Media Studies

Lead Teacher: Ms F. Astbury-Smith

Purpose of study

Through studying both established and evolving media forms, learners gain awareness of the role of the media in society and culture. Media Studies provides learners with the opportunity to develop knowledge and understanding of a range of key issues and the ability to debate important questions about the media. It introduces them to a theoretical framework for analysing the media, which also underpins study of the media at Post 16 and beyond.

Aims

KS4 Media studies aims to ensure that all students:

• develop the skills of enquiry, critical thinking, decision-making and analysis
• acquire knowledge and understanding of a range of important media issues
• develop appreciation and critical understanding of the media and their role both historically and currently in society, culture, and politics
• understand and apply specialist subject-specific terminology to analyse and compare media products and the contexts in which they are produced and consumed to make informed arguments, reach substantiated judgements, and draw conclusions about media issues
• appreciate how theoretical understanding supports practice and practice supports theoretical understanding
• develop practical skills by providing opportunities for creative media production

To be successful in media studies students need to:

• Be able to analyse a variety of media products
• Understand media terminology.
• Understand the relationship between the theoretical knowledge and the development of practical skills. For example, students might study the forms and conventions of a music video for a particular genre, and then use video equipment and film software to apply their knowledge and understanding to create a music video of their own.

Through studying a range of products, covering eight different media forms, students become skilled in ‘reading between the lines’ of what they see, from the connotations of colours to the impact of an establishing camera shots. They can identify how this ‘language’ creates representations of the people and places we see in the media. Media students learn to examine audiences, using both demographics and psychographics, which helps them to understand the diverse mix of people that make up society. Furthermore, GCSE Media Studies explores the different contexts in which products are created: students understand the concepts of patriarchy, femininity, masculinity, and ethnicity and how these impact on media production and consumption. Through exploring these contexts, students look at the world with empathy and an open mind. Furthermore, students learn how to apply their knowledge and skills to create products using professional image editing software.

The curriculum is designed to that students learn key media terminology, media forms, representation and stereotyping before using this knowledge to analyse set products. Students learn to use professional software such as Photoshop, Pixlr and Publisher so they can develop the knowledge and skills needed to create their own products.

When designing our curriculum, we have considered the individual needs of our students. To ensure that students with SEND have the opportunity to develop the same knowledge and skills as their peers, we adopt a range of strategies within the classroom such as scaffolding, modelling, and tiered questioning. This enables students to develop confidence as well as the knowledge and skills they need to progress.

Formative assessment is a feature of most lessons which ensures that misconceptions and gaps in knowledge and skills are addressed quickly. Summative assessments take place at the end of each unit, at the end of each academic year and at the end of the course. Outcomes from assessments inform the curriculum.