There is no difference between living and learning . . . it is impossible and misleading and harmful to think of them as being separate.
Workshop: Mind Over Media International
Goals of this Session.
- Appreciate the need for a major overhaul in teaching people how to critically analyze propaganda
- Reflect on how critically analyzing propaganda may cultivate intellectual curiosity
- Consider the role of cross-national dialogue on contemporary propaganda in higher education
- Learn to use Mind Over Media: Analyzing Contemporary Propaganda and other digital tools to support critical thinking about media
Target Audience: scholars, teachers and researchers
Time Needed: 45 minutes
Define Propaganda. Review the definitions of propaganda and identify which one you like best.
Warming Up. Topics for discussion:
- How did you learn about propaganda when you were in school?
- What are some of the characteristics of the propaganda that we experience in 2016?
Free Play. With a partner, explore the Mind Over Media website using the "rate" tool to view and discuss some examples of propaganda. Discuss your interpretations of some examples and be sure to use both the rating and comment tools. With the large group, briefly describe what you looked at and some insights gained from your discussion.
Understanding Viral Media
After learning about virality, learners play "To Share Or Not To Share?" by exploring the Mind Over Media gallery to find examples of propaganda that they would share (or not). What is learned by reflecting on reasons for sharing (or not sharing) propaganda with our social networks?
Review Feaures of the Website. Review the Learn page, the Browse page, the Upload page,. Review the content of Propaganda Techniques and check out the For Teachers page.
Cross-National Dialogue on Propaganda
Cross-National Dialogue on Propaganda
Renee shares the experience of critically analyzing a music video produced by German broadcaster NDR that mocked Turkish President Erdogan (in collaboration with Dr. Silke Grafe at the University of Wurzburg).
Generating Questions about Global Propaganda. Use ANT digital video annotation to respond to an example of global propaganda.
More to Learn. What questions do these videos raise for you? How did this experience activate intellectual curiosity? What more do you want to learn?
A Pedagogy of Inquiry.
- What are the affordances and limitations of exploring contemporary propaganda in (and out) of schools?
- Why is it important to consider contemporary propaganda in a global context?
Your Feedback. Please complete the short program evaluation here.
Learn More.
- Hobbs, R. & McGee, S. (2014). Teaching about propaganda: An examination of the historical roots of media literacy. Journal of Media Literacy Education 6(2), 56 - 67.
- Hobbs, R. (2013). The blurring of art, journalism and advocacy: Confronting 21st century propaganda in a world of online journalism. I/S: A Journal of Law and Policy for the Information Society 8(3), 625 - 638.