Social Media and Digital Argument

 

 Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

  

        "Every social media platform is designed to offer a particular experience"

(Lawrence, 2008, p. 48). Social media allows people to communicate by comment

walls, profiles, photo galleries and direct messages. Facebook continues to be the

leader in social media use. YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, and others are still being

used by young and old alike (Lawrence, 2008). This blog post will examine 

a particular Facebook post that became controversial and was shared to 

TikTok. Social media has a unique role in digital writing and digital 

argument. The goal of this analysis is to share research that will enable 

students and adults to monitor and analyze their readings and writings on 

social media. Whether the information is being written or shared on social 

media, the goal is to have knowledge of the argument they are creating

and the results involved (Turner & Hicks, 2017).

Click link below to view

https://www.tiktok.com/@eduleadership/video/7330465557931855150

        An analysis of the TikTok video by Justin Baeder, in which he shared a Facebook

video post (since removed) by Gerry Brooks, will reinforce the importance of being

mindful when participating on social media. Both Dr. Baeder and Gerry Brooks are

popular authors and educators with large followings on several social media

platforms.They are seasoned digital media professionals but are not immune to

controversy and argument. The quote by Turner and Hicks (2017) applies to

all producers and consumers of social media, “read like a writer, write for a reader,

and be mindful of both roles as you produce arguments that can be shared on the web.” 

        The MINDFUL acronym (Monitor, Identify, Note, Determine, Facts, Understand,

Leverage) acronym recommended by Turner and Hicks (2017) will be used to take a

closer look at Dr. Baeder’s video.  As we “Monitor” the video, the intended audience

appears to be educators and parents.  The main claim, the “Identify” element,  is that

extremely disruptive students should be removed from the classroom. Dr. Baeder

reinforces his opinion by reposting Gerry Brook’s video. The “Note” evidence is the

author’s agreement with Gerry Brook’s video as he graphically describes students that

are so disruptive and unsafe that learning cannot happen. As we “Determine” the

framework and mindset of the author, we determine that the author’s personal

experience is used to convey his beliefs. The “Facts” are not specific in Baeder’s

video–only his opinion. As we attempt to “Understand” the counter argument we

recognize that others outside the target audience might disagree with Baeder and

Brooks. The confrontational tone of Gerry Brooks invites debate. As we examine

the “Leverage” of sharing this information, an endorsement of this claim might invite

anger and debate claiming discriminatory educational practices. (Turner & Hicks, 2017.

        As an educator, we have a responsibility to protect and guide students and adults to

be responsible when using social media.  By simply “liking” a post indicates endorsement

of the argument (Turner & Hicks, 2017). One of the biggest lessons I learned from the

analysis of the Baeder video is that anything posted on social media never goes away.  Even

though Gerry Brooks wanted to delete his video and separate himself from the argument, his

video and opinion did not go away. This particular video will forever be linked to him because

itt was copied and shared. Impressionable students need to learn the same lesson.  The “Think”

acronym shared by Turner and Hicks (2017) is a useful graphic that could be posted in all

classrooms. We all need to be reminded about the importance building a positive digital

footprint (Turner & Hicks, 2017).

(Turner and Hicks, 2017, p. 121)

References

Baeder, J. [@eduleadership]. (2024, January 31). Should students lose their right to

a public education if their behavior is so unsafe or disruptive that it makes  

 

learning impossible for everyone else? [Video]. TikTok. https://www.tiktok.com/ 

 

@eduleadership/video/7330465557931855150

Brooks, G. (2021). Who is Gerry. Gerry Brooks.  https://www.gerrybrooksprin.com/about

Lawrence, D. (2022). Digital writing: A guide for writing for social media and the web.

Broadview Press.

Turner, K. W. & Hicks, T. (2017). Argument in the real world: Teaching adolescents to read

and write digital texts. Heinemann.   

Revising Video--Before and After

 
Image by OsloMetX from Pixabay

Before and after videos can sometimes be embarrassing. After reviewing literature for creating video texts, I quickly realized my initial introduction video was cringe worthy. Before the video began, a glaring mistake was made. Turner and Hicks (2017) state that video should be recorded in horizontal orientation. That was the first of many mistakes. I thought my initial video was pretty good, but after analyzing the video through a more informed lens, I am a bit red-faced. This blog is a summary of the most important points I learned by researching the revision process. I hope my reflections will help my students, parents, and colleagues learn from my mistakes.

Our lives, and the lives of our students, are saturated with video texts. Video text may be in many forms--from live events captured on a mobile phone to scripted films or television shows. As video text has become such an important communication tool, we as educators are responsible for helping our students make smart decisions concerning writing, producing, and critiquing videos (Hicks, 2013). We as educators must model good writing and production skills when we deliver content to our students via digital media.

There is a definite craft involved in creating the various types of videos.  The setting, lighting, costuming, acting, and camera angles all play a role in live action productions; the timing and sequence of images, narration, sound effects, and music come into play when designing basic videos. Either way, digital writers have to make decisions about how their words, spoken and written, connect to and enhance what's happening on screen. (Hicks, 2013, p. 108)

Creating video text is neither quick nor easy. The writing element involved requires writing and revising. The use of sketching, storyboarding, gathering and creating images, and editing are tools that create good writers as well as good producers of video text (Hicks, 2013). Lawrence (2008) lists the steps for college level and professional writing as: draft, revise, edit, review, and publish. I edited my initial introductory script to make it less informal as my audience had changed. I also added tips for creating good video texts.

During the pandemic, I was required to deliver instruction to my fifth grade students remotely. As a math teacher, using video instruction was the most effective way to demonstrate concepts. As I had a Mac computer at home, I taught myself iMovie and used that platform to record my videos. I then exported my lessons to YouTube to make them accessible to all students via their ChromeBooks. For my revised video, I used iMovie again as it was one of the recommended tools for creating digital video texts (Hicks, 2013). iMovie is easy for students to use to record and edit on their iPhones.

When revising my introductory video, I asked myself the questions: "Who is the audience? What do they need to know? What is the overall purpose of the video? What actions, if any, do you want the audience to take after watching the video?” (Lawrence, 2008, p. 101). These questions helped me revise my script and the setting of my video to create a more professional video.  The suggested tips for editing video offered by Hicks (2013) assisted me in correcting the background, lighting, and transitions to make my video more professional and effective.

Before--Poor lighting, orientation, and distracting background

After--Improved lighting, orientation, and professional background

References

Turner, K. W. & Hicks, T. (2017). Argument in the real world: Teaching adolescents to read and write digital texts. Heinemann.

Hicks, T. (2013). Crafting digital writing: composing texts across media and genres. Heinemann.

Lawrence, D. (2022). Digital writing: A guide for writing for social media and the web. Broadview Press.