Media Studies
The media play a central role in contemporary culture, society and politics. They shape our perceptions of the world through the representations, ideas and points of view they offer. The media provides us with ways to communicate, with forms of cultural expression and the ability to participate in key aspects of society. The economic importance of the media is also unquestionable. The media industries employ large numbers of people worldwide and generate significant global profit. The globalised nature of the contemporary media, ongoing technological developments and more opportunities to interact with the media suggest their centrality in contemporary life can only increase.
The A Level and GCSE Media Studies courses at Wyedean offer learners the opportunity to develop a thorough and in depth understanding of these key issues, using a variety of advanced theoretical approaches and theories to support critical exploration and reflection, analysis and debate. The study of a wide range of rich and stimulating media products is central, offering opportunities for detailed analysis of how the media communicate meanings in a variety of forms. Learners work from the product outwards to debate key critical questions related to the social, cultural, political and economic role of the media. Wyedean students engage with the dynamic relationships between media products, media industries and audiences and consider established media forms alongside contemporary forms, developing an awareness of emerging and evolving media.
Although the primary emphasis is on the contemporary media, students at Wyedean will explore how the products relate to their wider historical contexts. Learners will also extend their experience of the media through the study of products with which they are less familiar, including those produced by or for a minority group, non-mainstream and non-English language products.
The Media department also recognises the fundamental relationship between theoretical understanding and practical work, providing learners with exciting opportunities to develop media production skills in different forms and become creators of meaning themselves. Learners are offered a choice of briefs and forms within which to work, enabling them to explore and pursue their own media interests.
Curriculum Information
|
|