YEAR 13 LESSON SEVEN [27th Sept 13]: Homework.

The whole aim of this session was to prepare students for the first IMPACT OF DIGITAL MEDIA essay. Students response was mature and informed. The kick up the backside that i gave you all in the last lesson appears to have had the desired effect. Class discussion was intelligent and detailed. The whole aim of this essay is for students to support their view with specific textual reference therefore students must be aware that research is central to this task...and indeed the whole course.

Students received a very precise essay structure that they can follow or use for general guidance. This is a very important piece of work because the essay question is central to an understanding of the impact of digital media.
ESSAY TITLE:  'THE INTERNET AND WORLDWIDE WEB HAVE CREATED A MORE DEMOCRATIC WORLD.' To what extent do you agree with this statement?

There are certain fundamental questions that this essay needs to address. For example:

• What is the difference between the views of Andrew Keen and Clay Shirky?
• What is the 2010 Digital Economy Act and what are its powers? Why was it introduced?
• What is The Communications Data Bill and why is it so controversial?
• Why are Bradley Manning and Ed Snowdon important individuals when considering media and democracy? Do you view these two men as heroic or villainous?
• What is the significance of websites such as 38 Degrees, Change.org, Martha Payne's blog and The Khan Academy website? Do these sites empower the individual? If so, how?
• Why should a media student be aware of The Arab Spring, Iran in 2009 and The Great Firewall of China?
• Why do governments attempt to control information?
• How can Marxist or Pluralist theory be applied to this essay? Baudrillard?

Below are a series of resources used in this session. ALL these resources will be useful for students when constructing the essay.

What is Wikileaks: http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-10757263
Wikileaks video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLic1Y3re-A
Does a site such as Wikileaks create a more democratic or a more dangerous world???
Edward Snowdon...Channel Four News resources: http://www.channel4.com/news/edward-snowden
What do we learn about the US government's attitude to personal digital privacy through the revelations revealed by Ed Snowdon?? Why do governments feel they have to control or monitor digital information?? Can we trust governments/the police with our personal information?? Should we fear this level of digital 'observation'?
Are Snowdon and Manning heroes or villains????

Good clip created by an A2 Media student for a class project:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfDYARUrnuQ

The Virtual Revolution...The Enemy of the State:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcLP_Zn4dwU

Martha Payne: http://fishymediaresources.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/story-of-martha-paynes-school-blog.html
Channel Four Marthe Payne article:
http://www.channel4.com/news/outcry-over-councils-gagging-of-schoolgirl-blogger
Change.org: https://www.change.org/en-GB
38 degrees: http://www.38degrees.org.uk/

Kenya tragedy and twitter:  http://socialmediatoday.com/node/1763491
Students could produce a whole paragraph discussing the democratic advantages/disadvantages related to Twitter.

HOMEWORK: I EXPECT ALL STUDENTS TO HAND ME THE ESSAY ON FRIDAY. This really is a massive piece of work as the consideration of media and democracy is a fundamental debate that is central to the A2 Media course. Students must illustrate an intelligent argument with specific and relevant textual reference. I have offered a range of resources, potential essay plan, and discussed this essay in two sessions. Now you need to show me that you are serious about this course. Talk is cheap. Show me you care.
Students also need to complete their creative work. Some of the trailers are FANTASTIC. If we can produce written work that reflects the quality of the creative media, this year will be a very successful media experience.

STUDENTS NEED TO CHECK THE RESOURCES POSTED TO FISHYMEDIA. ALL YOUR RESEARCH MATERIAL FOR THIS ESSAY CAN BE FOUND ON THIS BLOG. USE IT.
:)(:

YEAR 13 LESSON SIX [24th Sept 13]: Homework.

The aim of the session was to prepare students for their first A2 Impact of Digital Media essay. However it soon became apparent that students had not bothered to peruse any of the resources posted to FISHYMEDIA since we returned to work therefore the quality of class discussion was not really A2 standard.
STUDENTS MUST ACQUAINT THEMSELVES WITH THE RESOURCES POSTED BELOW.
I WAS ABSOLUTELY APPALLED TODAY WITH THE LACK OF STUDENT ENGAGEMENT. I EXPECT ALL STUDENTS TO BE USING THIS BLOG AND SYNTHESISING THE MATERIAL BEING POSTED. STUDENTS HAVE CLEARLY NOT BEEN BOTHERING TO ATTEMPT HOMEWORK.

