This week’s blog post will be an examination of the article entitled, Advertising and Consumerism: A Space for Pedagogical Practice in Mirror Images . Funes’ work examines the nature of advertising and its relationship to education. According to Funes, although advertising and consumerism have traditionally been an “enemy” of the classroom, the advertising discourse presents many rich opportunities both for teachers to deepen their pedagogical practice and for students to learn.
Firstly, by examining the hidden or “codified” ideology present in advertising, students will gain the ability to deconstruct their own perceptions of what and who is considered “normal.” Consumer advertising goes way beyond the mere promotion of products. In her work, Funes outlines the subtle ways in which advertisers send messages from the dominant culture about what is considered “normal”. When we take the time to teach students to critically assess and examine issues of inclusion, diversity, stereotyping, and cultural hegemony, it quickly becomes apparent that there is much to be used by bringing advertisements into the teaching space.
Secondly, the analysis of advertising in classroom spaces will enable students to understand their behaviour as consumers as well as the media’s role in creating certain patterns of desire. Instead of merely being passive buyers of mass marketed goods, students will hopefully emerge as knowledgeable consumers who will at least be able to think more critically about their spending habits.
Lastly, according to Funes, doing this kind of work in the classroom allows students to insert themselves into their own learning. In other words, media analysis in the classroom disrupts the traditional “transmitter-message-receiver” scheme that is present in most classrooms. Rather, this kind of pedagogical practice allows students to bring their own experiences, points of view and personal feelings/responses into the teaching and learning process.
In my opinion, the last point is the most important. Students need to see themselves reflected in their own learning rather than being passive consumers of education in much the same way that they are expected to be passive consumers of mass marketed products. How would you use advertisements in the classroom? Do you think that this kind of analysis in classrooms will enable students to become more critical consumers?
References: Virginia Funes. “Advertising and Consumerism: A Space for Pedagogical Practice”
Mirror Images. Pp. 159-177.