In the very near future, A2 students will be investigating media regulation and discovering who regulates our media and why regulation is considered necessary. Here is an article relating to film censorship. Note reader comments.
Thursday, 29 September 2011
Wednesday, 28 September 2011
FACEBOOK COOKIE GLITCH: BBC article.
We were discussing cookies in the last A2 lesson. This article may help you with the essay that I am expecting on Friday. Should we be suspicious of the cookie?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-15091674
The two cookie related articles at the bottom of this BBC article are also worth a read:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-13541250
Students might also want to research KHAN ACADEMY which is a free educational site that could be used in your essay when you are discussing the Internet's ability to provide 'free' information. Khan Academy could be used as an example of 'LEVELLING'. Kahn's Academy could be used as an example of how digital media can empower the individual and enhance democratic freedom. Click on link below:
Tuesday, 27 September 2011
YEAR 12 LESSON THREE [27th Sept 11]: Homework.
The class were introduced to an example of print media used in a Barnardos campaign and were asked to compare this representation with the e-media currently offered by Barnardos. Students were encouraged to compare and contrast the print platform with the e-media platform. The aim of this task was to make students aware of how content is shaped by purpose. The shocking nature of the print/broadcast media is used to encourage the audience to engage with the more informative and less graphically challenging website.
Click on link to access the e-media offered by Barnardos:
Students were introduced to the work of Don McCullin, Pablo Picasso's Guernica and a photograph taken by Javad Moghimi in Tehran in 2009. All the images perused inspired a degree of Institutional/Government repression.McCullin was refused access to The Falklands to cover the War in 1982, Guernica was only exhibited in Spain after Franco's death, and Moghimi had to leave Iran in fear of his life after his photograph irritated the oppressive ruling authority. Students were encouraged to develop their awareness of the power of representation and how some institutions will attempt to control representation by stifling representations that fail to conform to their preferred institutional ideology. Click on links below for resources that relate to McCullin and Moghimi. Students should read/listen/watch these reources to gain a wider understanding of the power of representation and the potential power of a single still image.
The final section of the first session involved analysis of two outrageous advertisements from America in the 1970s that link cigarette smoking to a healthy lifestyle....and facial hair!
The final session involved students watching and commenting upon work produced by previous Year 12 classes. Click on links to access all three texts:
For Year 6 audience: http://vimeo.com/15061002
For Year 11 audience: http://vimeo.com/16121970
For Year 11 audience. Doc in a day challenge: http://vimeo.com/13263046
The group decided that next week they would attempt to capture material aimed at accessing a Year 11 audience that contains: brief interviews, interviews with Year 13, uses natural light and captures the bustle and beauty of the school. Students need to organise themselves into groups of two or three as we have six/seven video cameras and four tripods.
HOMEWORK: Students must produce a written response to the three questions offered in today's lesson:
1.How does the e-media for Barnardos differ from the print media? Why? Students must continue to use the language of media in their analysis. Consider how Barnardos represents itself through the e-media.
2.What do we learn about representation and institutional ideology through the photographs of McCullin and Moghami? Read the material posted to fishymedia. It will allow you to produce a sophisticated and detailed response.
3. How are cigarettes represented in the two advertisements? Students should be aware that this question will require you to identify the nature of the connotation that is being associated with the act of smoking cigarettes.
All of these question demands a detailed paragraph that offers specific textual reference and clear and relevant use of media language.
The fourth section of the homework involves students taking a photograph that represents the town of Beverley. Students will be expected to visit the technicians and ask them to print an A4 size copy of the captured image. Your photograph needs to be a jpeg saved to a memory stick so that the lovely lads that are our technicians can easily obtain your photograph and quickly hand you an A4 version of your image. Students need to consider what kind of institution would be a suitable institution for your representation. TRY AND AVOID CLICHE!
Students also need to consider ideas for the first creative filming task next week.
Lots to do folks.
Thursday, 22 September 2011
YEAR 13 LESSON THREE [23rd Sept 11]: Homework.
Students were asked to consider their own definition of democratic freedom before a class discussion produced a series of notes that will be used to help create a response to the question: 'THE INTERNET AND WORLDWIDE WEB HAVE CREATED A MORE DEMOCRATIC WORLD.' TO WHAT EXTENT DO YOU AGREE WITH THIS STATEMENT?
I expect this essay to be completed for homework and handed to me at the beginning of next Friday's session.
The second section of this session was concerned with discussing material that will eventually allow students to produce a response to the statement: 'MEDIA INSTITUTIONS ARE RIGHT TO FEEL THREATENED BY NEW/DIGITAL MEDIA.' CONSIDER THIS STATEMENT AND SHOW HOW MEDIA INSTITUTIONS ARE REACTING TO TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS.
Students were provided with material that explores media issues relating to 'The MySpace Story' and also explores the influence of Napster and how Shawn Fanning has changed how we consume music. Students were made aware of the Google Plus challenge to Facebook. Click on link to view BBC material relating to this issue:
Students were then asked to consider the influence of advertising and whether the internet is really a 'Free Space'. What price do we pay when we access the digital world?
