A paper presentation at the National Communication Association, November 10, 2016.

1. How Classroom Teachers Approach
Transgression in
Media Production Classrooms
Renee Hobbs
Professor, Department of Communication Studies
Director, Media Education Lab
Harrington School of Communication and Media
University of Rhode Island USA
Email: hobbs@uri.edu
Twitter: @reneehobbs
Web: http://mediaeducationlab.com
#NCA16 @reneehobbs

2. Media literacy education alters power relations
between students and teachers
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Students are positioned as self-directed, independent learners
who, with appropriate guidance and support from mentors, create
media as a natural part of the learning process.
(Haines and Campbell, 2016)
Changing Role
of the EDUCATOR

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HOMAGO in the INFORMAL
LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
Some in-depth studies of
participatory culture do include
“thick description” of
transgressive incidents, but the
overall focus is on the positive
outcomes and involvements of
the media work, as if the
transgressions were exceptions
or “hazards” that “go with
territory” rather than a near
inevitability borne of
developmental and discursive
power struggles.

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POWER DYNAMICS IN FORMAL
EDUCATION ENVIRONMENTS
Inversions of gender and
power in student media
production can be seen
as particularly
transgressive in the
context of school
culture.
(Saxton, 2007)

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Buckingham, D & Sefton-Green, J. (1994). Cultural Studies Goes to School. London: Routledge.

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8. Writing, art and media teachers
experience transgression most
intensely because they ask
students to reveal their hearts
and minds.
(Duncum, 2009)
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9. Creating with digital video involves a process of messy engagement
(Hobbs & Moore, 2013)
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10. What kinds of student transgression
have high school video production
teachers experienced? How do they
interpret it?
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Research Question

11. SAMPLE & METHODS
• Susanne, experienced HS video
production teacher at a racially-
diverse working class public HS,
Michigan
• Bob, experienced HS video
production teacher of upper-
middle class suburban Caucasian
students, Rhode Island
• Louise, experienced HS video
production teacher, largely
Hispanic urban public charter HS,
Rhode Island
• James, 1st year HS teacher
working in an urban alternative
school with largely African-
American students, Pennsylvania
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E-interviews
 How have you handled particular
situations where students
engaged in inappropriate
behavior or produced
inappropriate video content?
 Can you describe a situation that
you handled "well"?
 Can you describe a situation that
you handled "poorly"?
 Give examples of inappropriate
behavior or student-created
media content
 Explain why students engaged in
this behavior or created this
content

12. Types of Transgression
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Content: aggressive humor, reference humor, bullying, cursing, nudity,
depictions of sexual behavior, gang signs, violence, depictions of drug use,
immoral values or behavior
Format: explicit lyrics in songs, imitation of conspiracy videos and horror
genres, blurring of fiction and non-fiction, copyright infringement
Production Process: interpersonal conflicts, freedom of movement that
creates lack of accountability, inappropriate social interaction with adults,
recording in an area without permission, recording people without
permission, interrupting or altering flow of school activities by recording
Distribution: disruptive audience behavior while viewing video, displaying or
airing inappropriate content, airing content not approved by teacher, making
production or performance errors that are visible to the whole school
community

13. How Teachers Interpret
Transgression in
Student Video Production
1. A Dimension of Creative Freedom
2. Rooted in the Reproduction of Mass Media
and Popular Culture
3. Novices Making Mistakes
4. Playing to Peer Audiences
5. Challenging School & Social Norms
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14. a Dimension
of Creative Freedom
I nudge them toward positive topics and
socially beneficial ways to create fiction
and non-fiction work, but I'm also
pleased when they complete a project
that's more for them, including what I
think a lot of educators might consider
"inappropriate" -- creating songs (or
using songs or videos) with cursing,
glorification of drugs and violence, etc.
For instance, a student might use an
explicit song or video to talk about how
much they like the song, without
providing any particular critique of the
content. Or they might create a song or
rap that employs "inappropriate"
material.
-James
#NCA16 @reneehobbs

15. Rooted in the Reproduction of Pop
Culture
Given they see this content
and behavior on television
and digital media its
engrained into their culture,
thus they don't consider it
inappropriate. This is a
challenge but generally
students understand
reasoning
but occasionally they don't
consider some of the content
inappropriate. This translates
into many classroom
discussions as to what is
considered inappropriate and
to whom.
-Bob
#NCA16 @reneehobbs

16. Novices Make Mistakes
They are under the age of 18 and
are learning. They make mistakes
as they go along. Mistakes are
part of the learning process.
Sometimes the mistakes my
students make may bother other
teachers, but they don't bother
me. The video production classes
are like fishbowls. Every teacher is
able to see into the bowl when a
video airs. Those teachers,
however, get to close their doors
and teach and the mistakes they
or their students make are never
visible to the rest of us.
-Susanne
#NCA16 @reneehobbs

17. Playing to Peer Audiences
I was an instructor at a week-long film camp for teens, where youth filmmakers
would have a week to complete a film. Students politely listened to my
suggestions and proceeded to use the week to create scenes of darkly comic
violence that would never be allowable in a public school setting. Parents were
at times noticeably uncomfortable at the film fest which took place at the end of
the week, but I was generally happy with the results.
-Louise #NCA16 @reneehobbs

18. Challenging
School & Social Norms
No one has ever tried and I have never
had to censor the following content that
I would find inappropriate: sexualized
nudity, story or dialog that wantonly
infringes on the rights of others or is
otherwise insensitive to any person or
groups. We did have to censor a student
who, being a teenager, thought
provoking the establishment (us grown-
ups) with references to blow jobs would
be way cool. It was fine for his Capstone
film, but my principal asked these
references be removed for the final
awards presentation due to children
being in the audience.
-Louise
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What are the implications for
communication education?

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“What is our topic?”
“How do I get started?”
“What is the length & style?”
“Where will it be screened?”
“How do I get an A?”

21. FORMAT
CONTENT
DISTRIBUTION
PROCESS
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22. FORMAT
CONTENT
DISTRIBUTION
PROCESS
Teachers Structure Learning Experiences using
a Balance of Creative Freedom & Creative Control
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NEGOTIATION

23. New Questions
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What are core values of teachers who negotiate
a balance between creative freedom and
creative control?
How does the assignment structure and the
assessment paradigm shape students’
experience of creative freedom and creative
control?
How should communication educators best
learn to navigate this balance?

24. HYPOTHESIS: Learners benefit from a balance of both creative
control and creative freedom
HYPOTHESIS: Transgression is a learning mechanism through which
students navigate the balance

25. Renee Hobbs
Professor, Department of Communication Studies
Director, Media Education Lab
Harrington School of Communication and Media
University of Rhode Island USA
Email: hobbs@uri.edu
Twitter: @reneehobbs
Web: http://mediaeducationlab.com
#NCA16 @reneehobbs