The Evolution of Social Media

Introduction

Did you know that the use and development of social media has come a long way?

When social media was first created, it was made with the sole purpose of communication, but with the passing of time it has turned into something completely different. In this project, you will be using social media to research and analyze what influences beauty standards in the United States and a chosen Spanish-speaking country. Come and explore the new effects on the human race with me!

Link Between Social Media & Body Image | King University Online

Task

                                                                                                                              Mon téléviseur L2432HD affiche le logo Proline et se coupe – Tuto – Communauté d'entraide SAV Darty                                                             

You have joined an online group of influencers, who manage and upload to a blog that speaks out about current events and movements to provide others with accurate information and different perspectives.

The head of Wallflower Files has asked that you and three fellow writers collaborate to create next weeks blog that focuses on social media and the differences in beauty standards found in the U.S. compared to a Spanish-speaking country of choice. 

Together you will:

  • Brainstorm what the beauty standards are in the United States
  • Research what the beauty standards are in a chosen Spanish-speaking country
  • Compare and contrast the beauty standards found in the United States vs. the chosen Spanish-speaking country
  • Explain and Analyze the role/influence that culture and social media play in deciding beauty standards
  • Provide example(s) of a person(s) that has either been positively or negatively affected by either fitting or not fitting into beauty standards

Process

Overview

You will be working in groups of four to complete this WebQuest. Each member of the group will be assigned a role to ensure that the group work will be even, fair, and organized.

PART 1

STEP ONE:

Choose role from the following options

  • U.S Researcher: this member will have to find at least 3 authentic resources that are in the target language (Spanish) and are related to the topic.
  • Spanish-Speaking Country Researcher: this member will have to find at least 3 authentic resources that are in the target language (Spanish) and are related to the topic.
  • Summarizer: this member will have the job of summarizing any ideas, points, and sources that are used in the project in the target language (Spanish).
  • Scribe and Manager: this member will have the job of transcribing the necessary information in the target language (Spanish) onto the blog; while also having the job as manager--this means keeping the group on schedule in terms of when work/research should be done.

Definition of Authentic Texts: something that is created, written, and published for the native speakers/citizens/public/audience from said country. This does not always mean "texts", they can also be a podcast, an ad, movies, music, etc. Example: elpais.com is authentic news originally made, written and published for the citizens of Spain but is available globally.  

STEP TWO:

Choose a Spanish-speaking country from the following options

  • Colombia
  • Spain
  • Chile

STEP THREE: 

After assigning roles and deciding on a Spanish-speaking country, click on the link--> https://www.wix.com/ to sign up and create your own personal blog. TIPS: Make sure to use your school email and a password that is easy to remember (write it down!). If you would rather use a different website to create your blogs, please let me know ASAP for approval.

PART 2

Brainstorming and Research

  • Find the beauty standards in the United States and in chosen Spanish-speaking country
  • Find authentic resources in target language (Spanish) to support those claims

Compare and Contrast

  • The beauty standards found in the United States vs. the chosen Spanish-speaking country

Roles/Influences of Culture and Social Media

  • Explain and Analyze the role/influence that culture and social media play in deciding beauty standards
  • Provide example(s) of a person(s) that has either been positively or negatively affected by either fitting or not fitting into beauty standards

Example/Helpful Resources:

Recommendations and Requirements:

-Blog MUST have an introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion

-When providing evidence from a source, it MUST be cited in MLA format

-Try not to over clutter your blog with long paragraphs of information

-Blog MUST be written in the target language

-Try to make a "hook" in the introduction

Evaluation

Final Score:

_____________

                    4

            STRONG

                   3

              GOOD

                    2

          DEVELOPING

                     1

             EMERGING

Comprehensibility

  • Vocab
  • Language Control
  • Mechanics

 
  • I used a variety of appropriate vocabulary for the task.
  • Accurate with few errors when using time frames and word orders.
  • Accurate spelling, conjugation, punctuation, and accent marks.
  • I used the appropriate vocabulary for the task.
  • Mostly accurate with some errors when using time frames and word orders.
  • Mostly accurate spelling, conjugation, punctuation, and accent marks.
  • I used simple vocabulary for the task.
  • Somewhat accurate when using time frames and word orders but still comprehensible.
  • Somewhat accurate spelling, conjugation, punctuation, and accent marks.
  • I used little to no vocabulary for the task.
  • Little to no accuracy when using time frames and word orders; not comprehensible.
  • Little to no accuracy with spelling, conjugation, punctuation, and accent marks.

Task Completion

  • Content
  • Details and Support
  • Exceeds requirements with elaborate and relevant information.
  • Authentic resources are consistently and appropriately used to support response. Cited in MLA format.
  • Meets the requirements with relevant information.
  • Authentic resources are mostly and appropriately used to support response. Cited in MLA format.
  • Requirements are partially met with some related information.
  • Authentic resources are sometimes used appropriately to support response, some are cited in MLA format.
  • Requirements are minimally or not met with little to no related information.
  • Little to no authentic resources are used; need more details and cited in MLA format.

Discourse Quality

  • Organization and level of language
  • Impact

 
  • Well organized speech with cohesion and transitions used. Sentence complexity exceeds level.
  • Reader's attention is consistently maintained through usage of visuals, writing style, humor, hook lines, and questions.
  • Mostly organized speech with cohesion and transitions. Sentence complexity meets appropriate level.
  • Reader's attention is mostly maintained through usage of visuals, writing style, humor, hook lines, and questions.
  • Somewhat organized speech with some transitions included. Sentence complexity relatively meets level.
  • Reader's attention is somewhat maintained through some usage of visuals, writing style, humor, hook lines, and questions.
  • Little to no organization, cohesion, or transitions. Sentence complexity minimally meets level or not at all.
  • Reader's attention is minimally maintained through little to no usage of visuals, writing style, humor, hook lines, and questions.

Interculturality

  • Intercultural Competence

 
  • Language shows strong intercultural knowledge or understanding of content, daily life, and intercultural similarities and/or differences.
  • Language shows general intercultural knowledge or understanding of content, daily life, and intercultural similarities and/or differences.
  • Language shows some intercultural knowledge or understanding of content, daily life, and intercultural similarities and/or differences.
  • Language shows little to no intercultural knowledge or understanding of content, daily life, and intercultural similarities and/or differences.

 

Conclusion

       

"Beauty is in the eye of the Beholder. Our perception of beauty is guided by cultural influences and ideas of aesthetics determined by fashion dictates of that era. Women, and sometimes men, often go to ridiculous lengths and a lot of pain to achieve that elusive beauty ideal."- Dr. Sunaina

                                                      The Effects of Social Media on Body Image and Mental Health - Life Sciences Journal

After completing this WebQuest, you should have a better idea of how someones cultural background, along with social media, can play a big part in what they perceive to be as "beautiful" or "ideal." Next time when you are using Instagram or looking through a fashion magazine, try and think about how your preferences came about by analyzing yourself and the influences around you.

Teacher Page

The target learners for this WeQuest are intermediate mid-intermediate high, specifically those that reside in the United States. Students are intended to complete this project both online and offline. The online portion involves the research and the actual creation of the blog, whereas the offline portion involves the group discussions in which the students would participate in to brainstorm and organize their thoughts. This project is a way for students to develop their critical thinking skills through research and analysis, resulting in them being able to create a blog that discusses the influences that culture and social media have on beauty standards both in the United States and a Spanish-speaking country.