Units

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Sample subject outline - Semester 1 2013

Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.

Rationale

New Media literacies are essential for successful participation in contemporary societies. With the increasing role of new digital technologies in all aspects of our lives, including our work, leisure and creative pursuits, schools are increasingly offering media studies and media production courses in the senior secondary years and are providing students with opportunities to use new technologies in ways that allow for critical reflection and aim to develop critical media literacy. Media educators need to be competent producers of new media and need to understand the challenges of undertaking production work in a range of school contexts, including challenges related to resourcing, group work and time constraints. This unit builds upon the work students completed in the first and second Film and Media Studies curriculum units, but focuses more specifically on the production aspects of media education.

Aims

The aim of this unit is to provide you with principles and practices related to (i) video and media production from pre to post production (ii) secondary school media production and the challenges students face (iii) strategies for successful group collaborative learning and project work.

Objectives

On completion of this unit, you should be able to:

1. Design and implement engaging and flexible learning experiences for individuals by identifying and using strategies and resources in which ICT is embedded and through knowledge of teaching, learning and assessment strategies, resources and technology and planning curriculum related to these. [QCT standard One].

2. Design and implement intellectually challenging learning experiences by planning learning experiences in which students will purposefully use ICT to organise, create and communicate knowledge, by applying strategies for critical reflection and through providing support to students engaged in small group work. [QCT standard Three].

3. Create and maintain safe and supportive learning environments by identifying and applying strategies to monitor independent and group work and encourage the participation of all students. [QCT standard Seven].

4. Contribute effectively to professional teams by using ICTs to communicate with others for professional purposes and by demonstrating a fundamental knowledge of negotiation, time management, conflict resolution and problem solving techniques. [QCT standard Nine].

5. Design and implement learning experiences that develop language, literacy and numeracy related to video production from pre to post production and provide evidence of attaining acceptable standards for academic, professional and personal literacies relating to this unit. [QCT standard Two].

Content

This unit will cover the following topics:

- an introduction to the theories, practices and pedagogies related to media production, using documentary film, animation and video games production as case studies and reflecting the context of secondary school media production for the Queensland Studies Authority Senior Film, Television and New Media syllabus. This includes a focus on techniques for pre-production such as pitch proposals, production techniques using digital video cameras and post production techniques using digital video editing systems.
- the conventions of the the 'micro-documentary', animation and video games genres.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

This unit is presented as a series of workshops in which students work in small teams to produce a mico-documentary. Students undertake collaborative pre-production research, production design and planning, sound and lighting, script and treatment writing, shooting, post production editing, student-led seminars and small group discussions. Students are encouraged to position themselves as professional media educators who are beginning their ongoing journey of learning in this field and are expected to reflect on how their experience of production in this unit will inform their future teaching practice.

Assessment

Formative assessment is provided through feedback in tutorial sessions and/or e-mail discussions and through written comments on initial assignment work.

Summative
There will be two components of summative assessment.

Assessment name: Pre-production package
Description: Pitch proposal
Length: Presentation - 15 minutes; 1500 words or suite components appropriate for 5-6 minute production
Relates to objectives: 1 & 5
Weight: 40%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Mid semester

Assessment name: Media production
Description: Media production: Micro-documentary, animation or video games segment.
Length: 5-6 mins (Documentary); 45-60 seconds (animation or video games segment).

Due: Final week of the unit (prior to the final field experience block)
Relates to objectives: 2, 3 & 4
Weight: 60%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Final week

Academic Honesty

QUT is committed to maintaining high academic standards to protect the value of its qualifications. To assist you in assuring the academic integrity of your assessment you are encouraged to make use of the support materials and services available to help you consider and check your assessment items. Important information about the university's approach to academic integrity of assessment is on your unit Blackboard site.

A breach of academic integrity is regarded as Student Misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties.

Resource materials

Texts
Mollison, M. (2003). Producing videos: A complete guide. Sydney: Allen & Unwin.

References

Editing suites and access to cameras, sound and lighting and other audiovisual equipment will be available through TALSS QUT audiovisual unit, and IT laboratories, Kelvin Grove campus.

Risk assessment statement

There are no out-of-the-ordinary risks associated with this unit. Workplace health and safety protocols in relation to computer use will apply. Work place health and safety conditions as outlined in the DOEMS apply to the use of electronic and electrical audiovisual equipment.

Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.

Last modified: 10-Jan-2013