Your AS Media Bridging Unit

                                                Beaverwood School Post-16 Bridging Unit

Course Title	Faculty	Head of Faculty
AS Level Media Studies	English	Ms D Allwood

Course Information

Assessment Breakdown (AS only)

G322 Exam (worth 50%) •       Two hours (including 30 minutes to view an extract from an unprepared TV drama and take notes) •       Section A – One compulsory question which requires students to write an essay in response to the unprepared TV drama extract and explain how representation of a particular social group is constructed through the use of mise en scene, camera shots, angles, movement and composition, sound and editing. (50 marks) •       Section B – One compulsory question based upon one a case study of a specific media industry and institutions within that industry. (50 marks) G321 Coursework (worth 50%) •       After completing a range of preliminary tasks, students are required to research and plan their own music magazine. They must produce a front page, contents page and a double page spread for their magazine, which includes original photography that has been manipulated accordingly. Students must then submit an evaluation of their work which includes audience feedback. (100 marks in total: 20 marks for research and planning; 60 marks for production; 20 marks for evaluation)

Assessment Objectives

AO1 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of media concepts, contexts and critical debates, using terminology appropriately and with accurate and coherent written expression

AO2 Apply knowledge and understanding to show how meanings are created when analysing media products and evaluating their own practical work.

AO3 Demonstrate the ability to plan and construct media products using appropriate technical and creative skills.

AO4 Demonstrate the ability to undertake and apply appropriate research.

Key Skills

C = Communication, AoN = Application of Number, IT = Information Technology, WwO =Working with Others, IOLP = Improving Own Learning and Performance and PS = Problem Solving

Bridging Task

Task Outline

Go to http://beaverwoodmediabridgingunit.blogspot.co.uk/ and follow the instructions for setting up your own gmail account (if you don’t already have one) and blog. Email your blog address, with your name, to: beaverwoodmedia@gmail.com Spend some time familiarising yourself with the resources on our main hub:http://beaverwoodmedia.blogspot.co.uk in preparation for publishing your first post Publish your first post on your blog: Three resources I found most interesting/helpful and why. Your post should include text and at least one hyperlink. Research the term ‘media representation’. Publish a summary of what you find out, and your own definition of the term, on your second blog post. Your post should include text; you may also include one or more hyperlink if you wish. Watch at least one TV drama that you have not seen previously and publish at least one post about this on your blog. Your third post(s) should include: a summary of what type of TV drama it is (subgenre); links to research about the drama (its history, the production company, cast, newspaper reviews etc.); an image of the cast, the title screen or the main actor/actress; a written response to the episode that you watched, focusing on 2-3 characters and how they are represented. Find a magazine cover of your choice. Annotate the cover in detail, identifying the main design features are typical of all magazine covers (these are called generic conventions) and explaining how you think they a) relate to the genre of the magazine; b) represent the person/people on the front cover and c) appeal to the target audience. Upload your annotated cover on to your blog and publish your fourth post (follow the instructions onhttp://beaverwoodmediabridgingunit.blogspot.co.uk/). Read the Media Guardian (either a hard copy or online). Choose the story that interests you most and write a brief summary of it, explaining what interested you and why. Publish this as your fifth post on your blog. Include a link to the story on www.guardian.co.uk/media. Your final post should be a written reflection on what you have learned during the bridging unit and what you are looking forward to (or have concerns about) about A Level Media Studies. Please note The blogging process should be fairly straightforward and self-explanatory and there is guidance on how to resolve most problems on our Beaverwood Media hub. However, if you have insurmountable technical difficulties, please complete the tasks in the usual way and hand hard copies in to your Media Studies teacher in your first lesson. There are exemplars of the six different posts you need to publish athttp://beaverwoodmediabridgingunit.blogspot.co.uk/ along with more detailed instructions Of course, please feel free to publish more than six posts on your blog if you wish – keep a log of your different media experiences over the summer.

Marking Criteria / Assessment Method

(0-7 marks) Research and planning evidence will be incomplete Minimal level of detail in written annotations/summaries/analyses of media texts Minimal level of care in the presentation of work Minimal skill in use of ICT Minimal understanding of issues of representation Minimal ability to refer to what you have done/learned Minimal ability to communicate (8-11 marks) Research and planning evidence may be partially incomplete  Annotations/summaries/analyses are basic Basic level of care in the presentation of work Basic skill in use of ICT Basic understanding of issues of representation Basic ability to refer to what you have done/learned  Basic ability to communicate (12-15 marks) Research and planning evidence will be complete Annotations/summaries/analyses are detailed and show good understanding Good level of care in the presentation of work Proficient skill in use of ICT Proficient understanding of issues of representation Proficient ability to refer to what you have done/learned Proficient ability to communicate (16-20 marks) Research and planning evidence will be complete; excellent level of detail Annotations/summaries/analyses are very detailed and show excellent understanding Excellent level of care in the presentation of work Excellent skill in use of ICT Excellent understanding of issues of representation Excellent ability to refer to what you have done/learned Excellent ability to communicate