Is learning media about production or theory? Is there value in learning one or the other exclusively?
Recently my Alma Mater, USF discussed the Media Studies program at USF on a blog. The blog belongs to the journalism class but the discussion takes on the whole department. The discussion is energetic and, I would argue, useful but it does at times seem to get a little trivial or even verges on the level of flaming.
The main issue being discussed, outside of the student body itself, is whether or not students should be required to get involved in media production of some sort. It seems that one can coast through the department with little or no contribution to actual media production, which was not the case when I was there.
In the Financial Times of Monday July 27th, Josep Valor of Iese Business School argues that when educational institutions are critiqued on a blog, the educational institution should "consider such complaints "gifts" and take advantage of them." He argues that blogs should be taken seriously and the criticisms should be acted upon. "Ignoring blogs" he said "is not reading the writing on the wall."
Certainly, as a form of new media, one would expect a media department to be aware of the blogsphere, to be taking notes and perhaps selecting suggestions for discussion from it. But caution must be employed. If it was known that the university powers-that-be were acting on blog suggestions there might be a huge outburst of "requests." The cartoon accompanying Valor's piece in the Financial Times hints at the narcissism of blogging about oneself and perhaps blogging positive criticism of self on a public blog for all to see. (One might wonder if Valor is speaking from personal experience?) How many professors rate themselves on Rate-my-Prof?
It has to be acknowledged that if every educational institution was to monitor every blog about education there wouldn't be much time for education. His recent search for the term "MBA" gave results of 10,000. Some blogs I enjoy deal continuously with educational issues. My own blog in March talked about theory and production. It suggested that theory should always be included in the study whether it is production oriented or not. It is in the production of media that we can get to use the knowledge of theory for the good of others and society.
Digidave has a great way of talking freely about Journalism school. While Rab acknowledges that Media Studies graduates are being highly sought after as employees, it is difficult to imagine that he is happy about this!
It might seem like a good idea to monitor the blogsphere for ideas and criticisms but is it really feasible? Perhaps a blog for students to anonymously critique the courses would be feasible. Similar to the way professors look at the student evaluations we could eliminate the nasty, nasty ones and discuss the mature evaluations of each class and course.
Maybe this idea is simply an extension of the class evaluations we do at the end of each semester. On a public blog we could benefit from past pupils weighing in on criticisms made by current students for the good of the whole group. This kind of community spirt of cooperation and participation is worth the effort.
Sources for this post:
Valor, J. (2009, July 27). Blogs can help schools win the marketing war. The Financial Times, p.9.
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5 comments:
Tommy: You raise a question for which there is no quick easy answer, and if you are committed to commenting on more than one blog in the course of a day, the default setting is quick and easy. Indeed, I'm not sure what to do with the blog comments about the MS department. The tactical approach would simply be to use the points of criticism I agree with to support my own arguments. But I would never do that!! Back to your larger question: What good are such responses from a small number of grads and current students when the sample is quite likely to unrepresentative. Even if we assume that those who were asked to look at the initial post are a reasonable cross-section, people who choose to comment -- just like those who talk up in class -- are not representative, at least in my judgment. Yet it's better to have some response rather than none, and knowing what a few think at minimum challenges our notions of what's monolithic among student opinion.
'Is learning media about production or theory?'
I think it can be both but the relationship between them is never easy and I think it is poorly understood by students. Many seem to resent the theoretical, historical and intellectual components of courses because they don't consider them as much fun as production or crucially as marketable when it comes to looking for a job.
If they do think about theory and practice it is in terms of how they can bring these two into a harmonious relationship. Who says theory and practice should simply compliment one another? Shouldn't they conflict and spark off one another? Shouldn't theory always have a question to ask of practice and practice always confound theory — each pushing the other forward in a relationship of constructive antagonism?
In some ways I think one of the tragedies of the contemporary world is the demarcation of intellectual endeavour from physical labour. This of course has a class dimension, with those who work with the head usually earning more than those who use their hands. And I see this division being reproduced today in Media Studies in the UK and Ireland. The skills agenda over here is being pushed very hard in certain universities. This encourages students and tutors to privilege production skills over academic concerns. Alas these are the students who will make up the new proletariat of the knowledge economy, while their bosses will come from the red brick buildings and the elegant environs of Oxford and Cambridge where they would never lower their students to the level of common tradesmen by teaching them skills. No, they'll get the sort of classic academic education that will prepare them for leadership. That's how the British class system still works.
I'm reminded of the inscription on Karl Marx's tomb in Highgate cemetery in London: 'Philosophers have hitherto only interpreted the world in various ways; the point is to change it.' I've always thought that a manifesto for 'hand and head'.
Michael,
thanks for looking in. I always agree that discussion is better than none. This is why it is important for our students to view/listen to/read many different media. At the end of it all, it just makes it easier to live/function in society by understanding that there are others out there who totally disagree and completely don't get your viewpoint.
Rab(elais),
I love "your" name. Thanks for contributing and accepting my connection to your blog from mine.
As I prepare myself for my return to Ireland in this month, August, and I begin to market myself as an educator I am aware of my (strengths and) weaknesses.
However, I do believe my weaknesses are less than my strengths. My weakness = practical experience in production.
My strengths = I can learn the tools, and exp. in teaching theory.
What I have noticed is missing, in my limited experiences, is a practical production class where the class uses the theory IN PRACTICALITY, lik reallly engages it. I taught Media Aesthetics. I tried to emulate what I described above by bringing production material from other classes into my class and showing it for the purpose of analysis. The obvious pitfalls occurred but I think the lessons were worth it. (Obvious pitfall = overly zealous "criticism") And I did curtail this by stating the other obvious - that everybody gets their chance - i.e "learn and be ready for your chance!". This analysis of material, which was produced in the very studio I was teaching in, made it real for the students, I think, rather than analyzing professional material which might have been made in Hollywood.
I think I've said enough Rab, but I would like to hear more about your concept of the theory and production NOT being harmonious. I am not sure if I get it.
Maybe a blog on it?
Thanks again,
T.
I'm thinking about this stuff at the moment. Reading Richard Sennett's The Craftsman. I'll collect my thoughts and post something on the blog soon. Cheers Tommy. And good luck in Ireland.
Interested to hear what you think of The Craftsman. FYI. Professor of Pop POP has blogged about it as he read it.
T
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