Discussion Post #1

Multimedia mediums have been broadening the term of literacy that we used to define as solely reading and writing. However, now with the 21^st century incorporating technology into everyday life, multimedia mediums have started to broaden what it is that we define as “literacy”. Although most of the courses in high school and college are starting to require multimedia projects as a required aspect of the course, not everyone is educated properly with the proper tools and resources that is needed in order to sufficiently use these multimedia mediums effectively. As Elizabeth Daley (2003) mentions in her article, young people in the 21^st century “need to be taught to write for the screen and analyze multimedia just as much as, if not more than, they need to be taught to write and analyze any specific genre in text […] they have had instruction in text at the secondary level, but rarely have they received similar instruction for multimedia” (p.37). When I came across this section of the article I took time to think about the educational world today. I am shocked that students as low as Kindergarten are enforced to use computers throughout the day, but yet the school districts have eliminated computer classes from the curriculum, which, would help to assist students on how to properly use the computers and integrate media into the classroom.

In spending my time during student teaching in a 2^nd and 5^th grade classroom I noticed how incapable students in both age groups were in using the computers. Throughout the 21^st century we have been exposed to many advanced and useful programs in technology, however, when students are inefficiently using them the technology tools become a waste of time, as well as, useless to them and their education. During my student teaching a huge factor I came to understand which helped to explain why technology was not being greatly integrated into the classroom was for the fact that teachers knew very little about technology and what it had to offer. Since teachers are not highly advanced with the various technology/multimedia tools that are available to them in the classroom, I found that many of them steered away from integrating them into their classrooms. My 5^th grade cooperating teacher that I was working with during my student teaching was unskilled with different multimedia tools until I offered to help her in getting to know them. After showing her different multimedia tools and what her students could gain from implementing them into their learning she was willing to give it a try on their next classroom project. Although I personally am not concerned about not knowing enough about multimedia project development to instruct my students,

during my time student teaching, I noticed how unaware teachers are about the new technology tools and how they would be able to effectively integrate them into his/her classroom. I think the change in technology over the past decade has stressed teachers out with not knowing or having the time to integrate these useful tools into their classroom. In my future classroom I think I would be hesitant on incorporating technology and multimedia tools into my classroom primarily due to the issue of time, not only the time it would take to learn about the tool, in addition to as the time it would take to help my students utilize the tool and if there were to be any technology issues I would need to factor that in as well.

Multimedia analysis could potentially create an issue for my future students merely because it is understood in this time period that most, if not all, student’s own technology devices at home and are able to use them frequently, which is not the case. The 21^st century creates this image that because technology is advancing younger people are more aware and knowledgeable on how to use these devices, however, Elizabeth Daley (2003) informs us that, “young people today have less fear of the computer and more technical ability with software for rich media; multimedia is indeed their everyday language. However, they have no more critical ability with this language than do their elders – perhaps less” (p.37).

Overall, I think that it is apparent that
although students are more willing to explore and utilize these different technology devices it should not be understood that they are able to analyze or deconstruct these multimedia tools as efficiently as we would anticipate.

References

Daley, E. (2003). Expanding the concept of literacy. EDUCAUSEreview, 33-40.

Blog Post #1: Palmolive Commercial

Vintage Palm Olive 💅💅💅💅

         I never took the time to watch and analyze commercials from this time period or from an early time period to really understand what the message was that was trying to be conveyed. In the late 60’s early 70’s when this commercial was aired the purpose was to get women to have softer hands by using the dishwashing soap “Palmolive” instead of other dish washing detergents. The moto that was used for this product was, “Softens hands while you do the dishes” which was displayed on the front of the container included with a picture of a women’s hand. Not only does this commercial introduce the idea to use Palmolive to clean dishes, but it also has the ability to soften hands just by soaking one’s hands in it like Madge had done in the nail salon. The version of reality that it is selling is that when using a different dishwashing soap other than Palmolive you will have dry unappealing hands, just like the woman’s in the nail salon before being introduced to Palmolive.          

         The intended audience of this commercial is strictly women. In the time period of this commercial, women were responsible for doing the house chores such as washing dishes, which, when not using Palmolive, caused their hands to become dry and unappealing to their husbands. Information is conveyed through a women’s eyes in this commercial (Madge) as a manicurist. When she is looking at the women’s hands she made a comment that her hands made her want to become a nurse. After the women explained it was due to washing dishes Madge explained to her the benefits of Palmolive dishwashing soap. In addition to the manicurist’s perspective, we receive the perspective from the house wife and how the washing of dishes has caused her hands to be unappealing and dry. Two weeks later when the women saw Madge out while shopping, the women thanks Madge for introducing her to Palmolive and that she is absolutely in love with it. Madge made a remark where she questioned the women if her husband had known about it. This helped put into perspective the husband’s perspective as well because the woman’s hands are now appealing to those around her and not just herself. 

          People/figures are portrayed in this video by taking on different roles to display the difficulties that other dishwashing soaps give the consumers. I think these figures such as the manicurist and wife were singled out because when being a manicurist you really pay attention to the condition of one’s hands which is what this video was trying to sell with using the Palmolive product. Additionally, I think the wife in the commercial was singled out because she was a typical house wife and it displayed the hardships she has with washing the dishes every day and having very dry hands that were appealing to her, her husband, and even the manicurist. I think if the video producer were to recreate this commercial using male actors, instead of women, it would not portray the same message that this commercial had.     
     
           From the perspective of a video producer I think some of the most important design decisions used in creating this ad was the clip at the end when the woman sees Madge out while she is shopping. The video producer could have simply ended the commercial right after discussing how the Palmolive suds last from the first glass to the last greasy casserole dish. However, by including the clip where the woman thanks Madge and explains how she is in love with Palmolive really helps to sell the product and make it desirable for all consumers to buy.

References

Palmolive Company. (n.d.). Call the police! These hands are a crime! [Image]. Retrieved from http://potliquor.blogspot.com/2008/12/palmolive-soothes-burns-while-you-fry.html

Palmolive Company. (1979). Madge in the '60's [Image]. Retrieved from http://clickamericana.com/eras/1960s/palmolive-ads-featuring-madge-the-manicurist

sideshowcarny. (2006, September 6). Palmolive commercial [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bEkq7JCbik&feature=related