For 13C & 13D students...
Latest news...
Both sides have elected captains (Mariam & Sonia, respectively) and have decided upon speakers and researchers for each of their three different debate teams (although these details are top secret!)
Also, Ms Stevens (13C) and Mr Munro (13D) have agreed to act as official trainers. You can call on them for support and advice and they will be offering some additional time in their lessons to get you ready. Bush, as you know, is maintaining strict impartiality, as is Ms Twebti - the judge - who is offering both sides a special preparation session on Tuesday 6th December at 3.25pm in E01. You are all expected to attend this meeting because you will otherwise not know about the correct procedures for formal debating nor will you know about the best strategies for winning.
The event will be captured on digital video - shot by Year 12s - so make sure you look good in every way. Russel has suggested formal attire would be appropriate. What do others think?
The three debates are as follows...
The Representation Debate
Despite some recent changes, women are still inadequately represented in the media because it is awash with negative stereotypes that serve to reinforce patriarchal ideologies.
The Issues Debate
The 'Incitement to Religious Hatred Bill' is an attack on our basic right to freedom of speech and will wrongly censor rational argument in the media about the problems with religion.
The Genre Debate
Hollywood produces repetitive, formulaic and unimaginative genre movies that pander to 'dumbed down' audiences and this means that independent, art-house films are all that is worth watching.
Homework - due on Wednesday 30th November - is to have started researching your topic on the internet and to bring this material to the lesson. You need to get on with this as there will only be two weeks to go before the debate (in front of the Year 12 audience) and you need to get the information together so that you can start practising. Don't forget - you won't know until the day itself whether you are required to debate in favour or against the motion so you have to research both sides of the argument and think about objections to your points and how you will counter them.
Tips are as follows...
The Representation Debate
To start with, use your Independent Study research material for this one - at least half the people in each class are covering this topic in one way or another. You will have lots of case studies to draw from, many concrete examples and theory etc. that you've got from the library.
Do more internet research, beginning with the following sites...
David Gauntlett's 'Media, Gender & Identity' Site...really useful articles and links.
MediaKnowall...has a good overview on representation and links to stuff on gender.
The Media & Communications Studies Site...loads of links to some very academic articles.
MediaGuardian and The Guardian websites...do searches on the 'representation of women'.
The Issues Debate
Obviously, you need to find out as much as possible about this new bill - exactly what it will mean, why it is being introduced, etc. Then you need to find opinions for and against the new measure with detailed reasons for each standpoint.
Research recent texts that have been controversial like the musical, 'Jerry Springer - The Opera', (that offended Christians) and the play 'Behzti' (that was stopped by Sikh protesters). Find out about the sacked TV presenter, Robert Kilroy-Silk, and what he wrote.
Also, think carefully about the Muslim angle and how this all links with our post-911 world and increasing levels of Islamophobia in the media. You are likely to want to develop your arguments into a wider discussion about the representation of ethnic minorities in the media and a consideration of post-colonial theory.
Then go on to research censorship - a key media debate - and try to find ways to link its historical development and ideas about it to this current case.
There will be materials in the school library about censorship but a lot of this research will be done on the internet (use the search terms - 'Incitement to Religious Hatred Bill', 'censorship' and 'Islamophobia')...
MediaGuardian and The Guardian websites...are the best places to start , as ever.
In particular, you will find an excellent special report there on 'Race and the Media'.
BBCi has lots of topical info, too.
There is a Sixth Form College website that covers censorship.
The Media & Communications Studies Site has a section on ethnicity.
A media student has set up his own impressive site on censorship.
The Genre Debate
As with the Representation Debate your Independent Studies are the best starting points. You (should) know these texts really well so you can use them as case studies and include specific examples from them to back up your points.
Then you will need to research genre theory. We will be covering this later in the course so you will be able to pick up some handouts on this from school but you will also find a lot about it on the internet...
Film Education has resources on genre and how it operates in the film industry.
Introductory stuff on genre from a sixth form college website.
The Media & Communications Studies Site...lots of links to articles outlining genre theory.
Guardian Unlimited Film is a great starting place to search for topical discussions.
Finally...
Don't forget - all of this research serves a dual purpose in that it is also directly linked to your coursework and your exam modules. If you work hard here in an attempt to win the debate (and avoid looking stupid) then you will have also done invaluable preparation in your quest for excellent A Level results. Good luck!!
Latest news...
Both sides have elected captains (Mariam & Sonia, respectively) and have decided upon speakers and researchers for each of their three different debate teams (although these details are top secret!)