Homework: Students need to complete the media and democracy essay. Students also need to watch the third episode of the BBC's THE VIRTUAL REVOLUTION. This episode is titled THE COST OF FREE and is an essential resource. This documentary explores issues such as the influence of the cookie, how behavioural targeting works, and why Adwords is so effective. YOU MUST WATCH THIS EPISODE. The first three episodes of this documentary form the basic understanding of digital media that will allow students to develop a more sophisticated understanding of media debates and issues. If you are not watching these resources you are not an A Level Media student and might want to reconsider your academic options. Click on link below to access the first You Tube segment of episode three. Students should navigate through the episode from this initial link:
Students need to familiarise themselves with THE COST OF FREE/Napster notes as this information will inform the next session.
Lots to do folks. The essay is a massive piece of work as it will provide me with evidence of how you are approaching this course and how much research you are undertaking beyond our classroom. CRITICAL AUTONOMY is crucial. I have provided an essay plan and a mass of material that is relevant for this task. I expect a detailed and convincing A2 response that reflects the amount of work/material that we have discussed in preparation for this task.
Students are advised to revisit the links offered in the first two lesson blog entries.
Good luck.
Wednesday, 21 September 2011
WILL GOOGLE PLUS CHALLENGE FACEBOOK? BBC Article.
Google seem desperate to extend their vast economic and digital power because they obviously need to raise their digital profile!! Sorry about the sarcasm but how much of the digital marketplace can one company command before there is an issue relating to monopoly? Has the internet simply created a small number of global companies that bully and dominate the digital market? This might be an issue A2 students could explore through their coursework.
Anyway, click on the link below to hear a google representative 'sell' google plus and avoid using the word 'Facebook':
Facebook are clearly aware of Google Plus:
Google's links with China may be of interest to A2 students currently collecting material for their media and democracy essay. Google accepted the restrictions imposed upon them by the Chinese government as they still stood to rake in a mass of profit. They threatened to remove the google service from China when it was discovered that the Chinese government had hacked into thousands of Gmail accounts:
The saga of China and Google is an interesting tale. A2 students should be aware of its significance.
Tuesday, 20 September 2011
YEAR 12 LESSON TWO [20th Sept 11]: Homework.
Students were offered resources that provide an overview of AUDIENCE THEORY, GENRE AND NARRATIVE THEORY. Students were also offered an exemplar response to the question: Compare and contrast the trailer from the first series of Skins with the trailer for the second series of Skins with particular reference to the representation of teenagers.
Click on link below to access both trailers:
Series One:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nm0onseM1Mw
Series Two: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QF0L-xparmI&NR=1
Students then considered the codes and conventions of the film trailer. A series of trailers were shown to the students and class discussion/reaction produced a board full of relevant notes. Students examined how information relating to genre and audience is always evident, information is offered relating to character and location, the use of enigma codes and a sense of narrative disequilibrium is often evident, and text and/or voiceover is often used to ensure that the trailer is not too polysemic. Click on link to access the Winter's Bone trailer:
Click on link to access Prom trailer:
Click on link to access Social Network trailer:
The second section of this session involved students offering a media criticism of the controversial 2008/2009 Barnardos advertisement 'Breaking the Cycle'. Click on link to access the advertisement:
This advertisement inspired nearly 500 complaints when broadcast on ITV in November 2008 during the ad break to 'I'm a Celebrity, get me out of here'.
Guardian article relating to Break the Cycle:
Daily Telegraph article that includes interview with actress:
Homework: Students should read all the material that I offered in this session. Students should be beginning to develop a basic understanding of NARRATIVE/AUDIENCE theory and media language. The first written task is a response to the Breaking the Cycle advertisement. Students must answer the following questions:
1.How are media forms used to shape the meaning of this advert?
2.How is the life of the girl represented?
3.What do we learn about the role of Barnardos in this advertisement?
4.Where does the advert position its audience?
Below is a link to a resource that will help students construct an appropriate written response to this first written task. Students can print or download this document:
You lot were brilliant today. Much appreciated.Keep it up.
Smoking in films influences teenage behaviour: BBC news item.
One of the key concepts in media is the debate that considers the influence of media. Chomsky and Marxist Theory clearly offers the view that the media is incredibly influential whereas Liberal Pluralism offers the view that the audience has the freedom to choose its media input therefore the audience is more active, and media less influential, than Chomsky suggests. This report seems to suggest that the media is having an influence upon teenage behaviour therefore serves to reinforce the Marxist viewpoint rather than a more pluralist perspective. STUDENTS MUST BE AWARE THAT THIS IS A CENTRAL MEDIA DEBATE. CAN THE MEDIA REALLY INFLUENCE HUMAN BEHAVIOUR?
This issue also relates to Media regulation. Should films that depict smoking be given an 18 certificate? Don't forget folks, the British Board of Film Classification website is a fantastic resource when researching media and regulation. Click on link to access their excellent website. The student resources are superb and the historical information is incredibly useful. I advise A2 students to visit this site:
Click on link below to access BBC online article and access video report:
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