ETHICS for Media Psychology |
Part II: Assessing the Ethical Impacts of Media and Technology
-> Week 4- McLuhan (May 29 - June 4 - 2017)
Competencies and QuestionsEssential question(s)
What were some of Marshall McLuhan's most important theories about media and media literacy, and what is their value to you as a media psychologist concerned with media ethics? What are McLuhan's Four Laws of Media (aka, McLuhan's Tetrad, pictured above), and how do they help us assess, both reactively and proactively, the impacts and ethical implications of media and technology? Competency focus this week
Typically, most competencies are addressed in some way in each week's material. However, each week focuses on some competencies more than others. This week's competencies are identified below: Objectives for this week:
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Content and ActivitiesAttend the Zoominar
Topic: Media 771 sum2016 - Ethics: McLuhan Date and Time: Monday May 29th, 2017, 5:15 PM. Watch the screencast Please watch this screencast which goes over this week's materials: To be posted. This week's screencast music This week's music can be found through my music site, or you can go specifically to the pieces I feature:
Overview The goal of this week's work is to introduce you to some of the ideas of Marshall McLuhan, one of the most important media theorists who has ever lived. Although he would probably not refer to himself as an ethicist, his ideas about media were so groundbreaking that they helped reinvent how we think about media's impacts on humanity and, ultimately, how we assess the ethics of media use and impact. I was fortunate to have Marshall McLuhan as a teacher during the 1970s, and am in contact with his son Eric, who co-authored several works with his father. I often email Eric to check on a McLuhanism I have read on the web, or for clarification of a concept attributed to him. I am grateful to him for his patience with me over the years. It is important to understand that probably 100 people on the planet actually understand Marshall McLuhan's work. Probably another 1000 somewhat understand it. On a good day, I am one of these people. But regardless of who understands him, the entire world is impacted by him. His theories and insights live on because they continue to explain our relationship with media, from print to YouTube and beyond. In my opinion, anyone who wants to get a degree in media psychology needs some understanding of Marshall McLuhan. Eric and Marshall McLuhan are probably best known among media theorists for the Four Laws of Media, the name of their book on this topic, as well as the theory that their book explicates. Fortunately for us, it surfaces as a thought tool that is simple in construct, but complex in its application: the Tetrad. The Tetrad is pictured in the header of this page. Basically the Tetrad says that every technology has four effects, which are described by the following four questions:
Concepts addressed
Your readings and viewing address many of the following core McLuhan concepts. I will address many of them in the Zoominar:
Activity- Conduct a Media Tetrad Assessment
Conduct a media assessment according to McLuhan's Tetrad about whatever technology you like. Write a 1-2 paragraph ethical assessment of the technology that references your tetrad assessment. Post your assessment in Moodle. View
Please watch the parts of McLuhan's interview on ABC (Australian Broadcast Network): McLuhan clips. I have selected several short video clips that are either by or about McLuhan. They illuminate some of McLuhan's important ideas. These are from the Marshall McLuhan speaks, Centennial 2011 website, which contains access to a number of short videos of McLuhan explaining his ideas.
Please watch:
Read
Book(s) It is only $6:Another version of it can be found at:Optional: Shorter pieces, web sites-
Moodle questions, posting
Zoominar recording from last year: If it interests you, you can watch the recording made in 2016.
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