schedule last updated: October 06, 2008 10:50 PM

NOTE: Schedule may be subject to change as the semester progresses.  Any changes will be announced in class and you will receive notice via the class listserv as well.

Please get in the habit of referring to this schedule online regularly.
 

• Course overview, review of syllabus, introductions

• Make sure I have your email address and the last 4 digits of your social security number so I can add you to the listserv and gradebook

• Watch and discuss portions of "Bowling for Columbine" in class today (chapters 14, 17-22 on the DVD, total run time: about 20 minutes)

Have read for today:

• The Making of a Media Literate Mind: Marketing Threatens Your Children's Psychological Integrity. The Best Protection? (article online)
• Introduction: Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf in "It's Not the Media" (p. 1-20)
• Chapter 1: The History of Children's Use of Electronic Media in "Handbook of Children and the Media" (p. 7-25)

• Syllabus Quiz due at the beginning of class
• Reading Quiz #1 due at the beginning of class

Have read for today:

• The Big Ten (browse through website)
• Who Owns What (browse through website)
• Chapter 1:Why Americans Choose to Fear Media in "It's Not the Media" (p. 21-40)
• Chapter 24: The Economic Structure of the Commercial Electronic Children's Media Industries in "Handbook of Children and the Media" (p. 477-492)

• Have the student information form on our class website filled out by today (you will get 5 points for filling this out by today)

• Reading Quiz #2 due at the beginning of class

• Watch and analyze an E/I designated program in class today
• Requirements for Short Assignment #1 discussed in class today

Have read for today:

• Wikipedia entry for "Children's Television Act" (article online)
• Wikipedia entry for "E/I programming" (article online)
• Wikipedia entry for "Television Content Rating Systems" (article online)
• Chapter 2: Why Americans Choose to Fear Youth in "It's Not the Media" read (p. 41-58)
• Parents or pop culture?: Children's heroes and role models (article online)

• Reading Quiz #3 due at the beginning of class

• Watch and analyze portions of various young children's programs in class today (possibly Teletubbies, Sesame Street, Barney & Friends, The Wiggles - other suggestions welcome)

Have read for today:

• Chapter 5: Attention, Comprehension and the Education Influences of Television in "Handbook of Children and the Media"  (p. 101-117)
• Chapter 6: Television and the Child's Developing Imagination in "Handbook of Children and the Media"  (p. 121-132)

• Last day for those who added the class on the last day of the drop/add period to hand in the first two quizzes - others who have added the class during the drop/add period are expected to get me the quizzes by the next class meeting after you have added the class
• Reading Quiz #4 due at the beginning of class

• Discussion of Short Assignment #1 findings

Have read for today:

• Chapter 3: Fear of Media Violence in "It's Not the Media" (p. 61-83)
• The Verdict on Media Violence: It's Ugly … And Getting Uglier: Sex and Violence, Designed to Sell Soap, Soft Drinks and Cars, Seems To Sell Itself Far Better Than The Products, And The Audience For This Tawdry Message Is Our Children (article online)
• Body Count on the Rise on Prime Time TV (article online)

• Reading Quiz #5 due at the beginning of class
• Short Assignment #1 due at the beginning of class

• Watch and discuss "Frontline:  Does TV Kill?" in class today (run time: 90 minutes)

• Watch and discuss "The Killing Screens: Media and the Culture of Violence" in class today (run time: 37 minutes)
• Discuss questions on The Killing Screens handout

• Watch and discuss "Beyond Good and Evil: Children, Media and Violent Times" in class today (run time: 39 minutes)

Have read for today:

• Wikipedia entry for "Media Violence Research" (article online)
• Chapter 11: Effects of Televised Violence on Aggression in "Handbook of Children and the Media" (p. 223-249)
• Chapter 12: Media Violence in Cross-Cultural Perspective: A Global Study on Children's Media Behavior and Some Educational Implications in "Handbook of Children and the Media" (p. 255-267)

• Reading Quiz #6 due at the beginning of class

• Do "Animated Spokescharacters" exercise in class today
• Watch and analyze portions of various cartoons in class today (Dragon Ball Z, The Simpsons, South Park and others)

• Watch and discuss portion of "Mickey Mouse Monopoly:  Disney, Childhood and Corporate Power" in class today (run time: 42 minutes)
• Discuss questions on Mickey Mouse Monopoly handout

Have read for today:

• Chapter 4:  Fear of Cartoons in "It's Not the Media" (p. 85-107)
• Television Cartoons: Do Children Notice It's A Boy's World (article online)
• Children's Understanding of What Is "Real" on Television: A Review of the Literature (article online)

• Reading Quiz #7 due at the beginning of class

• Watch and discuss "Consuming Kids: The Commercialization of Childhood" in class today (run time: 66 minutes)
• Discuss questions from Consuming Kids handout

• Requirements for Short Assignment #2 discussed in class today
• Watch and discuss "Game Over: Gender, Race & Violence in Video Games" in class today (run time: 41 minutes)
• Discuss questions on Game Over handout

Have read for today:

• Wikipedia entry for "Video Game Controversy" (article online)
• Chapter 5: Fear of Video Games in "It's Not the Media" (p 109-124)
• The Law on Games (article online)

TOPIC:  MUSIC

• Discussion of Short Assignment #2 findings

• Listen to/read and analyze lyrics of currently popular songs in class today

Have read for today:

• Wikipedia entry for "Parents Music Resource Center" (article online)

• Short Assignment #2 due at the beginning of class
• If you have a suggestion or comment about the class so far, please have the mid-semester feedback form filled out online by today (this is optional)

