Teaching Team: Mrs S. Iles - Leader of Media | E-Mail |
“The media's the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that's power. Because they control the minds of the masses.” - Malcolm X |
Subject Overview:
How much media are you exposed to in a day?
In a typical day do you… use Facebook? BlackBerry Messenger? Do you play Computer Games? Do you watch the news or read newspapers? Do you watch television or films? Do you listen to music? Do you use the internet?
The answer to at least one of the questions above will be yes. Media is expanding rapidly, it is controversial, some would argue it is essential whilst others believe it gives the people in charge too much power, but the one thing we can’t argue against is that it is now firmly a part of our day to day lives.
In media we explore how much media are we are exposed to in a day. We analyse different media texts across a range of platforms, evaluate their success and create our own media products.
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Learning Experience:
Media GCSE: This is currently being run as a one year GCSE, this means that students attend six lessons of media a week resulting in a fast paced exciting course. During the year students complete three Controlled Assessments, currently the topics are Advertising, Music Promotion and Print (Magazines). These topics are chosen form a bank of topics provided by the exam board and are subject to change. At the end of the course students sit an exam based on a topic chosen by the exam board, the topic changes annually. This year the topic is Music Promotion: Print and Online; in 2014 the topic is Gaming.
Media BTEC: We are very fortunate to be able to offer two different paths in the Media BTEC – Print and Gaming.
Print Media looks at the industries of Advertising and Print Production. Students explore the industries in full and are then provided with a brief from a “company” asking them to complete a production task. For all production pieces students are to use their own photography. This is a very practical course that encourages students to be creative, reflective and independent thinkers.
The Gaming course looks at the Computer Game industry and what makes this course even more exciting is that we are very fortunate to have contact with a successful computer game company which allows us to get inside, up-to-date information. We are currently offering this as a one year and two year option.
During the course the origin and history of the industry is explored fully and through “structured game-play” students closely analyse and evaluate games across a range of gaming platforms identifying their key components.
The course culminates in the students creating their own computer game and pitching it to a “company”.
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Homework and additional learning:
Please see Assessment Calendars for GCSE students BTEC Print YR10 students and BTEC Print YR11 students
One GCSE Grade A*- G
What do students study and how do they study?
This one year course offers students:
Extensive and meaningful coverage of media theory and practice
Practical work which integrates theories and concepts
The chance to study across a range of different media
Opportunities to learn about real media products and industries
There are two units that are covered over the year and they focus on the following four key concepts:
1) Media Language and Conventions
2) Institutions
3) Representation
4) Audience
For each unit students are assessed for the following:
Knowledge and Understanding
Analysis and Response
Research, Planning and Presentation
Production and Evaluation
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What examinations are there?
There is one unit that is exam based; Unit One is sat at the end of the end of June
Unit One
This paper comprises tasks referring to pre-released materials supplied by AQA. Students has two tasks. Task One will focus on their knowledge and understanding of the topic whilst Task Two will focus on their research, planning and presentation as well as their production skills and an evaluation. This unit forms 40% of the final grade.
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What coursework is required?
There is one Unit that is submitted as coursework.
Unit Two
This unit consists of three assignments: an introductory assignment; a cross-media assignment; and a practical production and evaluation assignment. These are taken from a bank of assignments provided by AQA and form 60% of the final grade.
Each assignment will consist of a deconstruction, a production piece and an evaluation of between 500-1000 words.
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What additional study is expected?
Homework will be set each week as appropriate. Tasks set may include research, deconstruct ions, practical elements, evaluation tasks or presentations.
It is expected that students use original photography in all of their practical work.
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What can students do next?
There are many opportunities for progression in Media Studies especially to GCE, AS or A-Level Media Studies, or Level 3 Diploma in Creative and Media.
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What online support is there?
Media Studies students have access to a blog that I have created to support students. On the blog students will find lesson content and resources to support them with their work. It is also a safe place for them to post their production work and get audience feedback from their fellow students.
BTEC Level Two Extended Certificate in Creative Media Production
What do students study and how do they study?
This two year course offers students:
Extensive and meaningful coverage of media theory and practice
Practical work which integrates theories and concepts
The chance to study across a range of different media
Opportunities to learn about real media products and industries
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There are four units that are covered over the year; two of the units are sat by all BTEC Media Students
1. Research for Creative Media Production
The aim of this unit is to enable learners to develop skills in the main research methods and techniques used within the creative media sector. Students will do this through researching an existing media product and through undertaking research for one of their own production projects.
