A week ago, I bought my first new car. The whole experience resonated with me as I read Funes (2008). What advertising initially drove me to purchase this vehicle? As Funes (2008) notes, "consumer goods provide us with quality of life, security, personality, and independence" (p. 161). These characteristics are presented in the car ads, brochures, and posters that I had seen prior to purchasing the car. The car dealership and manufacturer seek to make the most profit out of my deal. Fuenes (2008) refers to this as control and manipulation (p. 161). This made me think about how much of a consumer’s decision making is influenced by large corporations who are seeking to take financial advantage. In the classroom, such an experience can offer valuable insights to students. For one, presenting them with a car buy situation allows them to view ads and determine what features they find appealing. Furthermore, a study of advertising methods and teaching students to be critical of messaging can help them become more aware of the ideas that are being presented to them. In my own grade four class, I would invite students to bring in magazine or flyer advertisements related to products they wanted. Then together, we would analyze and evaluate what the company was doing to try and get people to buy their products. Such learning opportunities allow students to develop the skills they may need in order to help them with their own large purchase – like a car. Reference: Funes, V. S. (2008). Advertising and Consumerism: A Space for Pedagogical Practice. In D. Silberman- Keller, Mirror Images (pp. 159-177). Peter Lang AG.
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Wong and Hendricksen (2008) discuss a very thought provoking question: what if we approached education in the same way as fashion? (p. 180) The authors challenge educators to make their teaching as engaging. This made me think about my own experience in the classroom when it came to starting a new unit of study. Teachers need to make a conscious effort to present information in interesting, unique ways that will peak student interest. One way to implement this notion is through the initial introduction of a lesson topic or mental set to hook student interest and attention. Wong and Hendricksen (2008) discuss the phenomena of the iPod stating that it was an example of how “the real issue of concern to educators is how the ‘momentary’ experience of the advertisement influences subsequent moments of experience” (p. 187). I am wondering the importance of the initial mental set plays in lesson implementation. If I, as a classroom teacher, am able to present information as fashion to peak student interest and attention, then this will have an impact on subsequent learning opportunities for students. In my own classroom, I have done this by first understanding student interests and then trying to incorporate them in my lessons. Therefore, I think that the first part of a lesson is similar to the iPod sillotett advertisement in that it presents an idea in an attractive way that appeals to many people so that they will want to find out more about the product. In the classroom, this product is not an iPod but rather, the curriculum.
Reference: Wong, D., & Henriksen, D. (2008). If Ideas WERE Fashion. In P. Lang, Mirror Images (pp. 179-198). Diana Silberman-Keller et al. |
AuthorMy name is Reena and I am a Masters of Ed student at UOIT. I have created this blog for Professor Guertin's course, EDUC 5199G. Archives
November 2016
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