical thinkers. Second, that teaching our students to analyze the material of everyday life initiates them into a habit of inquiry that is characteristic of the engaged citizens we hope they will become. However, a significant rise in international students complicates our pedagogy: we (and they) sometimes assume media means “American media.” Further, assignments asking students to analyze this media often make broad assumptions about students’ culturally-derived knowledge and attitudes. For instance, assignments that ask students to analyze gender representation in the media commonly assume that students have a basic knowledge of current gender roles (as they are discussed in the U.S.) and how these roles have been shaped over time. As instructors presenting such assignments, we may expect students to share our progressive world view that gender equity is “good/right.” The growing diversity of our classrooms makes these assumptions ever more salient. In this paper, we draw upon cultural schemata theory (Eileen Ketchum, 2006; Patricia Carrell 1987) and our own classroom experiences to discuss problems inherent to teaching media analysis assignments as well as strategies for better implementation in multicultural classrooms.
Presenters
Karma WaltonenSenior Lecturer, University Writing Program, University of California, Davis, California, United States Melissa Bender
Continuing Lecturer, University Writing Program, University of California, Davis, California, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2022 Special Focus: Intercultural Learning in Plurilingual Contexts
KEYWORDS
Pedagogy, First-year composition, Media analysis, International instruction
