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Could pop culture be just as vital, if not a more effective a learning tool then text books and exams, to a student’s academic success? If the study of pop culture was placed in school curriculums would it be useful and effective or a waste of time? These are all thoughts that might wander through a person’s mind when it comes to the subject of placing a pop culture class in school. Pop culture surrounds us in our every day lives but it is rarely encouraged in academic school assignments and activities, yet students are greatly influenced by this culture outside of school. So why not give them the opportunity to express their inspirations in an academic form? If pop culture was freely allowed to be discussed and studied in classes, students might take a greater interest in their work, become more aware of their surroundings by evaluating what they see and feel like they have more freedom to express who they are and what they enjoy. With the incorporation of pop culture, schools would almost be able to guide their students through every aspect of their life, and help them make the right decisions both in and outside of school.
When students are constantly being forced to take tests, memorize formulas and sit in classrooms for close to seven hours a day, they tend to lose interest in their studies. As students progress through high school their down time tends to be replaced with more tedious work therefore robbing them of being able to stimulate their minds in more ways then just educationally. Take video games for example, people might think that video games are a waste of time they are really provoking the mind to solve and think about complicated situations while at the same time nurturing the want of enjoyment. In James Paul Gee’s article “The Classroom of Popular Culture”, he questions school’s methods of teaching and states that they could be the biggest problem in loss of interest. He states “Let’s ask ourselves how we can make learning in or out of school more “game-like”- not in the sense of playing games in class, but by making the experience of learning as motivating, stimulating, collaborative, and rewarding as the experience of playing a well-designed video game” (Harvard). If there was a method created to provide the same type of incentive in schools that students receive by playing video games then they might be more eager to study and learning could even become easier for them. By combining an idea like the concept of video games would make it easier for the students to connect with what they are learning. Outside of school pop culture is the one thing that is targeted specifically to teens and that they can relate to so finding a way to bring that into the schools curriculum could snag more students’ attentions. In Thomas Fain’s article about American pop culture, he states “our students will have a better attitude in regards to their education if we can emphasize relevance to the world in which they are familiar. Also, integrating traditional education with the things in society that they see as important will better motivate them to learn” (Fain). Mixing a society like pop culture that students are inspired by into an academic assignment would prompt students to actually get their work done. Many students tend to abandon the pressure of their school work and seek relief in some type of pop culture. If pop culture was already a part of their work then there would be no need to break away and because they would potentially be interested in what they were studying they would most likely get their work done faster.
While pop culture can greatly inspire teens and help them express themselves in different ways it can also be perceived in a negative way if not properly evaluated. Whether it be through film, music, TV, or even commercials ultimately there is a message being sent out to an audience. It is the way that the message is absorbed by the audience that is most crucial and teens, being as easily influenced as they are, can distinguish these messages in a non beneficial way. I learned a lot about this subject in my media literature class this past semester and it was probably one of the most valuable classes I have ever taken. There were no tests and all we did was discuss and analyze commercials and music. We talked about the messages that the producers and artists were trying to get out to their audiences. If we had not discussed these messages and details I probably never would have picked up on them. Suddenly after we did discuss them my whole image of that commercial or song changed. Still to this day I will never look at a commercial the same way I did before I took that class. Because we took the time to stop and evaluate these forms of pop culture it has made me more aware of my surrounds. Every time I see a commercial, a billboard, or an ad I am know able to distinguish the validness of that advertisement. If there was a way to include the study of pop culture into certain classes, students could learn how to intelligently differentiate positive and negative aspects, in not only pop culture, but in challenging situations in and outside of school. Thomas Fain references a similar theory in his article when he states, “Our students obviously understand the popular culture in which they live; by merging the study of this culture with traditional education, they will be better able to grasp concepts, make sense of what they learn, and acquire perspective of the world in which they live” (Fain). Due to the fact that students can relate so easily to this culture it is vital that they conceive it in the proper eye and with appropriate education they will be able to do that and make the right connections. Ultimately evaluation is a key component of this learning process and it is vital that a student learns how to connect properly with the messages pop culture presents them with so that they can become more knowledgeable and aware of their surroundings.
Often schools lack the ability to allow students to express who they are in their classes but pop culture allows them to do that. For the most part school subjects are meant to strictly teach students the vital knowledge that they will need to know in order to get through life or to succeed in a career they wish to pursue, but a part of that success is discovering who one’s personality and interests. In Simon Frith’s article, “John Keats versus Bob Dylan: Why Value Judgments Matter” he mentions, “all cultural items and activities are important as evidence of beliefs and values” (Frith). Allowing students’ time to discover and explore different types and sides of pop culture could help them open new doors to discovering who they are. Students could become more comfortable in their classes and develop the knowledge that grades are important but one’s talent and intelligence does not always have to be based off a GPA or test score. Pop culture helps students view themselves as their own unique individual. While schools thrive to have their students become successful individuals it is harder for one to live up to this quota when there is a constant need to conform and the pressure to succeed. Allowing students to find and express their own original talents and interests can mold a stronger individual. In Danah Boyd’s article “Identity Production in a Networked Culture: Why Youth Heart Myspace” she notes, “Myspace is a social network site. Profiles are personalized to express an individual’s interests and tastes, thoughts of the day, and values” (Boyd). Students would benefit if they had the opportunity to use a database in school like Myspace but that could only be used strictly for educational purposes. The school should set up a website that students could access from school and home where they could create personal profiles, list their interests and tastes in music, movies, and artists, but at the same time be able to discuss classes and help each other with homework. Expression and freedom can better a student’s academic performance and pop culture could be a helpful aid in allowing students to achieve this.
Furthermore, pop culture could prove to be very successful and could significantly enhance a school’s curriculum. If there was a way to incorporate pop culture into every subject it could greatly help and impact the way a student learns. It could redirect their interest in school and the subjects that they study. Instead of using the same method of studying and learning over and over again incorporating ways to make learning a game could stimulate students to want to pay closer attention and learn more. Evaluating what pop culture means, how it is viewed and the message it sends is important in distinguishing its positive and negative aspects. Lastly it is a great way to allow students to be able to discover who they are and express their individualistic selves. Once a part of the school curriculum pop culture could forever become a vital instrument to a student’s learning process and experience.