With all of the ever-increasing available technologies that students are exposed to relentlessly, popular culture is continuously defined and redefined. Everywhere we turn, the most minimal activity is sponsored by mega-corporations with the means and technological savvy to barage us with messages of what we should all wear, eat, drive, and think.
Consider sporting events, for example. A few years ago there may have been a Budweiser sign out in centerfield, or a Coca-Cola banner on the side of a basketball court. A golf tournament may have been sponsored by an automobile company, and they would plop one out in a water hazard to advertise their newest line. Tune into a sporting event now and you will see continuously changing court-length digital signs along those same sidelines, flashing and revolving ads behind homeplate, blimps other than Goodyear's, and a wide array of other images designed to shape our own image. Even highway billboards change their hawking pitches as America zooms by at 70 miles per hour.
Popular culture is mass culture as defined by mass media. Carefully crafted text and images utilize technological advances to construct identity. Look around your classrooms, the malls, and everywhere else. Everyone is in uniform - Abercrombie, New Era "Fitteds," Timbs, jeans (skin-tight for girls, opposite for boys). Part of this is due to cultural fads, but the message that this is how you should look to fit in is spread rapidly by ubiquitous media assaults.
Students often construct their background knowledge from popular culture media. I often use the popular cable TV shows "Family Guy" and "South Park" as references, or students bring up these and other popular culture mediums up, when I begin to introduce a new unit or concept. While introducing a unit on religions of the world, one student told me he knows all about Islam because of a recent Family Guy episode. Although probably low on accuracy, at least I had a hook and connection when I replied that I had seen it. For the same reason, I usually tune into American Idol, and other pop culture must-sees in order to be able to connect with students on another, more personal, level.
Mangas have become so big at our school that the librarian is putting together a blog site and students have started an exchange club. They are also planning to do the same with video game cards. Other ICTs that are employed on a daily basis are webcasts, videoconferencing with other schools, and access to online communities.
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