HOMEWORK:
The question students must consider for homework is:
'THE INTERNET AND WORLDWIDE WEB HAVE CREATED A MORE DEMOCRATIC WORLD.' To what extent do you agree with this statement?

Links to relevant resources. YOU SHOULD HAVE DIGESTED THESE RESOURCES WHEN THEY WERE ORIGINALLY POSTED:
http://fishymediaresources.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/here-we-go-againprep-for-sept-13.html
http://fishymediaresources.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/the-twitter-controversy-continues.html
http://fishymediaresources.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/bradley-manning-villain-or-hero.html
http://fishymediaresources.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/ted-lecture-by-clay-shirky.html
http://fishymediaresources.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/what-was-arab-spring.html

Students should also digest the resources below as they will allow you to offer a sophisticated response to the media essay:

KHAN ACADEMY:  http://www.khanacademy.org/about
38 Degrees: http://www.38degrees.org.uk/
POLICE SELL INFO TO THE MEDIA:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/former-met-police-officer-paul-flattley-jailed-for-selling-information-about-kate-middleton-and-john-terry-to-the-sun-8646046.html
SENIOR POLICE INSPECTOR JAILED:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2271798/Detective-Chief-Inspector-jailed-offering-sell-information-phone-hacking-investigation-News-World.html
SHIRKY and KEEN:
http://fishymediaresources.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=clay+shirky
Internet censorship:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPAvg6CU6sI
Bradley Manning/Ed Snowdon..Wikileaks:
http://fishymediaresources.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=bradley+manning
Egypt:
http://fishymediaresources.blogspot.co.uk/2011/02/why-egypts-digital-uprising-is.html
London Riots and technology:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/click_online/9563177.stm
THE YOUNG TURKS:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdgPFgWAwqo&feature=player_embedded#t=3
https://www.tytnetwork.com/company/

Students also need to read the theory sheets I gave you before today's session and you also have to complete your Humber Street Sesh trailers. LOTS TO DO.

I WAS NOT HAPPY TODAY. IF STUDENTS DO NOT ATTEMPT HOMEWORK THERE IS VERY LITTLE POINT IN BEING ON THE COURSE.
I EXPECT THE CLASS DISCUSSION IN THE NEXT SESSION TO BE A PROPER A2 DISCUSSION. I EXPECT ALL STUDENTS TO ILLUSTRATE AND SUPPORT THEIR OPINION WITH REFERENCE TO THE RESOURCES POSTED ON FISHYMEDIA.
YOU LOT NEED TO SHOW ME THAT YOU ARE SERIOUS ABOUT THIS COURSE BECAUSE TODAY I FELT LIKE I WAS TEACHING YEAR 9. WE NEED TO RAISE THE INTELLECTUAL TEMPERATURE FOLKS.
TODAY WAS NOT A GOOD DAY.
WAKE UP. RAISE YOUR GAME. WAKE UP.

YEAR 12 LESSON FIVE [23rd Sept 13]: Homework.

Today's session was a a practical lesson. Students were asked to review material filmed at the recent Humber Street Festival and begin to edit a trailer that could be used to promote the event in 2014. This was the first time many of the class have been asked to create such work and I hope the student experience was a positive experience. Students will be expected to use text therefore the resources below may offer some guidance:
HSS Mission Statement:  http://www.fruitspace.co.uk/festivals/hss.html

Homework: Creating broadcast media is easily the most time-consuming aspect of the course as effective editing demands your time. Student homework is to visit Le cupboard de voodoo and attempt to continue the edit of your trailer. The door is open and the Macs are waiting your creative attention. A level study demands that you use your independent study in a mature and fruitful manner. I expect all students to have developed the content of their trailer before the next session. All you have to do is enter the cupboard and create the media magic. DO NOT FEAR LE CUPBOARD DE VOODOO. In our next lesson we will continue the editing of the trailer.

