Activities
The following is a range of activities, preferably done in order,to support students in their learning of Unit 4, Area of Study 2: Agency and Control in and of the Media. The planner can be used as a timeframe guide. Upon completion of these activities students will be able to 'discuss issues of agency and control in the relationship between the media and its audience'(VCAA 2017). Students will also be able to display the key skills and knowledge outlined in the study design (found on either the key content page or in resources)
Each activity has supporting pedagogical strategies to engage a range of learners.
Activity 1: Introduction
Introduce the relationship between Media and Audience. As a class we will look at the Key Skills and Knowledge required as stated in the study design, students will highlight their copies of the study design.
As a class, create a brainstorm about student’s preconceived ideas surrounding the topic. This will involve defining media forms & audiences. The teacher should connect to student experience, asking students what media is prominent in their lives (i.e Social Media).
The class will then view 'Under the Influence' (on the resources page) and discuss the effect of social media on audiences.
Following this we will look at the communication theories (Key content page), starting with the hypodermic needle theory, students will read and record the information in their notes for future study.
Pedagogical Strategies:
- Utilise a whole class brainstorm to enable sharing of student ideas. This engages students, offers opportunity for students to extend and articulate their thoughts and offers support for students who are unsure.
- Utilise ICT & Video for visual learners.
- Using website content allows for students to learn at their own pace.
- Ensure teacher monitors student progress and provides support where necessary.
- Any students needed extension can research further into the theories.
Activity 2: Theories of Influence
This activity will be the continuation of discussion of the Media Influence Theories (Key content page).
Students will read and record the notes for future study, following a whole class discussion of each theory: The Agenda Setting Function Theory, Uses and Gratification Theory, Reinforcement Theory, Post Modernism Theory, Political Model Theory.
Each theory discussion will involve a definition and a look at the research used to prove or disprove the theories and their methodology. During discussion students will be encouraged to provide examples that relates to the content.
Pedagogical Strategies:
- Utilise a whole class discussion to enable sharing of student ideas. This engages students, offers opportunity for students to extend and articulate their thoughts and offers support for students who are unsure.
- Using website content allows for students to learn at their own pace.
- Ensure teacher monitors student progress and provides support where necessary.
- Any students needed extension can research further into the theories.
Activity 3: Audience Reception
This activity is to introduce the students to the Audience Reception Theories. Students are to be broken into three groups. Each group will b given the name of an audience reception theory and will be given 20 minutes to research what they think the theory is.
This will be followed by a presentation to the whole class discussion where students will share their ideas. The teacher will give a final definition of each theory(which can be found on the key content page) which the students will record in their notes for future study.
Pedagogical Strategies:
- Utilise group work to enable sharing of student ideas. This engages students by providing an opportunity for students to articulate their thoughts and engage in research. It also offers support for students who are unsure as they can work with their peers.
- Using website content allows for students to learn at their own pace.
- Ensure teacher monitors student progress and provides support where necessary.
- Presentations provides the opportunity for students to teach their peers, consolidating the knowledge whilst supporting students who are unsure.
- Teacher explanation provides another opportunity to consolidate information.
Activity 4: Theory Posters
Students will be put into small groups. Each group will be given poster paper and two theories either of Media Influence or Audience Reception.
The groups will be required to create a poster defining the theories with imagery and including major research completed in study of the theory.
Once completed the theories will be put up around the classroom.
Pedagogical Strategies:
- Utilise group work to enable sharing of student ideas. This engages students by providing an opportunity for students to articulate their thoughts. It also offers support for students who are unsure as they can work with their peers to improve understanding.
- This activity acts to consolidate information and can be used as formative assessment.
- Placing the posters around the room also offers for visual reminders.
Activity 5: Debate analysis
Students will be required access the Debate.Org page focused on Media influence, located on the resources page.
Students will be required to select 10-15 arguments posted on the site. Students will then need to analyse the arguments and decide which theory the argument relates to. The argument must be summarised in their own words and the theory identified with evidence (i.e quotes from the argument) in their notebooks.
