Media Studies
Head of Department : Dave Clemow
Media Studies: Vision and Statement of Intent
“The general population doesn’t know what’s happening, and it doesn’t even know that it doesn’t know.”
A recent study led by the Centre for Excellence in Media Practice at Bournemouth University, concluded that “Media Studies should be made mandatory in schools to prevent young people being taken in by fake news and disinformation”. Professor Sonia Livingstone, OBE, from the London School of Economics stated that “in our media-saturated age, it’s vital that young people can evaluate competing sources of information, and communicate effectively within a fast-changing digital environment”.
The media is the most dynamic and influential method of mass communication of modern times. It has been reported that adults in Great Britain are consuming media for almost eight hours a day (IPA, January, 2019). Within that time, we are bombarded by other people’s representations of the world and how we respond to these representations can affect our perceptions of people, places and society, of politics and culture, and of ourselves. Media Studies is a vital tool necessary to understanding the media’s significance and its power.
Media Literacy is composed of two fundamental areas: “usage and creation” alongside “impacts and ideology.” In our media-saturated world, Ivybridge learners are largely literate in “usage and creation” but illiterate in “impacts and ideology.” This is a dangerous combination and places our learners in a vulnerable position. Schools quite rightly focus on the importance of Internet safety but illiteracy in “impacts and ideology” can be far more insidious, influencing identity and negatively impacting self-esteem and resilience in young people. A series of high-profile cases in the news recently have highlighted these issues and there is enough research to demonstrate the harmful nature of “impacts and ideology” on young people.
In Media Studies, our primary focus is on empowering our young people. We do not wish to create exam-ready students; rather, we would like to enable young people to be bristling with knowledge, skills, passion and wisdom, so that success in any type of assessment becomes a happy by-product of their own personal journey.
This will be achieved in the following ways:
- Creating a fit-for-purpose and easy-to-access curriculum that ensures there is the required examination board coverage whilst making it relevant to today’s ever-shifting media landscape. Year 9 will focus on the understanding and application of the contextualised theoretical framework without studying any examination texts. Intelligent and spaced retrieval practice will help put the order of the curriculum together. The curriculum will exist on Google Drive and will be a live document, available to staff and students for viewing and interacting with.
- Underneath the 5 year curriculum route, will sit the core knowledge for each term, listed and available as hyperlinks from the main curriculum map. As well as a teaching and learning map, there will be a cumulative question map which ensures spaced retrieval practice every single lesson.
- The use of Google Drive and Google Classroom empowers students by placing the onus back on them to access the required learning before a lesson. The use of note-making over note–taking and the three column method will ensure the technology is used to the best of its potential.
- The NEA will be removed from the school and placed firmly back onto the students. With careful and intelligent guidance and review, the onus will be on exercising their practical media literacy in such a way as encourages independent creativity.
- Intelligent use of diagnostic and summative assessments to inform and empower students to take control of their own learning. All assessments will focus on knowledge gaps and skills practise. The AOs will become a central feature of skills based learning.
- The use of extra-curricular events (BFI, Watermark, PCA, etc.) will make the media industry become a real world phenomena and not just a classroom based idea.
Key Stage 4
A recent study led by the Centre for Excellence in Media Practice at Bournemouth University and funded by the US Embassy in London, concluded that “Media Studies should be made mandatory in schools to prevent young people being taken in by fake news and disinformation”. Professor Sonia Livingstone, OBE, from the London School of Economics stated that “in our media-saturated age, it’s vital that young people can evaluate competing sources of information, and communicate effectively within a fast-changing digital environment”.
Media Studies is a popular and important subject as media has so much influence on society and in today’s world, the visual image is as important as the printed word. This is a three year course following the Eduqas specification. Students learn about the Key Concepts that underpin media - media language, audience, representation and institutions - as well as teaching students to develop critical thinking, analytical skills and a creative skills set. The course is composed of 70% examination and 30% non-examined assessment.
The link to the course is here: https://eduqas.co.uk/qualifications/media-studies/gcse/
Key Stage 5
The media is the most dynamic and influential method of mass communication of modern times. It has been reported that adults in Great Britain are consuming media for almost eight hours a day (IPA, January, 2019). Within that time, we are bombarded by other people’s representations of the world and how we respond to these representations can affect our perceptions of people, places and society, of politics and culture, and of ourselves. Media Studies is a vital tool necessary to understanding the media’s significance and its power.
This unique course is both highly academic and creative. Students will explore theoretical perspectives such as Semiotics, Structuralism, Postmodernism, Feminism, Marxism, Liberal Pluralism, Post-Colonialism and Reception Theory. Students will also have the opportunity to create industry-standard media products for their Non-Examined Assessment.
Media Studies moves beyond the classroom and this year students will be working with the British Film Institute, Film Hub South West, Plymouth College of Art, The Watermark, professionals in various aspects of the media industry as well as having the opportunity to go on a variety of other exciting educational visits.
What will you study?
You will analyse how media products use language and representations to create meaning. You will learn about the media industry. You will investigate media audiences, exploring how different people might respond to products differently, and why.
You will study many different media forms such as television, online media, advertising and marketing, magazines, newspapers, social media, music videos, radio and video games.
You will explore and apply critical perspectives, and will examine how social, historical, political and economic contexts affect media production. You will also have the opportunity to apply what you have learned through the production of your own media texts.
Media Studies will help you develop valuable transferable skills such as critical thinking, analysis, research, planning, skills of enquiry and evaluation, practical skills, creativity, time management, essay writing skills and more. Your studies will compliment and assist your learning in other subjects such as English Language and Literature, Humanities subjects, Sociology, Film Studies and ICT.
Assessment
You will study three components:
- Media Products, Industries and Audiences (35% of qualification)
- Media Forms and Products in Depth (35% of qualification)
- Cross-Media Production (Non exam assessment, 30% of qualification)
Possible career path?
Over one hundred universities offer courses in Media, Communications and Cultural Studies in the UK.
There is a huge array of career opportunities in the media, which is an industry that is growing at an exponential rate. According to accountancy giant PwC’s latest Global Entertainment and Media Outlook 2018-2022, the entertainment and media sector will be worth £76 billion by 2021. If you are looking for a job in this area, studying Media at A-Level and at degree level is a route into careers such as TV and film production, advertising, journalism, interactive media, and digital marketing. It could help to provide you with the foundation to secure roles in technical production, special effects, web design and post-production.
Entry requirements
Five GCSEs Grade 9-5, including Mathematics and GCSE English at Grade 6 or above.
A link to the course can be found here: https://www.eduqas.co.uk/qualifications/media-studies/as-a-level/