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Media Arts

Media Arts enables students to analyse past technologies and use existing and emerging technologies to explore imagery, text, and sound to create meaning. Students participate in, experiment with, and interpret cultures, media genres and styles, and communication practices.

Students learn to be critically aware of how media are culturally used and negotiated, dynamic and central to how they make sense of the world and themselves. They learn to interpret, analyse and develop media practices through their experiences in making media arts. They are inspired to imagine, collaborate and take on responsibilities in planning, designing and producing media artworks (SCSA 2017)

Media Arts knowledge and skills ensure that, individually and collaboratively, students develop:

  • confidence to participate in, experiment with and interpret the media-rich culture and communications practices that surround them
  • aesthetic knowledge developed through exploration of imagery, text and sound to express ideas, concepts and stories using effective teamwork strategies to produce media artwork
  • creative and critical thinking skills to explore different perspectives in media as producers and consumers
  • awareness of their active participation in local and global media cultures, including using safe media practices when publishing online materials.

Year 7-10 Media Arts

Years 7 & 8 | All students in Years 7 & 8 undertake Visual Arts for one term as a taster and runs for two periods a week.

The Western Australian Curriculum, as mandated by the Schools Curriculum and Standards Authority, is based on the requirement that all students study at least two of the five Arts subjects from pre-primary to Year 8. It is a requirement that students study a performance subject and a visual subject.

Year 7

In Year 7, students are given opportunities to view media work within the context of the selected focus. They are introduced to the basic communication model, explore different viewpoints in contemporary media, plan and create representations in media work and respond to their work and the work of others.

Students work as a team, follow timelines, and use processes and strategies to ensure the safe and responsible use of media equipment.

Teachers must address knowledge and skills in Media Arts through one or more of the foci and media below. Other foci and media may be used in addition to teaching knowledge and skills in Media Arts.

Media focus options: advertising (for example, television commercials, film trailers, magazine advertising, film posters), mass media (for example, commercial television, blockbuster films, video games) or press (for example, television news, newspapers, current affairs) and broadcasting (for example, marketing campaigns, commercial radio, commercial podcasts).

Students are expected to work within or across the following media at each year level: film, television, photography, print media, radio or online media.

Year 8

In Year 8, students are given opportunities to view media work within the context of the selected focus. Students build on media concepts from previous years through an expansion of the basic communication model to include new and emerging media technologies. They apply their understanding of the intended audience, purpose and context in their productions and their response to their and others’ media work. They explore current trends in how viewers use media.

Students begin to solve problems, work as a team, follow timelines and use processes and strategies to ensure the safe and responsible use of media equipment.

Teachers must address knowledge and skills in Media Arts through one or more of the foci and media below. Other foci and media may be used in addition to teaching knowledge and skills in Media Arts.

Media focus options: advertising (for example, billboard, ‘junk’ mail advertising, radio advertising), mass media (for example, blockbuster CGI film, specialist magazines, feature articles) or press (for example, newsletters, news magazine, journalistic photography) and broadcasting (for example, news channels, special interest programs, interactive entertainment).

Students are expected to work within or across the following media at each year level: film, television, photography, print media, radio or online media.

The syllabus is based on the requirement that in Years 9 and 10, the study of the Arts is optional.

Year 9 | Media Arts is an elective in Year 9 and runs two periods a week for the whole year.

In Year 9, students are provided with opportunities to view media work from contemporary and past times to explore viewpoints from Australian and/or international media work. They consider the impact context and audience have on media work and explore the impact of trends on how viewers use media.

Students extend and refine their skills and processes for problem-solving, working as a team, following timelines and using methods and strategies to ensure the safe and responsible use of media equipment.

Teachers must address knowledge and skills in Media Arts through one or more of the foci and media below. Other foci and media may be used in addition to teaching knowledge and skills in Media Arts.

Media focus options may be either: Media Fiction (for example, TV fiction, comics and graphic novels, and magazines) or Media Non-Fiction (for example, documentaries, news stories, and current affairs stories).

Students are expected to work within or across the following media at each year level: film, television, photography, print media, radio or online media.

Year 10

In Year 10, students are provided with opportunities to explore in more depth how media work is constructed in different contexts and how it can be used to challenge an audience’s values. They explore past and current media trends on audience use of media.

