Curriculum Studies Guide 2018

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Curriculum Studies Guide 2018
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Media Studies
YEAR 12
Status Optional
Prerequisites None
Periods per week Five
Introduction
“The need to educate children to understand and
analyse the media critically, and to be able to
use media technologies for their own messages,
is going to be a crucial part for schooling in the
twenty-first century.” - British Film Institute
Description
Media studies focuses on the mass media which
play a large part in our cultural experience, both
by providing entertainment and in shaping the
way we see the world. Basic to a critical study of
the media is the concept that no text is ‘innocent’.
Each is a construction, a representation brought
to us by a large number of decisions made in the
selection/production process. Media studies
students get to grips with this notion by both
closely examining media texts and producing ones
of their own.
Many tertiary courses are available throughout
the country for students interested in media, or
related subjects, such as business management.
A study of Media Studies at school provides a
distinct advantage for students who apply for
entry into these courses.
At secondary school level, Media Studies now
combines elements of three separate disciplines
- journalism, electronic media, and media studies.
Elements of all three are included in the course
offered by the Christ’s College Media Department,
although the primary focus is on film and
television.
Aims
1. To cultivate a critical understanding of the
mass media.
2. To provide opportunities for students to
produce their own media products and thereby
become familiar with the production process.
3. To develop skills in media production, including
ICT, Desktop Production, video and radio
technology.
4. To encourage informed decision-making in the
design and production of media text.
5. To enhance students’ communication skills.