Media

The Course

The Subject Application part of the Media GTP Course is continually revised and updated in order to respond to feedback from trainees and mentors and to take account of ongoing government initiatives and legislation. It has been planned to include a range of experiences that will allow trainees to develop the knowledge, skills, understanding and awareness to become good Media teachers. There are three elements that contribute to this: the Subject Application course; the generic Professional Studies course and the two school placements. Making coherent links between these three elements is essential if trainees are to exploit the course to its full potential and make the most of their development opportunities over the course of the year.

Media Content

During the course trainees will become acquainted with the content and nature of the Media curriculum 11 - 18 and will develop a language to describe the teaching and learning of Media. Relevant literature such as the National Curriculum, OFSTED Reports, and the National Strategies will provide a framework to describe Media, the variety of activities, outcomes of related activities and ways of promoting Media in the classroom. A wide range of exemplar resources and methods will be used so that trainee teachers experience different approaches, reflect on their experiences and consider the implications for the classroom. Specific aspects of classroom organisation and management of the National Curriculum and the National Strategies will be introduced. The appropriate use of ICT in teaching and learning in Media will be addressed throughout the course. Sessions will involve trainees in discussions, presentations of work and practical activities. Each session is supported by relevant subject reading.

Media in the National Curriculum - Key Concepts

The new National Curriculum is expects student to be in touch with the wider media through a thematic approach to learning. At KS3 student s in English will have greater access to media texts as part of their study. This is not a new development, for example media reviews have always been part of KS3 English. But the PLT's that schools will be offering as a part of the new curriculum are reliant on good media skills and knowledge. The course underpins the changes in the curriculum by addressing the idea of the PLT's and wider KS3 subjects and how media practitioners can really develop the media knowledge of students.

There are a number of key concepts that underpin the study of Media and students need to understand these concepts in order to deepen and broaden their knowledge, skills and understanding.

1.1 Creativity
1. Producing imaginative images, artefacts and other outcomes that are both original and of value.
2. Exploring and experimenting with ideas, materials, tools and techniques.
3. Taking risks and learning from mistakes.
Creativity is a key area of media studies. It is important that media teachers are able to maintain and deliver quality instruction to stimulate students creative skills. The GTP media course is designed to ensure that trainees have the highest quality skills to deliver a range of audio/visual training to students, across a range of platforms.

1.2 Competence
1. Investigating, analysing, designing, making, reflecting and evaluating effectively.
2. Making informed choices about media, techniques and processes.
It is necessary that trainees have the ability to teach high level analytical skills and investigative skills. Students in today's climate feel they are media savvy; however they are not as informed as they believe. In the age of the social networking era, teachers must be fully aware of the ever changing media landscape. We train media teachers to be able to deliver ethically centric knowledge about the wider media industry.

1.3 Cultural understanding
1. Engaging with a range of images and artefacts from different contexts, recognising the varied characteristics of different cultures and using them to inform their creating and making.
2. Understanding the role of the artist, craftsperson and designer in a range of cultures, times and contexts.

Cultural contexts are an integral part of the learning pathways for media studies. It is a core value of the media department that trainees have the skills to deliver the differing contexts of cultural understanding. This includes the consideration of not just varied cultural media texts but also cultural teaching contexts.

1.4 Critical understanding
1. Exploring visual, tactile and other sensory qualities of their own and others' work.
2. Engaging with ideas, images and artefacts, and identifying how values and meanings are conveyed.
3. Developing their own views and expressing reasoned judgements.
4. Analysing and reflecting on work from diverse contexts.

Critical analysis of media texts is a invaluable for students in studying today. The critical skills in media are underpinned by coaching in peer assessment, assessment for learning among others . Media trainees are expected to have high critical skills for all levels and all media industries.