What Could Media Studies Be?

I, along with many other film and media educators at all levels, attended the 'What Could Media Studies Be' conference hosted by Sussex University and the MEA. As everyone who attended will attest, it was a fantastic experience and a great networking opportunity, as well as a chance for us all to realise that we are not alone in our concerns, and also share hopes for the future.

There were a great many ideas and inspirations that I took away from the day, including: KS3 media and digital literacy integration, the duty that we have as practitioners to ensure that our students are digitally literate, and the feeling of solidarity from other teaches all over the world that have to sell their subject against a landscape of misunderstanding and naivety about what it actually entails.

However, the point that struck me most was that made by Claire Pollard both (Media Magazine editor to name but a few achievements) and Michael McKinley, an experienced and engaging Media teacher. As teachers, we are constantly dealing with the strained relationship between a subject and its qualifications. This is particularly apparent at present in Media, with its rigid set text list and extensive prescribed theorists. The temptation, as many testified, was to simply print the very comprehensive guidance for teachers, split it up into sections and hand it out to students as revision guides. The combination of making the subject more restrained in order to conform with the government's notion of 'rigorous', and the sad but real tendency to have Media 'dumped' on your timetable as a teacher without warning or CPD (and often dumped with students who are late starters or who have had difficulty with options) means there is little incentive to explore beyond the overwhelming content set by exam boards. This, ultimately, leads to a very exam focused and repetitive approach, with students describing themselves as 'expert' at Section A, but not at exploring the notion of representation in advertising or music video, for example. This is an issue, not least because this way of thinking means students (and, potentially, staff) lose sight of the incredible insight and experience that Media Studies gives, which can then be applied in almost every career and every aspect of modern life.

In a way, it's symptomatic of education's relationship with society - that of a qualification conveyor belt for the most part. We are all guilty of it at open evenings, or I know I am: I talk through the exams section by section, showing set text posters and explaining coursework percentages. That is very important information for a student choosing what their next steps are, of course, but it is most certainly not the only important thing. This is even more prevalent at A Level: so much talk focused on the exam and coursework and deadlines, but little exploration beyond the exam specification. Sure, we offer enrichment, but why should a student have to stay after school or consider it a special treat to explore holistically the subject they have chosen?

To a certain extent, this is a rant with no solution. We will always be restrained by examination boundaries and timelines; it's the nature of secondary education. However, the comments from Saturday's conference made me consider the loopholes we can exploit to begin to provide a more holistic approach to Media and Film education. With a large and very talented group of students moving from KS4 to KS5 this year, it is the perfect time to enrich the curriculum and make Film and Media what it can be, within the parameters of what is possible. As such, I am setting some aims that I want to realise over the coming months and years in my department, and I plan on recording my journey of attempting that here.

• Reading lists

Wider and suggested reading is expected at university level, and often desired at A level in many subjects. Media and Film are no different, so I am going to create a bank of suggested wider reading and viewing for each unit we study. This should encourage students to make connections and look beyond the set texts, allowing for richer discussion and a wider bank of knowledge to draw upon for the exam as well. Providing such lists also levels the playing field in terms of cultural capital, as I will aim to ensure all items on the list are accessible to everyone.

• Furthering interests

One of the curriculum issues brought to light at the conference was the KS4-KS5 curriculum limitations, in particular for Media Studies. If a student is very strong at KS4, chances are they won't learn too much at KS5. Ass to this the limitations of the set texts, and you are looking at a potentially dull course for many students who would actually be prime candidates for further study in the field and exactly the sort of students we want in our classrooms. I plan to develop a personal study opportunity, encouraging students to explore areas of the media that interest them, and pursue advanced theory and practice in those areas. There will also be a greater push on developing academic writing and criticism, with a view to getting students to submit articles to places like Media Magazine, and collating writing into a school journal which can be published online. Ultimately. I would love A Level teaching to be a 'text last' approach, where we explore concepts and only introduce the set texts once students are confident enough to apply concepts accurately. With the way things are now, this may be a dream, but it's something I want to explore further.

• Digital enrichment

After school clubs are tricky, partly because I have a young daughter, but also because many students can't stay and exam revision for other subjects ends up getting (rightly) prioritised. Lunchtime clubs are also out of the question as we have a 33 minute break! Therefore, with the new skills I have acquired during lockdown teaching, I am aiming to provide video lectures, links and resources for enrichment that can be enjoyed anywhere. This will also allow for students considering the subject to explore what Media is all about, as well as Film Studies content which we hope to introduce as an option in the coming years.

• Practising what I preach:

It's all very well getting students to look beyond the set texts, but that applies to me as their teacher too. additionally, as a subject lead, I have a responsibility to aid staff with CPD and be able to point them in the right direction when they need something. That involves keeping up to date with media industries, taking an interest in students' areas of interest and encouraging them to push themselves out of their comfort zones, and confidently knowing set texts within their contexts and with their contemporaries. I also aim to blog/write in some form about what I am interested in, with an aim of publication (at least in blog form).

• Exposure

If I had a pound every time someone asked, 'Miss, what exactly is Media Studies? Miss, is Film Studies just watching films then?'...

Media and Film should have more prominence in our curriculum. They play too large a part in our everyday lives to not be. And yet, they are undoubtedly neglected. It's clear to see why, when you look at all the other issues and pressures schools face. But being aware of them can be as a result of us putting ourselves out there as a department, and this is something I want to explore. Pre-pandemic, I was given the go ahead for a school version of the Oscars, and exploring a way to do this online would be a great opportunity for public exposure. Getting involved with external projects, and even just getting out of the classroom with some filming equipment and being seen around the school would help. This is a longer term goal, given our current situation, but is certainly something I want to explore further.

So there you have it, my aims for the future of our department. I certainly felt more hopeful and optimistic after attending the conference, and have many ideas for the future. What could Media Studies be? It seems, something quite magical.