Media

Head of Department: Mr J Hogg
email: James.Hogg@destafford.org.uk

The key characteristics of this course are:

GCSE Media Studies will help develop students’ interest and enjoyment of media texts.

Students will study films, television programmes, pop videos, advertising, magazines, and newspapers etc. They will learn not only how to deconstruct and analyse such texts, but also how to construct their own in their own practical production work. Students will create their own magazine adverts, Press Release posters, radio scripts, magazine pages and other fun and exciting production tasks which will require them to use and apply the media key concepts learned during the first term of the course. All media texts are studied and constructed in relation to the following key concepts: Representation, Audience, Institution, Language, ideologies, narrative and genre.

You will develop confidence in: practical production work as well as developing your analytical skills in a variety of different contexts.

You will develop confidence in:

• Practical production work as well as developing your analytical skills in a variety of different contexts
• Planning and carrying out practical work
• Analysing media and moving image texts
• Understanding the media key concepts and applying them to analytical and practical production work
• Problem solving

Course Descriptions and Expectations

At key stage 4, students will study both audio-visual and print media, and will develop awareness of the technical elements of construction in addition to related media concepts such as representation, audience, Ideologies, language, institution, narrative and genre as well as the wider social significance of these issues.

The current AQA GCSE Media Studies course attracts an increasingly large number of students every year because it makes learning interesting, challenging, creative and fun. It offers rigorous but accessible learning on a subject of key importance in the world today.

The specification offers:

• Extensive and meaningful coverage of media theory and practice
• Practical work which integrates theories and concepts
• A choice of assignments for production work
• The chance to study across a range of different media
• Opportunities to learn about real media products and industries

Examinations and Assessment

We follow the AQA Media Studies specification.
This course has two exams which are an hour and a half in length which is worth 70% of the final grade. There is also a non exam assessment which is worth 30% of the GCSE.

Paper One: Industries, audience and representation.

What is assessed? Questions will focus on three areas of the theoretical framework: industries, audiences and representation. Written exam : 1 hour 30 minutes 84 marks 35% of the GCSE

Paper Two: Media language and contexts.

What is assessed? Questions will focus on media language and contexts of the media.
Students will be expected to analyse media products both in relation to the theoretical framework
and their contexts. Written exam : 1 hour 30 minutes 84 marks 35% of the GCSE

Non Exam Assessment:

What is assessed? Application of knowledge and understanding of the theoretical framework/practical skills relating to the media format of their choice.

How is it assessed? A choice of topics related to an over arching (annually changing) theme.

72 marks - 30% of the GCSE - Assessed by teachers - Moderated by AQA
Student produce: A statement of intent as well as a media product for an intended audience.

What’s next?

Media Studies can lead to careers in the Media industry which is a rapidly expanding field. In terms of further education, GCSE Media Studies lends itself to other subjects such as English and English Literature as these are also analytical in essence. In the past, students have also combined a study of Media with performing arts, graphic design, art and other multimedia subjects.