I chose this image because I think it depicts the basic understanding of what a meme really is. The chapter discusses the meme and its major characteristics. The first discussed is Fidelity which refers to the idea the meme must have meaning shared between minds and be copyable. If the idea is not sharable where most agree on its suitability, then it will stay. The other quality is fecundity which is the rate at which the idea is shared. Finally, you have longevity which requires the meme to be important enough that is will keep being copied by fresh minds and last long term. Understanding the internet meme is important in our age of technology and the use of technology by of our students.
The study focuses on which online memes are successful and follow certain patterns and how this could be beneficial in the classroom. The study did show that normal memes and online memes weren't really that different. What was different was the make-up of the meme. The idea of the meme remained the same but how it look changed.
The notion that we, as teachers, can use the online meme to help conceptualize texts is an awesome thing. Any way that we can use something new and innovative and get into the minds of our students better our chances of concept mastery. We can use the student's social environment to connect with the text. It also gives us a framework to discuss what types of memes students may encounter online and verify its validity where it may affect their interactions, choices, and relationships. This could be a good project and mode for discussion about social media and the influence of the pop culture and the online culture.
I fully agree that teachers should definitely incorporate these new and innovative ideas to connect with our students! It was hard for me to step outside the boundary of a meme being seen as "fun" and "social", but I'm sure with some out of the box thinking, memes can be included/introduced into the classroom. I also agree that it would make for a great discussion about social media and the influence of culture on the modern classroom.
ReplyDeleteKristen, as always, great post! I saw where a middle school teacher used memes as part of classroom rules.They were hilarious and eye-catching. I think upper grades better understands memes more so than my kindergarten/first grade class. Many of the memes require background knowledge. I know I read a different version of Little Red Riding Hood and they didn't think it was funny because half the class had never heard the original version. I agree with Lara that with some out of the box thinking I'm sure there's a way to incorporate memes effectively in my class. Something to think about.
ReplyDelete