Suggesting it is a good idea for students to try their hands at doing media research themselves, this book presents a number of research projects that students will find interesting and that they can do with minimum experience in a limited amount of time. The second edition has added chapters on experimentation, historical research, comparative…

American (and English language) television has gradually become a more influential factor in the way people are learning English overseas, as access to cable programming has widely spread across cities, regardless of socio-cultural backgrounds. What students watch on TV affects not only how they are learning the language, but also their cultural…

The influence of television pervades American society to the extent that it seriously interferes with the development of desirable attitudes towards sexuality, nutrition, exercise, nonviolence, and general human wellness. (LH)

Contends that by acknowledging the influence of media literacy on adolescents' lives outside the classroom, teachers have a potential source for motivating student interest and eliciting their higher order thinking abilities within the classroom. Specifically addresses merging popular culture with classroom culture and provides a paradigm for…

Draws a parallel between cultural artifacts that both entertain and enlighten and the educational experience which must be both engaging and accessible. Uses the making of the film, "Casablanca," as a model noting the creative, flexible, and collaborative work that occurred within a fairly rigid system. (MJP)

Discusses cultural studies as particularly appropriate for the study of Latin American peoples, because it encourages insights from social sciences, critiques the notion of canonical authority, and privileges the study of popular culture. Advocates attention be paid to the kind of pedagogy that will direct students to engage critically with the…

Shows how to help students fill in textual "gaps" to interact more fully with contemporary texts, classics, and myths. Presents examples of this approach for studying (1) Shakespeare's "Hamlet" with Tom Stoppard's "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead"; and (2) George Bernard Shaw's "Pygmalion" with the…

Maintains that sexism is the foundation on which all other forms of oppression are built. Discusses a classroom exercise in which 150 first-year students at Indiana University, Bloomington, write an essay describing a conversation with someone about homosexuality. Analyzes student essays in terms of what they reveal about the link between sexism…

Examines the relationships between schooling and five areas of national life: economic factors, public law and regulations, home factors, social conditions, and media and popular culture. Compared with South Korea and West Germany, the U.S. "national report card" is mediocre. Increasing youth employment in the U.S. is one reason.…

Explores whether using a review board to approve the use of a movie infringes on a teacher's right to academic freedom. Also examines, in the absence of such a policy, whether teachers can be disciplined for showing movies that some parents, board members, or administrators regard as inappropriate. (68 footnotes) (MLF)

Describes zines (self-published magazines); suggests librarians should regard zines as historical sources of culture and include them in materials selection. Discusses the role of technology in publication and distribution; the audience; cataloging problems; free speech; and zines on the Internet. Sidebars provide information on selected zines and…

Discusses the emphasis that many American universities place on multicultural and international education, focusing on how this emphasis has affected German language and literature departments. Argues that greater classroom emphasis needs to be placed on non-canonical texts, writers, and modes of communication. (15 references) (MDM)

Maintains that events in France during and after World War II are still controversial political and social issues. Describes the program and activities of U.S. teachers during a summer seminar on French literature and filmmaking during the German occupation years. (CFR)

Compares John Bull and Uncle Sam as iconographic symbols, respectively personifying male images of the British and United States national characters. Recounts their origins, evolutions, and representative values, and includes cartoons depicting the evolution. Describes female counterparts: Britannia and Columbia/Liberty. (CH)

Argues that art history should have a more prominent place in primary and secondary education. Suggests promoting art history by (1) ensuring that teachers are knowledgeable in the discipline; (2) studying art history through other disciplines; and (3) exposing students to real artworks, local architecture, and the significance of popular culture.…