Students continue to make and respond to their own media productions and professional media work within the selected media type, genre or style studied, using refined media production skills and processes: problem-solving, working as a team or independently, setting and following personal and group timelines; and alone using media equipment safely and responsibly.

Teachers must address knowledge and skills in Media Arts through two of the foci and media below. Other foci and media may be used in addition to teaching knowledge and skills in Media Arts.

Media foci are Media Fiction (for example, narrative-focused video games, celebrities in media fiction, Hollywood or Bollywood films) and Media Non-Fiction (for example, educational programs, wiki site blogs, and photographic essays).

Students are expected to work within or across the following media at each year level: film, television, photography, print media, radio or online media.

Senior School Media Arts

YEAR 11

ATAR Media Production and Analysis

The Media Production and Analysis ATAR course prepares students for a future in a digital and interconnected world by providing the skills, knowledge and understanding to tell their own stories and interpret the stories of others. Students are encouraged to explore, experiment and interpret their world, reflecting and analysing contemporary life while understanding that this is done under social, cultural and institutional constraints.  As users and creators of media products, students consider the critical role of audiences and their context. This course focuses on the application of media theory in the practical process.

Digital technologies have impacted and extended the media’s capacity in Australian lives. Through new technologies, the role of the audience has shifted from a passive consumer to a more active participant, shaping the media through interaction and more accessible modes of production and dissemination of media work. Students’ interaction and opportunity to use technologies enable them to engage with current media and adapt to evolving media platforms.

Media work production enables students to demonstrate their understanding of the critical concepts of media languages, representation, audience, production, skills and processes and express their creativity and originality. When producing media work, students learn to make decisions about all aspects of production, including creative choices across pre-production, production and post-production phases. This allows students to reflect on and discuss their creative work, intentions and outcomes. Within this process, skills are developed, enabling students to manipulate technologies that simulate industry experiences.

Structure of the syllabus: The Year 11 syllabus is divided into two units, each of one-semester duration, typically delivered as a pair. The notional time for each unit is 55 class contact hours.

Unit 1 – Popular culture | Students analyse, view, listen to and interact with a range of popular media, develop their ideas, learn production skills and apply their understandings and expertise in creating their productions.

Unit 2 – Journalism | Students will further their understanding of journalistic media in this unit. Students will analyse, view, listen to and interact with various journalistic genres. They undertake extensive research into the representation and reporting of groups and issues within media work. Each unit includes:

  • a unit description – a short description of the focus of the unit
  • suggested contexts – a context in which the unit content could be taught
  • unit content – the content to be taught and learned.

The course content is divided into five content areas:

  1. Media languages
  2. Representation
  3. Audience
  4. Production
  5. Skills and processes.

General Media Production and Analysis

The Media Production and Analysis General course prepare students for a future in a digital and interconnected world by providing the skills, knowledge and understanding to tell their own stories and interpret the stories of others. Students are encouraged to explore, experiment and interpret their world, reflecting and analysing contemporary life while understanding that this is done under social, cultural and institutional constraints. Students, as users and creators of media products, consider the vital role of audiences and their context. This course focuses on the development of technical skills in the practical process.

Digital technologies have had an impact on and extended the capacity that the media play in all Australian lives. Through new technologies, the role of the audience has shifted from a passive consumer to a more active participant, shaping the media through interaction and more accessible modes of production and dissemination of media work. Students’ interaction and opportunity to use technologies enable them to engage with current media and adapt to evolving media platforms.

Media work production enables students to demonstrate their understanding of the critical concepts of media languages, representation, audience, production, skills and processes and express their creativity and originality. When producing media work, students learn to make decisions about all aspects of production, including creative choices across pre-production, production and post-production phases. This allows students to reflect on and discuss their creative work, intentions and outcomes. Within this process, skills are developed, enabling students to manipulate technologies that simulate industry experiences.

Structure of the syllabus: The Year 11 syllabus is divided into two units, each of one-semester duration, typically delivered as a pair. The notional time for the pair of units is 110 class contact hours.

Unit 1 – Mass media | Within this broad focus, students reflect on their use of the media, and common representations, including the examination of characters, stars and stereotypes and the way media is constructed and produced.

Unit 2 – Point of view | In this unit, students will be introduced to the concept and learn how a point of view can be constructed. They will analyse media work and build a point of view in their productions.

Each unit includes:

  • a unit description – a short description of the focus of the unit
  • suggested contexts – a context in which the unit content could be taught
  • unit content – the content to be taught and learned.

The course content is divided into five content areas:

  1. Media languages
  2. Representation
  3. Audience
  4. Production
  5. Skills and processes.

YEAR 12

ATAR Media Production and Analysis

The Media Production and Analysis ATAR course prepares all students for a future in a digital and interconnected world by providing the skills, knowledge and understanding to tell their own stories and interpret others’ stories. Students learn the languages of media communication and how a story is constructed using representations. Students are encouraged to explore, experiment and interpret their world, reflecting and analysing contemporary life while understanding that this is done under social, cultural and institutional constraints. As users and creators of media products, students consider the critical role of audiences and their context.

Digital technologies have impacted and extended the media’s capacity in Australian lives. Through new technologies, the role of the audience has shifted from a passive consumer to a more active participant, shaping the media through interaction and more accessible modes of production and dissemination of media work. Students’ interaction and opportunity to use technologies enable them to engage with current media and adapt to evolving media platforms.

Media work production enables students to demonstrate their understanding of the critical concepts of media languages, representation, audience, production, skills and processes and express their creativity and originality. When producing media work, students learn to make decisions about all aspects of production, including creative choices across pre-production, production and post-production phases. This allows students to reflect on and discuss their creative work, intentions and outcomes. Within this process, skills are developed, enabling students to manipulate technologies that simulate industry experiences.

Structure of the syllabus: The Year 12 syllabus is divided into two units delivered as a pair. The notional time for the pair of units is 110 class contact hours.

Unit 3 – Media art | Students will analyse, view, listen to and interact with contemporary and traditional examples of media art, identifying techniques and themes, created meanings, and audiences’ interpretations. They consider the representation of values and technological developments that influence perceptions of art within media work.

Unit 4 – Power and persuasion | This unit focus on power and influence. Through this broad focus, students extend their understanding of persuasive media, examining how the media can reflect, challenge and shape values and attitudes. They critically analyse, view, listen to, and interact with a range of media work, considering the purposes and values of producers and audiences.

Each unit includes:

  • a unit description – a short description of the focus of the unit
  • unit content – the content to be taught and learned.

The course content is divided into five content areas:

  1. Media languages
  2. Representation
  3. Audience
  4. Production
  5. Skills and processes

General Media Production and Analysis

The Media Production and Analysis General course will prepare all students for a future in a digital and interconnected world by providing the skills, knowledge and understanding to tell their own stories and interpret others’ stories. Students learn the languages of media communication and how a story is constructed using representations. Students are encouraged to explore, experiment and interpret their world, reflecting and analysing contemporary life while understanding that this is done under social, cultural and institutional constraints. As users and creators of media products, students consider the critical role of audiences and their context.

Digital technologies have had an impact on and extended the capacity that the media play in all Australian lives. Through new technologies, the role of the audience has shifted from a passive consumer to a more active participant, shaping the media through interaction and more accessible modes of production and dissemination of media work. Students’ interaction and opportunity to use technologies enable them to engage with current media and adapt to evolving media platforms.

Media work production enables students to demonstrate their understanding of the critical concepts of media languages, representation, audience, production, skills and processes and express their creativity and originality. When producing media work, students learn to make decisions about all aspects of production, including creative choices across pre-production, production and post-production phases. This allows students to reflect on and discuss their creative work, intentions and outcomes. Within this process, skills are developed, enabling students to manipulate technologies that simulate industry experiences.

Structure of the syllabus: The Year 12 syllabus is divided into two units delivered as a pair. The notional time for the pair of units is 110 class contact hours.

Unit 3 – Entertainment | Within this broad focus, students will expand their understanding of media languages, learning how codes and conventions are used to construct entertainment media.

Unit 4 – Representation and reality | Students will consider different types of representations and how they relate to the construction of reality within media work.

Each unit includes:

  • a unit description – a short description of the focus of the unit
  • suggested contexts – a context in which the unit content could be taught
  • unit content – the content to be taught and learned.

The course content is divided into five content areas:

  1. Media languages
  2. Representation
  3. Audience
  4. Production
  5. Skills and processes