2. Communication Techniques for Creative Media Productions
This unit aims to develop learners’ communication skills in media production contexts. It covers oral and written, formal and informal communication using the formats, documentation and technologies needed to communicate effectively in the media sector.
The other two units that students have to complete can be chosen from a bank of assignments, we are very fortunate that we are able to offer two very different Media Strands
1. Gaming
2. Print Media and Advertising
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Gaming
Unit 14
De constructing Computer Games
The aim of this unit is to give learners an understanding of computer games and the platforms that enable people to play them. Learners will examine game platforms and their limitations, learn about essential components that contribute to a computer game, and deconstruct a game.
Unit 15
Computer Games Testing
The aim of this unit is to give learners a basic understanding of computer games testing techniques and the role played by the quality assurance (QA) departments of game development studios. Learners will study the game production process and QA department, learn about the phases of testing and defect types, and will run tests on a computer game build.
Print Media and Advertising
Unit 7
Print Production
This unit aims to develop learners’ understanding of print production techniques and technology. Learners will be introduced to ways of developing ideas for print products, and will investigate and practise hand, mechanical and digital print production methods.
Unit 18
Advertising Production
The aim of this unit is to introduce learners to the way advertisements are created and the ways in which they work. Learners will study existing advertisement techniques in a number of mediums, and plan and produce an advertisement of their own in a chosen medium.
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What additional study is expected?
Homework will be set each week as appropriate. Tasks set may include research, deconstruct ions, practical elements, evaluation tasks or presentations. It is expected that students use original photography in all of their practical work.
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What can students do next?
There are many opportunities for progression, if students achieve the level two extended certificate during the first year of study then they will undertake the diploma during the second year. This consists of four further units.
Unit 3
The Creative Media Sector (compulsory unit)
The aim of this unit is to develop learners’ knowledge of how the creative media sector is structured, what types of jobs are available, what those jobs involve, and how they might be obtained.
Unit 4
Media Audiences and Products (compulsory unit)
The aim of this unit is to encourage learners to think about the construction of media products. Learners will develop their understanding of how the media industries think about their audiences, how these industries create products for specific audiences and how themselves, as members of an audience, understand media products.
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The other two units that students have to complete can be chosen from a bank of assignments, we are very fortunate that we are able to offer three different Media Strands.
Gaming
Unit 14
De constructing Computer Games
The aim of this unit is to give learners an understanding of computer games and the platforms that enable people to play them. Learners will examine game platforms and their limitations, learn about essential components that contribute to a computer game, and deconstruct a game.
Unit 15
Computer Games Testing
The aim of this unit is to give learners a basic understanding of computer games testing techniques and the role played by the quality assurance (QA) departments of game development studios. Learners will study the game production process and QA department, learn about the phases of testing and defect types, and will run tests on a computer game build.
Print Media and Advertising
Unit 7
Print Production
This unit aims to develop learners’ understanding of print production techniques and technology. Learners will be introduced to ways of developing ideas for print products, and will investigate and practise hand, mechanical and digital print production methods.
Unit 18
Advertising Production
The aim of this unit is to introduce learners to the way advertisements are created and the ways in which they work. Learners will study existing advertisement techniques in a number of mediums, and plan and produce an advertisement of their own in a chosen medium.
Video and Audio Production
Unit 5
Video Production
This unit aims to provide learners with an opportunity to create a video production, the focus of this unit
being on the application of the production phases – pre-production, production and post-production. The
unit also requires learners to reflect on the final product and their working practices.
Unit 6
Audio Production
This unit aims to give learners knowledge of broadcast and non-broadcast audio products, and to develop the core industry skills of content creation, production techniques and audience awareness associated with audio production.
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Post KS4 study
There are many opportunities for progression in Media Studies especially to GCE, AS or A-Level Media Studies, or Level 3 Diploma in Creative and Media.
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What online support is there?
Media Studies students have access to a blog that I have created to support students. On the blog students will find lesson content and resources to support them with their work. It is also a safe place for them to post their production work and get audience feedback from their fellow students.
