Ethics and Professional Communication
As communicators and teachers, it is required of us to create pedagogical practices that are both functional and ethical. And how do we do this? How do we create material that is socio-culturally situated as well as practical?
Sarah Warren-Riley describes methodologies that educators can utilize to execute classwork and discourse that encourages students to “interact with and create texts in a more thoughtful, critical, and socially just way.” Thus, we become aware of how our compositions are embedded with advocacy for socio-cultural positions and how identifying and analyzing these positions can allow us to become more socially just communicators.
Social Media and Advocacy
One of my favorite methods presented in this text is the “Analysis of Social Media Texts through an Advocacy Lens.” Warren-Riley describes various activities in which she has utilized social media texts to demonstrate to students how negative and problematic narratives can be broadcasted to large audiences online.
“Critical thinking and analysis are key when considering not only what you are communicating, but what communicative patterns and methodologies exist in the corporate and professional world.”
In my lesson plans, I often also incorporate visual rhetoric, a framework that helps students analyze both text and rhetorically situated imagery. I often pair this concept with an analysis of imagery that is created by corporations for advertising campaigns. These types of images and videos are often loaded with messaging- much of which is both problematic and persuasive in nature. This can benefit students’ critical eye for rhetorical images, as well as encourage them to consider their power when creating social media imagery of their own.
Analysis, Analysis, Analysis
Critical thinking and analysis are key when considering not only what you are communicating, but what communicative patterns and methodologies exist in the corporate and professional world. In my experience, students often feel lost without adequate examples to provide them with useful mental frameworks. Analysis of texts and images is useful- not only in building students’ critical thinking skills but also in giving students reference for future studies and projects.
Hi Aurora! I like that you included visual rhetoric in your lesson plans. I think it’s something that a lot of students either forget to consider or have never learned much about the concept. Analyzing both text and visual elements give students a more in-depth perspective. This will definitely help you transition into a lesson on advocacy through the use of social media. We already look at LinkedIn — why not incorporate other types of social media to compare their professional and personal identities. What is their purpose for each platform and how can we shift to use it in a more positive way?
Incorporating visual rhetoric to help your students understand what you’re teaching them is such an excellent idea — it really helps bridge the gap between lecture and practice, especially when you’re also teaching them to view the rhetoric critically.
Yes, I agree and love your question about what frameworks exist to analyze text and images. If you have one, please share. Maybe next semester, we could also work to build one either based on the existing readings for the course or on a new reading for the course.
Great points, Aurora! This advocacy we’re discussing on platforms like social media is in the form of visual rhetoric. We discuss visual rhetoric in unit 1 of ENL 265, this is kairos!
Hi Aurora! I absolutely agree! Analyzing each message is key to understanding rhetoric, and more importantly how rhetoric ties to advocacy. I like how you touch on the persuasiveness of these messages. I feel main writing classrooms don’t always recognize the connection. You’re right, this really does give our students reference points!