This Is How You Do It
The Internet User’s Guide, Meme-Style
Context:
Throughout this course we have spent our time examining media platforms that are relatively traditional: print, television, film, online content delivery, and traditional word-of-mouth marketing. However, recent developments in social media, including how social networks are used to disseminate messages for amusement, for profit, and for activism, encourage us to consider the power and potential of the Internet, with all that implies, both good and bad.
For this assignment, inspired by the TED Talks you have viewed, the articles we have read, as well as by the recent successes (and failures) of social networks to disseminate viral grass-roots and corporate messages, you will choose a topic that has at its heart a message about the power and potential of the Internet – and create a “page” for a “user’s guide to the Internet”, directed at your peers (or those slightly younger than you). This is not a page in the literal sense, but a snippet of messaging that is designed to be disseminated by social networks (i.e. a meme).
Use what you have learned throughout this year and what we have observed and discussed about the ways in which online messages work (and don’t work) to motivate people to act.
(See some preparatory activities and supplementary documents at the bottom of this page.)
Projected Timeline:
FIRST: Select the subject of your message / meme and make your proposal
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
What does your generation need to know in order to tap the Internet's power and potential effectively, innovatively, responsibly, and safely? How can you make them aware of this knowledge in a way that "sticks"?
Think about any of the topics we have touched on during our discussion of the Internet and social media. It can be related to one of the TED presentations or to any other item we have viewed, read, or discussed in class during the unit.
From a listing of these concepts, issues, ideas and topics, identify, then prioritize any of those items that intrigue you or that you think are most important and relevant, considering possible pros and cons, and developing a brief rationale of why this topic intrigues you, makes you curious, is important to you (and/or your peers), relevant to you, etc.
Bring your topics and explanations to class for further discussion, narrowing to one topic, and planning for your product.
SECOND: Make your plan
Using the format for a Creative Brief and a class critique process, you will shape your message and design your meme.
The criteria for your meme are:
it must address the Essential Questions by taking on a relevant Internet-related topic and conveying a compelling and audience-targeted message that ideally implies a call to action
it must be in a form that can be easily disseminated using social media (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, YouTube, etc.) – you can use any single platform or combination of platforms
your creative process must be traceable through your Creative Brief and any related in-class work
the challenge is to create something that has the potential to go viral, or to be more effective than previous messages because of the way the message is framed/structured and/or delivered (e.g. this video was far more effective in delivering its message than hundreds of other similar messages about the same topic that you may already have heard -- why is that?)
it must be within the bounds of the school's Social Networking policy
You will also design a plan to track the degree of its success within your own network (and, if applicable, beyond).
THIRD: Implement your plan
Following your Creative Brief and incorporating critique feedback, create your meme! You will have some time to work on it in class, but should also be doing some of the work – both in terms of design work and review of class concepts that help you with your rationale and design decisions – at home.
You will deploy it no later than May 22 at the end of class, and begin tracking it using your tracking plan. You will continue to work on tracking it between May 22 and 30.
FOURTH: Evaluate your plan and its implementation
You will give a short presentation (5-8m) in which you display your meme and your methods of deployment, and then discuss:
what specific course concepts (reflected in the various units throughout the year) you employed in creating it
what you hope will contribute to its effectiveness in comparison to similar messages about the same topic
why you chose the medium and distribution method that you did
what you learned about its success (or lack thereof) and what you would change about it if you were to try again
Your presentation will be followed by a Q&A session involving both students and teacher.
Incidentally, in implementing your plan, failure is an option in this case – the assessment of that failure may be some of the most valuable learning you do in this assignment.
Evaluation criteria:
This assignment addresses the following overall expectations of EMS3O:
A. Understanding and interpreting media texts:
1. Understanding and responding to media texts: demonstrate understanding of a variety of media texts
2. Deconstructing media texts: deconstruct a variety of media texts, identifying the codes, conventions, and techniques used and explaining how they create meaning
B. Media and society:
1. Understanding media perspectives: analyse and critique media representations of people, issues, values, and behaviours
2. Understanding the impact of media on society: analyze and evaluate the impact of media on society
C. The media industry:
1. Industry and audience: demonstrate an understanding of the ways in which the creators of media texts target and attract audiences
2. Ownership and control: demonstrate an understanding of the impact of regulation, ownership, and control on access, choice, and range of expression
D. Producing and reflecting on media texts
1. Producing media texts: create a variety of media texts for different audiences and purposes, using effective forms, codes, conventions and techniques
3. Metacognition: demonstrate an understanding of their growth as media consumers, media analysts, and media producers