Pedagogical Strategies:
- This activity engages students with the use of ICT.
- Acts to consolidate the information learnt previously and can be used as a formative assessment task.
- Teacher will be required to monitor student work and provide support.
- Students who require extension can be encouraged to analyse their selected arguments in more depth.
Activity 6: Debate analysis part 2
Students will be required access the Debate.Org page focused on Media influence, located on the resources page.
Using the 10-15 Arguments selected in the previous activity, students are required to write a rebuttal (for each argument) within their notebooks, utilising criticisms of the media theories identified in the pervious lessons.
Pedagogical Strategies:
- Acts to consolidate the information learnt previously and can be used as a formative assessment task.
- Teacher will be required to monitor student work and provide support.
- Students who require extension can be encouraged to write their arguments in more depth.
Activity 7: Influence Imagery
Students are to be given a range of imagery sourced from old paintings and social media. Students will engage in a discussion task in small groups about what the images mean, what they represent, the context and how they would act to influence people from their time period.
This will lead into a discussion/brainstorm as a whole class of new media forms and the potential they have to influence audiences both positively and negatively.
Students will then be directed to the resources page to engage with the article focused on media influence on Teenagers. One they have read the page students are to reflect, using personal examples, about whether they feel influenced by the media.
Pedagogical Strategies:
- Engages students who are visual and provides opportunity for debate.
- Group work acts to enable students to articulate their ideas and support their peers.
- Teacher should monitor each group to provide support or further questions.
- Whole class discussion consolidates ideas and provides opportunity for students to extent their ideas or learn from others.
Activity 8: Case Studies
As a whole class we will consider the media influence effects surrounding Martin Bryant. The information can be accessed and downloaded on the resources page. Students will read the document and engage in discussion facilitated by the teacher.
The students will then be required to either access the Social Media Case studies link or the Case Studies booklet by Knite on the resources page. The students will be required to select two case studies to summarise. Following the summaries they must link influence and reception theories to the case study with an inclusion of critisms.
Pedagogical Strategies:
- Using website content enables students to learn at their own pace.
- Whole class discussion provides support to students who are unsure, whilst also offering the opportunity for students to extend their ideas.
- Teacher is to check in regularly with students to provide support and modification if needed.
- Students who require extension can do research outside of the provided documents to further support their work.
Activity 9: Regulation
Introduction to regulation & classification. Discuss with the students their pre-conceived knowledge about regulation.
Introduce the students to the Government’s role in the media - the Australian Communication and Media Authority (ACMA.) and self-regulatory bodies, the websites can be accessed through the resources page. Students are to read the websites to gain an understanding of what the ACMA do, answering the following questions:
- What is the ACMA? (i.e, what does it stand for?)
- What is their role?
- What specific things do they focus on?
Following this students are to go to the Advertising Standards Bureau website (link on the resources page) and read the website to gain understanding. Students are to answer the following questions:
- What is the ABS?
- What is the purpose of the ABS?
- What does the ABS do?
- What codes do the ABS follow?
Pedagogical Strategies:
- ICT use to engage student interest.
- Teacher to monitor student work to provide support.
- Following the task the class can discuss their answers to consolidate information.
Activity 10: Advertising
Students are required to research the Advertising standards, policy and practice. In their notes students are to record summaries the policy and practices that advertisers are required to follow. This will be followed by a whole class sharing of ideas to ensure each student has the correct information.
We will then view range of advertisements (links on the resources page). After each advertisement students will be required to write how they feel emotionally and what they think their behaviour and the general public’s behaviour would be after viewing the add. We will then engage in a discussion as a class to share ideas and identify links to the Advertising standards.
Pedagogical Strategies:
- ICT use to engage student interest.
- Teacher to monitor student work to provide support.
- Whole class discussion to consolidate information.
- Video use for visual learners and a change of pace.