Also, Ms Stevens (13C) and Mr Munro (13D) have agreed to act as official trainers. You can call on them for support and advice and they will be offering some additional time in their lessons to get you ready. Bush, as you know, is maintaining strict impartiality, as is Ms Twebti - the judge - who is offering both sides a special preparation session on Tuesday 6th December at 3.25pm in E01. You are all expected to attend this meeting because you will otherwise not know about the correct procedures for formal debating nor will you know about the best strategies for winning.
The event will be captured on digital video - shot by Year 12s - so make sure you look good in every way. Russel has suggested formal attire would be appropriate. What do others think?
The three debates are as follows...
The Representation Debate
Despite some recent changes, women are still inadequately represented in the media because it is awash with negative stereotypes that serve to reinforce patriarchal ideologies.
The Issues Debate
The 'Incitement to Religious Hatred Bill' is an attack on our basic right to freedom of speech and will wrongly censor rational argument in the media about the problems with religion.
The Genre Debate
Hollywood produces repetitive, formulaic and unimaginative genre movies that pander to 'dumbed down' audiences and this means that independent, art-house films are all that is worth watching.
Homework - due on Wednesday 30th November - is to have started researching your topic on the internet and to bring this material to the lesson. You need to get on with this as there will only be two weeks to go before the debate (in front of the Year 12 audience) and you need to get the information together so that you can start practising. Don't forget - you won't know until the day itself whether you are required to debate in favour or against the motion so you have to research both sides of the argument and think about objections to your points and how you will counter them.
Tips are as follows...
The Representation Debate
To start with, use your Independent Study research material for this one - at least half the people in each class are covering this topic in one way or another. You will have lots of case studies to draw from, many concrete examples and theory etc. that you've got from the library.
Then refer to the handouts you've received so far in lessons about the subject - from 'Media Gender & Identity' (Gauntlett), from 'Introducing Media Studies' and from the articles you've been given from 'The Guardian'. These make ideal starting points from which you can go on to explore key ideas and theorists in more depth.
Do more internet research, beginning with the following sites...
David Gauntlett's 'Media, Gender & Identity' Site...really useful articles and links.
MediaKnowall...has a good overview on representation and links to stuff on gender.
The Media & Communications Studies Site...loads of links to some very academic articles.
MediaGuardian and The Guardian websites...do searches on the 'representation of women'.
The Issues Debate
Obviously, you need to find out as much as possible about this new bill - exactly what it will mean, why it is being introduced, etc. Then you need to find opinions for and against the new measure with detailed reasons for each standpoint.
Research recent texts that have been controversial like the musical, 'Jerry Springer - The Opera', (that offended Christians) and the play 'Behzti' (that was stopped by Sikh protesters). Find out about the sacked TV presenter, Robert Kilroy-Silk, and what he wrote.
Also, think carefully about the Muslim angle and how this all links with our post-911 world and increasing levels of Islamophobia in the media. You are likely to want to develop your arguments into a wider discussion about the representation of ethnic minorities in the media and a consideration of post-colonial theory.
Then go on to research censorship - a key media debate - and try to find ways to link its historical development and ideas about it to this current case.
There will be materials in the school library about censorship but a lot of this research will be done on the internet (use the search terms - 'Incitement to Religious Hatred Bill', 'censorship' and 'Islamophobia')...
MediaGuardian and The Guardian websites...are the best places to start , as ever.
In particular, you will find an excellent special report there on 'Race and the Media'.
BBCi has lots of topical info, too.
There is a Sixth Form College website that covers censorship.
The Media & Communications Studies Site has a section on ethnicity.
A media student has set up his own impressive site on censorship.
The Genre Debate
As with the Representation Debate your Independent Studies are the best starting points. You (should) know these texts really well so you can use them as case studies and include specific examples from them to back up your points.
Then you will need to research genre theory. We will be covering this later in the course so you will be able to pick up some handouts on this from school but you will also find a lot about it on the internet...
Film Education has resources on genre and how it operates in the film industry.
Introductory stuff on genre from a sixth form college website.
The Media & Communications Studies Site...lots of links to articles outlining genre theory.
Guardian Unlimited Film is a great starting place to search for topical discussions.
Finally...
Don't forget - all of this research serves a dual purpose in that it is also directly linked to your coursework and your exam modules. If you work hard here in an attempt to win the debate (and avoid looking stupid) then you will have also done invaluable preparation in your quest for excellent A Level results. Good luck!!
2 comments:
COME ON 13c...seeing as im captain...we will go all da way :)
Of all the times I chose to say something stupid, why did I chose to accept the speaker position?
Gah.
Well, there's a lesson to be learned here, and it's...you know what? I'll figure it out later. I have mindless Hollywood trash to be fed for my viewing pleasure. The L Word and Matrix ahoy! =)
GoodLuckHaveFun everyone!
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