The skill of grouping is used to sort through an assortment of elements to determine how they can be arranged into meaningful sets such that the elements in each set share significant similarities while the elements across sets exhibit significant differences. Thus, the grouping skill involves contrasting and comparing. Contrasting is looking for differences across elements. Comparing is looking for commonalities across elements.
For decades, The Flinstones and The Jetsons have entertained audiences by showing how family dynamic thrives in the distant past and future. Both George Jetson and Fred Flinstone represent the ideal of what it means to work hard and provide for their families. One is set in prehistoric times and the other in the future. They both have wives, children, friends, and even a dog. They both go to work and are socially active. George has a flying car, while Fred uses his feet as accelerator and break. Fred (without all the technical advancements) faces the same challenges as They both seem to live perfectly good lives and enjoy the advances of their times.
But the question remains that if these cartoons BOTH represent what can be considered as a good life, then has technological advancements really changed human behavior and interaction? And if so, how? What are the changes? And have they been bad or good for society? How has the changes in the media industry helped or hindered society?
(Image credit: https://www.cbr.com/flintstones-jetsons-same-time-period-theory/)
Assignments
Have you ever had a conversation with someone much older than you? What would you find out about the societal effects and behaviors of the “advancements” of technology? These talks can be riddled with gems and bits of information that can illuminate answers and connect historical dots. This assignment will allow you to explore the impact of technology on the lives of everyday people.
In this assignment, you will conduct an interview with someone 60 (or older) years old. Below you will find a list of questions to help guide you through the interview, but feel free to ask them any other questions you see fit. You should record their answers so that you can refer to them later.
Using the media literacy skill of grouping, address the following:
How are you and your interviewee alike? How are you different? Identify three ways that you and your interviewee are alike. Identify three ways that you are different. What conclusions can you draw from this? Discuss how what you found related to this week’s readings and videos.
Resources
Interview questions:
Do you remember life with early technology like radio, “talkies,” TV, video, CDs?
When did you listen to the radio? With whom? Where? What else did you do? What did you listen to? How did your quality-of-life change with this technology?
When you got a TV, how did things change? When did you watch TV? With whom? Where? What else did you do? What did you watch? How did your quality-of-life change with this technology?
When did you get cable? Multiple TVs? How did that change what and how you watched TV? How did your quality-of-life change with this technology?
When did you used to go to the movies? With whom? Why? How has that experience changed compared to today? How did your quality-of-life change with this technology?
When did you get a VCR, DVD, TiVo? How do you use it? How has your quality of life changed with this technology?
How do you use the computer? How often? Why do you use the computer? How has your quality of life changed with this technology?
How has the quality of media products changed? How has the content of media products changed?
Pew Research Center online survey findings in Millennials will benefit and suffer due to their hyperconnected lives, February 29, 2012. “Teens and young adults brought up from childhood with a continuous connection to each other and to information will be nimble, quick-acting multitaskers who count on the Internet as their external brain and who approach problems in a different way from their elders…”
Pew Research Center study findings of: Share of those 65 and older who are tech users has grown in the past decade, by Michelle Faverio, , January 13, 2022. “There are still notable differences in tech use between U.S. adults under 30 and those 65 and older. But on several fronts, adoption of key technologies by those in the oldest group has grown markedly since about a decade ago…”
Instructions
Using the information you collected from the activity outlined above, write a 500 word paper using the Make sure you review the Writing Assignment Organizer to assist you in completing your work.
Use the media literacy skill of grouping (defined above) to help you organize and present your findings.
Don’t forget to provide support from the course resources AND from your interview. Note: you MUST include the interview in your reference page and don’t be afraid to use any of the answers from your interview as in text quotations.
Reminders and Policies
Make sure that you proofread your work PRIOR to submission.
Upload a WORD DOCUMENT ONLY to Canvas.
Paper MUST be double-spaced. Use page numbers, but do not use title pages and/or page runners.
Use 12 pt. Times Roman typeface.
DO NOT ignore or write OVER the word count! Assignments that go over the word count will lose 10% of the final grade. (See rubric below). Word counts will be checked. Please put your word count at the bottom of the paper.
Review Working With Turnitin for submission information, similarity scores, AI detection and how to view your feedback and grades.
Don’t forget to include a reference page at the end of the reaction paper. Visit The Roughwriter’s Guide APA References Page by Dr. Karen Palmer for correct format.
Late assignments will not be accepted, and technical difficulties ARE NOT an acceptable excuse for late work. If you experience technical issues, contact Canvas Technical Support.
It is the policy of this course that plagiarism is NOT allowed. Assignments that have a Turnitin Similarity score higher than 25% will automatically receive a “0”. Make sure to check your similarity score prior to submission.
Students are encouraged and required to complete and submit original work created by them without the use of any automated tools (as outlined in FIU’s Student Conduct and Honor Code), including any use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) programs in this course. This course utilizes the Turnitin Artificial Intelligence (AI) Writing Detection Tool. Students who receive a AI Similarity score higher than 30% will receive a “0” for the assignment and must arrange to speak to the course instructor. Review the IDS 3309 How We Know What We Know Automated Tools (including AI generative and regenerative software) Course Policy.This course is a “Gordon Rule” course. The Gordon Rule requires students in Florida public universities to complete a minimum of writing intensive courses. FIU Gordon Rule courses meet this requirement by assigning several writing assignments, sequenced throughout the course, typically totaling 3,500 words or more. At FIU, in a Gordon Rule course, writing will be evaluated based on the following characteristics:
Driven by a clear thesis or controlling idea.
Supports thesis with adequate reasons and evidence.
Displays sustained analysis and critical thought.
Is organized clearly and logically.
Shows knowledge of conventions of formal written English.
Shows awareness of disciplinary conventions regarding content, style, form, and delivery method.
The assignment will be assessed using the following rubric:
