Studying Media at A2
The Advanced GCE (from September 2008) is made up of two mandatory units at AS and two further units at A2 which are outlined below.
As many of you may have discovered, the practical element to the course can be very demanding. You must ensure that you organise your time correctly in order to achieve the best grade possible. Deadlines are set for a reason and MUST be met. Any student failing to meet targets set and coursework deadlines risks losing their place on the course.
G324: Advanced Portfolio in Media
This is a coursework unit where candidates engage with contemporary media technologies to
produce a media portfolio through a combination of two or more media and then present their
research, planning and evaluation in two or more forms. This is a development of the skills from
Unit One and is also internally assessed and externally moderated.
G325: Critical Perspectives in Media
This paper covers the two areas of Theoretical Evaluation of Production alongside a study of Contemporary Media Issues.
In Section A, candidates describe and evaluate their skills development in their production work and then select one production to evaluate in relation to a media concept.
In Section B, candidates choose one topic and then demonstrate their understanding of a contemporary issue through a range of texts, institutions, audiences and debates. This unit is externally examined.
G324: Advanced portfolio in MediaThis is a coursework unit which will be taught by Mrs. Hammond. Candidates will produce:
• A media portfolio, comprising of a main and ancillary text;
• A presentation of their research, planning and evaluation on a blog.
The production element and presentation of research, planning and evaluation may be individual or group work (maximum group size is four candidates).
AssessmentThough there is no formal individual essay component for this unit, in the G324 examination, candidates will be asked to write about the work undertaken from this unit and from the AS coursework unit. It is therefore recommended that candidates undertake some form of written reflection as practice for the exam.
The unit is marked out of a total of 100 marks: 20 marks for the planning and research and its presentation; 60 marks for the construction; 20 marks for the evaluation.
In the evaluation the following questions must be answered:
• In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
• How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?
• What have you learned from your audience feedback?
• How did you use new media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?
Options for Coursework 2009-2010
An extract from a new documentary TV programme, lasting approximately five minutes,
together with two of the following three options:
• a radio trailer for the documentary;
• a double-page spread from a listings magazine focused on the documentary;
• a newspaper advertisement for the documentary.
Or
A promotion package for the release of an album, to include a music promo video, together
with two of the following three options:
• a website homepage for the band;
• a cover for its release on DVD;
• a magazine advertisement for the DVD.
All students will complete the same piece of coursework as many elements have to be taught. I will discuss the options with you when we return to school.
G325: Critical Perspectives in MediaThis course will be taught by Ms. Hemmingsley.
The purpose of this unit is to assess candidates’ knowledge and understanding of media concepts, contexts and critical debates, through their understanding of one contemporary media issue andtheir ability to evaluate their own practical work in reflective and theoretical ways.
The examination is two hours. Candidates are required to answer two compulsory questions, on their own production work, and one question from a choice of six topic areas. The unit is marked out of a total of 100, with the two questions on production work marked out of 25 each, and the media theory question marked out of 50.
There are two sections to this paper:
Section A: Theoretical Evaluation of Production (50 marks)
Section B: Contemporary Media Issues (50 marks)
Section A: Theoretical Evaluation of Production
Candidates answer two compulsory questions. The first requires them to describe and evaluate their skills development over the course of their production work, from Foundation Portfolio to Advanced Portfolio. The second asks them to identify one production and evaluate it in relation to one theoretical concept.
Question 1(a) requires candidates to describe and evaluate their skills development over the course of their production work, from Foundation Portfolio to Advanced Portfolio. The focus of this evaluation must be on skills development, and the question will require them to adapt this to one or two specific production practices. The list of practices to which questions will relate is as follows:
• Digital Technology
• Creativity
• Research and planning
• Post-production
• Using conventions from real media texts
In the examination, questions will be posed using one or two of these categories.
Where candidates have produced relevant work outside the context of their A Level media course, they are free to additionally refer to this experience.
Question 1(b) requires candidates to select one production and evaluate it in relation to a media concept. The list of concepts to which questions will relate is as follows:
• Genre
• Narrative
• Representation
• Audience
• Media language
In the examination, questions will be set using one of these concepts only.
In some circumstances, candidates will be expected to select the production that appears to relate most effectively to the specific concept that arises in the exam question. However, the requirement for candidates to evaluate one of their productions in relation to a concept does not assume that the concept will necessarily always fit easily and in an orthodox way. Thus in some cases candidates will be describing their productions in terms of them not relating straightforwardly to the concept. For example, a candidate producing three websites over their two portfolios might describe ways in which websites cannot be understood easily through applying conventional narrative theory. Whether the candidate applies the concept to the product or uses the production to challenge the concept, it is essential that candidates are sufficiently knowledgeable about the concept for either approach. Candidates may choose to write about work undertaken at AS or A2, main task or preliminary/ancillary.
Section B: Contemporary Media Issues
One question to be answered from a choice of six topic areas offered by OCR. There will be two questions from each topic area.
The topic areas require understanding of contemporary media texts, industries, audiences and debates.
Candidates must choose one of the following topic areas, in advance of the examination and, through specific case studies, texts, debates and research of the candidates’ choice, prepare to demonstrate understanding of the contemporary issue. This understanding must combine knowledge of at least two media and a range of texts, industries, audiences and debates, but these are to be selected by the centre / candidate. The assessment of the response will be generic, allowing for the broadest possible range of responses within the topic area chosen.
Each topic is accompanied by four prompt questions, and candidates must be prepared to answer an exam question that relates to one or more of these four prompts. There should be emphasis on the historical, the contemporary and the future in relation to the chosen topic, with most attention on the present. Centers are thus advised to ensure that study materials for this unit are up to date and relevant. Candidates may choose to focus on one of the following contemporary media issues:
• Contemporary Media Regulation
• Global Media
• Media and Collective Identity
• Media in the Online Age
• Post-modern Media
• ‘We Media’ and Democracy