• Review for midterm exam
• Study guide for the midterm discussed in class today

Have read for today:

• Chapter 6: Fear of Music in "It's Not the Media" (p. 125-144)
• Chapter 20: Popular Music in Childhood and Adolescence in "Handbook of Children and the Media" (p. 395-410)

• Reading Quiz #8 due at the beginning of class

• Midterm Exam
• Requirements for final paper assignment discussed in class today

• Watch and discuss portion of "Mickey Mouse Monopoly:  Disney, Childhood and Corporate Power" in class today (run time: 8 minutes)
• Discuss questions on Mickey Mouse Monopoly handout
• Watch and discuss portion of "The Merchants of Cool" in class today (run time: 8-9 minutes, click the following links to watch these portions online:  part 1)

Have read for today:

• Chapter 7: Fear of Advertising and the Young Consumer in "It's Not the Media" (p. 147-168)
• Cowboys, Camels and Kids: Does Advertising Turn People Into Smokers? (article online)
• Why They Whine : How Corporations Prey on Our Children (article online)

• Reading Quiz #9 due at the beginning of class

• Watch and discuss "Captive Audience:  Advertising Invades the Classroom" in class today (run time: 45 minutes)
• Discuss questions on Captive Audience handout

Have read for today:

• Chapter 19: Children and Television Advertising in "Handbook of Children and the Media" (p. 375-389)
• Chapter 22: Television Food Advertising: Targeting Children in a Toxic Environment in "Handbook of Children and the Media" (p. 447-459)

• Reading Quiz #10 due at the beginning of class

• Watch and discuss remaining five segments of "The Merchants of Cool" in class today (run time: about 50 minutes, click the following links to watch these portions online:  part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6)

Have read for today:

• Chapter 8: Fear of Sex in "It's Not the Media" (p. 169-192)
• Chapter 13: Research on Sex in the Media: What Do We Know About Effects on Children and Adolescents? in "Handbook of Children and the Media" (p. 269-284)
• Chapter 14: Sex in the Media: Theory, Influences, and Solutions in "Handbook of Children and the Media" (p. 289-304)

NOTE:  Advising week is THIS week - If you are my advisee, please make sure you sign up for an advising appointment with me by clicking this link (follow the instructions at the top of the page)

• Reading Quiz #11 due at the beginning of class

• Requirements for Short Assignment #3 discussed in class today

Have read for today:

• Wikipedia entry for "V-chip" (article online)
• Chapter 36: Public Policy and Private Practice in "Handbook of Children and the Media" (p. 651-661)
• V-reality - impact of V-chips on television advertising (article online)

NOTE:  Advising week is THIS week - If you are my advisee, please make sure you sign up for an advising appointment with me by clicking this link (follow the instructions at the top of the page)

• Reading Quiz #12 due at the beginning of class

• View and discuss Gender in Movie Posters Power Point presentation in class today

Have read for today:

• Chapter 17: Television's Gender Role Images and Contributions to Stereotyping: Past, Present, Future in "Handbook of Children and the Media" (p. 341-354)
• Chapter 18: Television, Children and Multicultural Awareness: Comprehending the Medium in a Complex Multimedia Society in "Handbook of Children and the Media" (p. 359-371)

NOTE:  Advising week is THIS week - If you are my advisee, please make sure you sign up for an advising appointment with me by clicking this link (follow the instructions at the top of the page)

• Reading Quiz #13 due at the beginning of class

• Watch and discuss Dateline segment on "Kids and Myspace.com Dangers" (run time: about 22 minutes)

Have read for today:

• Chapter 9: Fear of the Internet in "It's Not the Media" (p. 193-205)
• Chapter 29: Children, the Internet and Other New Technologies in "Handbook of Children and the Media" (p. 547-555)

NOTE:  Advising week is THIS week - If you are my advisee, please make sure you sign up for an advising appointment with me by clicking this link (follow the instructions at the top of the page)

• Reading Quiz #14 due at the beginning of class

• Discussion of Short Assignment #3 findings

Have read for today:

• Wikipedia entry for "Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998" (article online)
• The Rights of Kids in the Digital Age (article online)
• Primer: Children, The Internet and Pornography (article online)

• Short Assignment #3 due at the beginning of class

• Listen to and discuss George Carlin's "Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television" routine in class today (run time: 7-8 minutes)
• Review of extra-credit vocabulary in class today
• Course evaluations

TOPIC:  REGULATION

Have read for today:

• Wikipedia entry for "Seven Dirty Words" (article online)
• Chapter 32: Children and Media Policy in "Handbook of Children and the Media" (p. 589-602)
• Chapter 33: Industry Standards and Practices: Compliance with the Children's Television Act in "Handbook of Children and the Media" (p. 605-619)
• About 28% of TV stations - are not complying with Children's TV Act restrictions on commercial time (article online)
• Unintended Consequences - Children's Television Act has unintended side effects (article online)

• Reading Quiz #15 due at the beginning of class

• Discussion of final paper findings/conclusions in class today
• Take extra-credit vocabulary quiz in class today
• Watch and discuss "Tuning in to Media:  Literacy for the Information Age" (run time: about 25 minutes)

Have read for today:

• Conclusion: Rethinking Fears of Media and Children in "It's Not the Media" (p. 207-220)
• Chapter 38: Media Literacy and Critical Television Viewing in Education in "Handbook of Children and the Media" (p. 681-695)

• Reading Quiz #16 due at the beginning of class
• Final paper due

• Note: We don't have a final exam for this class - your final paper serves as your "final"