Chapter 1. Information Literacy: Evaluating Documentary Objectivity
Introduction
In this activity you will be watching a 3:30 video produced by Yale Environment 360 in collaboration with MediaStorm.
In each section of the activity you’ll be asked to think about elements of the video’s content and presentation as it relates to information literacy, which you learned about in Chapter 3.
This activity should take approximately 30 minutes to complete.
IMPORTANT
This Video Case Study is intended for DEMO PURPOSES ONLY. It has not been put through the typical Quality Assurance channels, and as such, cannot be guaranteed to work as intended for all users.
Leveling Appalachia: The Legacy of Mountaintop Removal Mining (Part 1)
Instructions
1.Click on the box in the center of the video and enter password "algore"
2. Click the button to begin playing the video
3. Watch the video with this question in mind: What is the overall message of this video clip?
Important! The password for the video is "algore".
After watching this video, do you support mountaintop removal mining in Appalachia? Why?
Leveling Appalachia: The Legacy of Mountaintop Removal Mining (Part 2)
Instructions
1. Rewatch the video.
2. As you watch the video for a second time, jot down brief notes:
- What type of images are you shown?
- How would you describe the tone of the video to a classmate?
What kinds of images are you shown most frequently in this video? Check the boxes next to your choices, or type your own in the box for "Other."
| Images | |
|---|---|
| healthy mountain tops | |
| pollution | |
| forests | |
| residents of Appalachia | |
| uses of coal energy | |
| strip-mined mountains | |
| Other: |
Leveling Appalachia: The Legacy of Mountaintop Removal Mining (Part 3)
Instructions
1. Rewatch the video as necessary.
2. This time, concentrate on the people in the video (i.e., who are they, what are their jobs?). For each person listed below, tell if they are for or against mountaintop removal mining.
Use the drop-down menus to indicate whether each person in the video is for or against mountaintop removal mining.
| Name | For or Against? |
|---|---|
| Jack Spadaro (Mining Health and Safety Consultant) | |
| Debbie Jarrell (Rock Creek, WV resident) | |
| Bo Webb (Naoma, WV resident) | |
| Dr. Dennis Lemly (Wake Forest university) | |
| Chris Hamilton (WV Coal Association) | |
| Senator Joe Manchin (former Governor of WV) | |
| Anita Miller (Mud River, WV resident) | |
| Lorene Caudill (Mud River, WV resident) | |
| Dr. Ben Stout (Wheeling Jesuit University) |
Summary Questions
Finally, answer these five summary questions.
1.
This video clip is primarily meant to:
| A. |
| B. |
| C. |
2.
Explain your answer to Question #1 in a sentence or two.
3.
Based on your evaluation above, would you want to watch the entire 20 minute video?
| A. |
| B. |
4.
Why or why not?
5.
Did your opinion on mountaintop removal mining change after your analysis of the video’s presentation?
Activity Report
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