Media Studies instils students with a variety of skills that are both relevant to the world in which they live and crucial in allowing them to have some form of insight into a force that effectively controls their world in one way or another. At Gordonstoun we believe that it is important and relevant to study a subject that defines our lives and changes the way we think; its large popularity as a subject at Gordonstoun reflects the fact that the students here feel the same way.
Media Studies is a program which analyses the content, history, meaning and effects of a variety of media forms within both a creative and academic context. The academic elements of the course involve the close study and analysis of different forms of media and media organisations using a variety of theoretical and methodological processes. It requires and teaches students to communicate in a sophisticated and analytical manner and is an excellent way for a student who is using English as a foreign language to cement and improve their written and oral skills.
The creative area of the course involves the students being taught how to produce their own practical production work. It encourages students to be creative while they learn technological skills such as film editing and photo manipulation. The course always focuses on confirming the theoretical skills that the students have learnt with the practical implementation of those skills in production work. In the past, students have produced music videos, film trailers, the opening two minutes of a new TV programme, print advertisements for charities, documentaries and pages from their own teenage magazine.
This year AS students made the opening two minutes of new fiction films of any genre whilst A2 students made film trailers and pop videos. One of the best videos can be seen on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLHuCv05VeE
The enthusiastic and passionate manner in which Media Studies is taught combined with the exciting content of the course syllabus means that students more often than not find this subject exhilarating and relevant. It is significant that many of our MS students go on to related courses in further education.
A-Level Media Studies Course details:
For AS-Level:
G321: Foundation Portfolio in Media
In this coursework unit, learners engage with contemporary media technologies, producing two paired media artefacts from a series of briefs.
This process involves progression from a pre-production, preliminary exercise to a more fully realised piece. The briefs cover print, video, audio and websites.
This is a mandatory unit, internally assessed, worth 50% of the AS overall mark; 25% of the A2 mark.
G322: Key Media Concepts (TV Drama)
These papers cover textual analysis and representation alongside institutions and audiences.
In section A, learners answer questions on an unseen moving image extract which is then linked to some aspect of the representation within the sequence. In section B, they study a specific media industry from a choice of film, music, newspapers, radio, magazines or video games. This is a mandatory Unit, with a two hour exam, worth 50% of the AS overall mark; 25% of the A2 mark.
For A2:
G324: Advanced Portfolio in Media
In this coursework unit, learners engage with contemporary media technologies to produce a media portfolio through a combination of two or more media.
We are doing a promotional package for a new film including a teaser trailer, poster and web page.
Then they present their research, planning and evaluation in two or more forms including PowerPoint, blog and podcast. This is a development of the skills they learn in unit one. This is a mandatory unit that is internally marked and externally moderated, worth 25% of the A2 mark.
G325: Critical Perspectives in Media
This paper covers theoretical evaluation of production alongside a study of contemporary media issues. In Section A, learners describe and evaluate their skills development in their production work and then select one production to evaluate in relation to a media concept. In Section B, they choose one topic and demonstrate their understanding of a contemporary issue through a range of texts, institutions, audiences and debates. Examples of contemporary media issues include global media, media in the online age, ‘we media’ and democracy.
Two questions are offered on each topic. This is a Mandatory unit (with a choice of one from six units in section B), examined by a two hour exam worth 25% of the A-Level.
Examples of the type of questions to be answered in the exams at A2:
- “Digital technology turns media consumers into media producers.” In your own experience, how has your creativity developed through using digital technology to complete your coursework productions?
- To what extent have global media impacted on audiences? Refer to specific media products, industries and audiences, related to at least two media.
- What difference has the internet made to media production and consumption? Refer to at least two media sectors in your answer.
- Discuss two or more media texts that you would define as ‘post-modern’ and explain why you would give them this label. Cover at least two media in your answer.