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Media Studies 20

November 22, 2022

The Instructor for this course is MJ Sherven

Course History

First Offered in 2003

Developed by Eileen Laverty

Curriculum Guide

Pre-requisite ELA A10 OR ELA B10



The mass media are an integral part of our lives and our society. We live in a world influenced and shaped by the sights, sounds, opinions, and values presented by the mass media--those print, non-print, and electronic texts that communicate with a mass audience.

The mass media create artifacts related to our cultural environment and help us construct our concepts of society today. They influence our values, opinions and attitudes, and our social conventions and norms. Given the influence which the mass media exercise in our lives, and in the lives of students, it is important that we bring the "languages" of these media into the classroom with the goal of teaching students how to become critical listeners, readers, and viewers as well as effective users of the media available to them.

This course encourages students to expand their repertoire of language skills and strategies through the study of media communication. It assists students in dealing critically with the media in their lives. While media literacy is an important dimension of all English language arts curricula, this course gives students an opportunity to explore mass media and their effects on society in more depth.

The purpose of Media Studies 20 is to develop the knowledge, skills, and disposition students need to understand and use media as informed and active citizens.

Media Studies 20 is concerned with helping students develop an informed and critical understanding of the nature of the mass media, the messages contained in the mass media, the techniques used by them, and the impact of these media.


Course Information / Credit Recovery Units


Module One:  Common Ground  ~  14 days

Who am I? 

Responsibility to Respond

Responsibility of Society

Virtues of Society

Values of Society


Module Two:  Media Awareness  ~  16 days

Media Terms

Media Profile

Role of Media

Pop Culture

Powerful Influence


Module Three:  Key Concepts ~  21 days

Ideology and Values

Medium is the Message

Industry

Canadian Culture

Media Investigation


Module Four:  Advertising  ~  26 days

Public Service Announcements

Advocacy Ads

Language

Positioning

Marketing

Double Speak

Weapons of Media

Television and Radio


Module Five:  Journalism ~ 20 days

Media Event

Sources of Information

Types of News Stories

Watch Dogs

Gatekeeper

Internet News

Creating Bias

Photojournalism

Photographic Truth

Political Concerns


Module Six:  Independent Project ~ 21 days

Project Topics

Project Ideas

Project Proposal

Project Research Grid

Project Assessment Sheet



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