- Student reflection and discussion to extend their ideas.
Activity 11: Ethics
As a class, define and compare Free To Air/Pay T V/Internet access in regards to classification and regulation. Look at what is regulated or classified, why and why not.
In groups students are to compare method of delivery Versus classification.
The groups must then consider the moral and ethical issue of a person aged 10 have access to R rated texts.
Pedagogical Strategies:
- Utilise a whole class discussion to enable sharing of student ideas. This engages students, offers opportunity for students to extend and articulate their thoughts and offers support for students who are unsure.
- Group work acts to enable students to articulate their ideas and support their peers.
- Acts as a higher order thinking task to extend students.
- Teacher to monitor student work and provide support.
Activity 12: The Great Regulation Debate
The class can be split into either two groups. The groups will be engaging in a debate about whether we should or should not have Media Regulation.
One group must engage in research and come up with an argument for Media Regulation.
The other group must engage in research and come up with an argument against Media Regulation.
The students are required to use evidence, research, case studies and persuasive language.
The students from group one and two will make smaller groups of 3-4 students. These groups will work together to combine their research and create note cards for the debate.
The smaller groups will engage in debates with the smaller groups from the opposing sides in front of the class.
To consolidate the learning Students will be required to create a T-bar graph in their notebooks. Students must complete the graph with notes for and against regulation, classification using information gained from the debate.
Pedagogical Strategies:
- Group work acts to enable students to articulate their ideas and support their peers.
- Consolidates information.
- Each debate acts as an opportunity for the students to teach each other.
- Teacher to monitor student work and provide support.
Activity 13: Regulation/Classification Grey Area
Students are to access the relevant webpages on the resource page looking at the following topics:
1.Viewing times
2.Classification
3.Warnings
4.V Chip
5.Net Nanny
Students are to reflect on the purpose and usefulness of each topic in their notes and engage in a whole class discussion to evaluate the topics.
Pedagogical Strategies:
- ICT use to engage student interest.
- Teacher to monitor student work to provide support.
- Whole class discussion to consolidate information.
- Student reflection and discussion to extend their ideas.
Activity 14: Australian Media/ Ownership laws/ Diversity of opinions
Students are to access the relevant webpages on the resource page looking at the following topics:
-
Ownership laws
-
Free to air Media Content (Australian Content)
-
Ratings
Students are to answer the following questions:
- What is the concept of control?
- Provide examples of control.
- What are the purpose of the statutory control rules?
- What are the purpose of the diversity rules?
- What is the ACMA objective for TV content?
- What is the purpose of the BSA act?
- What is the content standard?
- What is the purpose of TV ratings?
- How do they influence the media?
Pedagogical Strategies:
- ICT use to engage student interest.
- Teacher to monitor student work to provide support.
- Students to engage with website resources to learn at their own pace.
Activity 15: Ratings/Advertisers/Journalists
Students are to access the relevant webpages on the resource page looking at the following topics:
1. Advertisers Code of Ethics
2. Journalistic Code of Ethics
Students are to analyse the codes of ethics, drawing parallels between the two codes and evaluate the usefulness of the code and whether self-regulation or mandatory regulation is appropriate.
Following this students are to share their ideas in a whole class discussion.
Pedagogical Strategies:
- ICT use to engage student interest.
- Teacher to monitor student work to provide support.
- Students to engage with website resources to learn at their own pace.
- Whole class discussion to consolidate information.
SAC Preparation:
In order to prepare for the SAC there are a range of activities that the students can engage in:
- Kahoot! Quizes
- Quizlets
- Whole class workshopping of example answers
- Student creation of potential SAC questions (This helps them to develop their language)
- Creation of posters or flash cards
- Going over notes
- Practice SAC questions (Teachers can develop these from past exam or use online resources)
- Practice SACs done in exam style conditions with prompted feedback supplied
Under the resources page there are a number of links that students can visit to aid their revision. Teachers can also use the resources as practice SAC questions or a showcase of examples.