Toodle Pip.

YEAR 13 LESSON FIVE [20th Sept 13]: Homework.

The aim of this lesson was to provide students with the final hour of class time within which to construct their Humber Street Sesh trailers. Students are producing some decent work but it is the subtle details that really elevate a media text from being okay...to very good! Students need to consider how they will manipulate audio. I do not want you to offer a simple fade. Think about how you will conclude the audio track. Students need to consider how they will use text and how they will conclude the trailer to construct a powerful and appealing message to the viewer. Don't forget to read the mission statement from the 2013 event.The whole of this text should be answering the question:
WHY SHOULD I BOTHER ATTENDING NEXT YEAR'S HUMBER STREET SESH?

Homework: Students are expected to visit Cupboard de Voodoo to complete their trailers. This is a test as I am still not convinced that some students have understood how much time is required to complete a  convincing piece of broadcast media. I was very disappointed with the lack of creative enthusiasm in the final weeks of last term. You have now ALL decided to attempt A2 Media.
THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO SHOW ME THAT YOU ALL CARE ABOUT YOUR WORK.

YEAR 12 LESSON FOUR [19th Sept 13]: Homework.

The aim of today's session was to develop student understanding of MEDIA FORMS as the lesson careered towards the setting of the first written homework. Students were offered a series of visual resources and asked to consider CONNOTATION, USE OF SOUND, SIGNIFICANCE OF TEXT etc. Click on links below to access resources:
Dexter intro: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESicykvHUyk
SKINS trailer Series two: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QF0L-xparmI
NHS smoking advert: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftkYPpD4K8M
NHS 'Hooked': http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anFK9SA5kKw
We also watched the current  MARMITE advertisement .....because it is an example of how a private company uses promotional material. It must be a challenge to promote a yeast based spread!! I think this is a superb advertisement:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHjssdNNzP0

The resources below were used to illustrate how institutional ideology mediates media. This resource contains the front pages of a series of British newspapers the day after the death of Margaret Thatcher. Discussion concerned why The Daily Mirror representation of Thatcher is different to the representation offered by The Daily Mail or The Times.
Representation of Thatcher's death. What do these front pages tell us about institutional ideology and the concept of mediation?
http://fishymediaresources.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/you-tube-aljazeera-httpwww.html

The final section of today's media sermon contained an analysis of the Barnardo's advert. This advert is the textual focus for the first written homework. Click on link below to access text:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFOcrZeMRUU
Class discussion considered possible content for each question. The questions are:

1. How are media forms used to shape meaning?
2. How does the text represent the experience of childhood?
3. How does content link to institution?
4. Who is the target audience?

Homework: Complete written response. Homework will be collected at the beginning of the next media sermon. The magic phrase is....shut up monkey face!

RESOURCES FOR Y13 Sept 2013.

Impact of digital media resources. Click on links below:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-24125457
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-22780267

YEAR 13 LESSON FOUR [17th Sept 13]: Homework.

The aim of this session was to continue with the construction of the trailer to promote the 2014 Humber Street Sesh. Students need to consider how they might use text and how they are going to encourage the audience to attend next year's event. Students will be allowed one more hour of lesson time then students will be expected to complete this
work for homework.

Homework: Students might like to peruse these links to gain some knowledge of the 2013 event. This link contains the mission statement:
http://www.fruitspace.co.uk/festivals/hss.html

YEAR 12 LESSON THREE [16th Sept 2013]: Homework.

This lesson attempted to introduce students to the concept of MEDIA FORMS and how media forms are used to shape meaning. The concept of CONNOTATION was reinforced and also how REPRESENTATION is shaped by institutional ideology. The idea that ALL MEDIA TEXTS ARE MEDIATED and are subjective was reinforced.
The texts used to explore the use of MEDIA FORMS can be accessed via the links below:

• Barnardo's 2008 campaign broadcast media...Breaking The Cycle: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFOcrZeMRUU
• Channel Four's 'Meet The Superhumans': http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuAPPeRg3Nw
• SKINS series one trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nm0onseM1Mw

I made reference to the trailer used to promote the second series of SKINS...and here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QF0L-xparmI

I will be discussing this trailer in the next lesson and will use this text to illustrate the concept of  CONNOTATION.

