Every August since 1998, Beloit College has released a list they call the Mindset List. The list was originally created as a reminder to faculty to be aware of dated references, and has become an annual look “at the cultural touchstones that shape the lives of students entering college this fall”. How can we be mindful and stay current ourselves? One way is to incorporate popular culture and current technologies into the classroom.
- View the on demand web seminar, “Using Popular Culture & The Media to Teach 21st Century Media Literacy Skills” for recommendations for engaging students with popular culture and the media.
- “Popular Culture as Possibilities, Paradigms, and Prerogatives for Literacy Learning: Giving Voice to Middle School Students” from Talking Points reminds us that genuine learning occurs only when children are genuinely engaged in the process.
- The authors of “Fresh Perspectives on New Literacies and Technology Integration” shared their discoveries on finding a good fit between curriculum and technology. Some examples of “good fits” they found were Virtual Field Trips and WebQuests.
- While the most obvious advantage of using digital tools and popular culture in the classroom is the potential for increasing students’ interest, the equally important benefit is that digital media offer a whole range of challenging texts that will push students further in critical reading and thinking. Read more in “Popular Culture: The New Literacy Challenge for English Teachers” from English Journal.
- “Reading Pop Culture and Young Adult Literature through the Youth Lens” describes activities and assignments for using a youth lens to critique dominant images of adolescents/ce in young adult literature and pop culture texts.
How do you keep your curriculum relevant for today’s students?