The Pedagogy of Pop: Theoretical and Practical Strategies for Success - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0739176005 ISBN 13: 9780739176009

Publisher: Lexington Books, 2012

Synopsis

Media competes with public schools in terms of student engagement and time. However, the two needn't be mutually exclusive. The Pedagogy of Pop: Theoretical and Practical Strategies for Success discusses a variety of strategies and approaches for using social and mass media as tools through which teachers might improve schooling. While there is a vast body of literature in this field, editors Edward A. Janak and Denise Blum have created a text which differs in two substantive ways: scope and sequence. In terms of scope, this work is unique in two facets: first, it presents both theory and practice in one volume, bridging the two worlds; and second, it includes lessons from secondary and postsecondary classrooms, allowing teachers on all levels to learn from each other. In terms of sequence, The Pedagogy of Pop draws on lessons from both historical and contemporary practice. The introductory section of Janak and Blum's collection presents a pair of papers that use somewhat different approaches to examine the historical roots of contemporary critique. Part I presents a series of chapters designed to provide guidelines and theories through which educators on all levels can think about their practice, focusing more on the "why" of their approach than the "how." Part II presents a more "hands-on" approach by sharing a variety of specific strategies for incorporating pop culture in all its forms (technology, music, television, video games, etc.) in both secondary and postsecondary classrooms. The conclusion shows the praxis of teaching with popular culture, presenting a counterpoint to current thinking as well as a case study of the best of what can happen when popular culture is applied effectively.

About this title

Product Description

The Pedagogy of Pop The Pedagogy of Pop: Theoretical and Practical Strategies for Success, edited by Edward A. Janak and Denise Blum, is a tool for educators at all levels to embrace infusing popular culture into their teaching in ways that both embrace and resist contemporary thinking. Its chapters provide a range of theoretical and practical suggestions some widely accepted, some somewhat controversial to elicit di Full description

Review

For years the argument has raged over whether to teach popular culture in the classroom. Now that that argument is over, the real question--just how should we incorporate popular culture into pedagogy?--is finally being answered with this timely, well-written book. In The Pedagogy of Pop: Theoretical and Practical Strategies for Success, Ed Janak and Denni Blum offer a lively group of theoretically rigorous but classroom accessible ways of using popular culture to throw light on topics including race, class and gender and subjects ranging from The Simpsons to Lord of the Rings. We now know the value of teaching popular culture. With this book, we can finally start translating that directly to the classroom.--Brian Cogan, Molloy College, author of Deconstructing South Park: Critical Examinations of Animated Transgression

Editors Janak and Blum draw lessons from historical and contemporary instructional classroom practice. The first part of the book provides guidelines and theories focusing on the "why" of teaching rather than the "how." Part 2 examines a variety of strategies for incorporating pop culture, including technology, music, television, video programming, etc., into lesson planning. Chapters 8 through 13 focus on pop culture as a form of pedagogy that enhances discussion of race, class, and gender in today's classrooms from pre-K-12. In the concluding chapters, pop culture provides the impetus to discuss topics that students are reluctant to discuss in the classroom (e.g., bullying). A new subgenre, creative life writing, is explored in the last chapter. The editors' goal for this book is to expand teachers' views and expand their own practice in the broadest terms. The final case study uses Department of Justice reports and the writings of Kayla Webley to focus on the suicide of Phoebe Prince. The 15-year-old Irish immigrant's text message "I can't take much more" drives home the painful truth about bullying and the power of putting theory into practice. Summing Up: Highly recommended.--CHOICE

Edition details

• Publisher: Lexington Books
• Publication date: 2012
• ISBN 10: 0739176005
• ISBN 13: 9780739176009
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 258
• Editor: Janak Edward, Blum Denise F.