The class also discussed this famous moment from Alf Hitchcock's PSYCHO:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VP5jEAP3K4

The whole aim of today's session was to introduce the notion of MEDIA FORMS and develop student understanding of media language and how a media text is created.

Homework: Students need to read the material that illustrates the nature of media language and prepare for the first written task. The text used will be the Barnardo's advert and the task will include the following questions:

How are media forms used to shape meaning?

How does the Barnardo's advert represent the experience of childhood?

How does content link to institution?

Who is the target audience?

The class response was excellent today folks. Keep it up.
Josh...the magic word is ELK.

YEAR 13 LESSONS ONE/TWO/THREE..Sept 6th/11th/13th 2013.

WELCOME BACK MEDIA SHIPMATES. This has been a very gentle start to the A2 Media Studies course. We have discussed the IMPACT OF DIGITAL MEDIA and how the BBC have embraced the potential of the digital world. IT IS CRUCIAL THAT STUDENTS ARE AWARE OF HOW THE BBC USES DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY TO OFFER THE AUDIENCE A DECENT MEDIA SERVICE. We will be returning to the digital significance of the BBC in future lessons.

The main task offered to students is the challenge of creating a trailer to be used to advertise the 2014 Humber Street Sesh. The Macs have 20 minutes of raw footage that I captured at the 2013 Humber Street Sesh and the task is to shape this footage into a decent promotional film. Mark Page, the director of the Humber Street Sesh, has agreed to select the most impressive trailer and he has stated that, if the work is good, he may use the most impressive trailer to promote next year's event! No pressure then kids!
Here is a link to the documentary that I created in August that attempts to capture the spirit of the event and the personality of the inspirational Mr.Page. Click on link below:
http://vimeo.com/73726994

The aim of this creative task is to re-introduce students to film editing and develop the skills that will be required to create A2 coursework. The work I saw today was very accomplished. KEEP IT UP.

Homework:
Despite the fact that classwork will be creative and practical for the next two sessions, it is important that students watch, digest, and comprehend the information being presented by the resources below. I expect ALL students to visit these resources:
THE VIRTUAL REVOLUTION episode one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Idz0EEUPek
THE VIRTUAL REVOLUTION episode two:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcLP_Zn4dwU
THE VIRTUAL REVOLUTION episode three:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHfd_JQp-Lc

YEAR 12 LESSONS ONE AND TWO..9th/12th Sept 13.

Welcome to my world Year 12. Our first two lessons were a very gentle introduction to the demands of AS Media Studies. The second lesson introduced some key media language such as REPRESENTATION, MEDIATION, DIEGETIC SOUND and NON-DIEGETIC SOUND. Students need to familiarise themselves with the language of media analysis as soon as possible.

The Kick-Ass trailer was used to explore the relevant application of media language along with an analysis of the opening section of Steven Spielberg's JAWS. Students were asked to consider how Spielberg represents the sea in this classic opening sequence and how media forms are used to shape this representation. Class response was outstanding. WELL DONE.
Kick-Ass Trailer:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5mxBaXHcFw
Opening section of JAWS: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrEvK-tv5OI&feature=fvwrel

Homework: Students should read the essay that i offered and note how media language is used to construct a convincing media analysis. Next week I will continue to introduce the class to media language and we will begin to examine how media forms shape meaning. Students should peruse the resources below as I will be using them in our next session.
The shower scene in Hitchcock's Psycho:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VP5jEAP3K4
SKINS trailer One:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nm0onseM1Mw
Meet the Superhumans..Channel Four's
Paralympics advert:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuAPPeRg3Nw

In the next lesson I will be asking you to offer me the magic word.
The magic word is UNICORN. If you have visited the blog you will know the magic word. This is a test to see who is listening to my advice and using this key resource.