ENGLISH DEPARTMENT IONA CATHOLIC SECONDARY SCHOOL Course Code: EMS 301 Course Name/Level: Grade Eleven Media Studies Course Description/Rationale This course emphasizes knowledge and skills that will enable students to understand media communication in the twenty-first century and to use media effectively and responsibly. Through analyzing the forms and messages of a variety of media works and audience responses to them, and through creating their own media works, students will develop critical thinking skills, aesthetic and ethical judgement, and skills in viewing, presenting, listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Prerequisite: English, Grade 10, Academic or Applied SPECIFIC STRANDS OF STUDY AND EXPECTATIONS INCLUDE: Understanding Media Perspectives: analyze and critique media representations of people, issues, values, and behaviours; Understanding the Impact of Media on Society: analyze and evaluate the impact of media on society. Understanding Media Perspectives: analyze and critique media representations of people, issues, values, and behaviours; Understanding the Impact of Media on Society: analyze and evaluate the impact of media on society. Industry and Audience: demonstrate an understanding of the ways in which the creators of media texts target and attract audiences; Ownership and Control: demonstrate an understanding of the impact of regulation, ownership, and control on access, choice, and range of expression. Producing Media Texts: create a variety of media texts for different audiences and purposes, using effective forms, codes, conventions, and techniques; Careers in Media Production: demonstrate an understanding of roles and career options in a variety of media industries; Metacognition: demonstrate an understanding of their growth as media consumers, media analysts, and media producers. EFFORTS WILL BE MADE TO MEET THE INDIVIDUAL LEARNING NEEDS OF STUDENTS IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT THESE EXPECTATIONS ARE BEING MET. Course Breakdown Resources: UNITS OF STUDY: Unit 1: Understanding and Interpreting Media Texts TEXTS/RESOURCES: Various sources (TBD) Students are responsible for borrowed resources and will be required to pay replacement costs for lost or damaged materials. Unit 2: Media and Society Various sources (TBD) Evaluation Structure: Unit 3: The Media Industry Various sources (TBD) Unit 4: Producing and Reflecting On Media Texts Various sources (TDB) Unit 5: Culminating Performance Task Knowledge 20% Thinking 30% Communication 30% Application 20% The above is reflected both in the term work (worth 70% of the final mark) and the summative work (worth 30% of the final mark). Summative work consists of the Final Exam (15) and a Culminating Activity (15) (15%) Evaluation Policy Students will be assessed & evaluated according to the work produced & skills displayed. Methods of providing feedback will include assessing work in process & evaluating completed assignments, tests, cooperative learning activities, simulations and presentations. Peer & self-evaluations will also be utilized. Student marks will be determined by evaluating process & product according to 4 categories & 4 levels. Please see the chart below for specific skills and key words used to determine student competency in the different categories. CATEGORY LEVEL 1: 50-59% LEVEL 2: 60-69% LEVEL 3: 70-79% LEVEL 4: 80-100% Knowledge: Knowledge of content and understanding of content Limited display of knowledge and content Some success of knowledge and content Considerable display of knowledge and content Thorough display of knowledge and content Thinking: Use of planning, processing and critical/creative thinking skills Uses thinking skills with limited effectiveness Uses thinking skills with some effectiveness Uses thinking skills with considerable effectiveness Uses thinking skills with a high degree of effectiveness Communication: Expression and organization of ideas for different audiences/purposes, and use of conventions, vocabulary and terminology of the discipline in oral, graphic and written forms. Communicates ideas with limited effectiveness Communicates ideas with some effectiveness Communicates ideas with considerable effectiveness Communicates ideas with a high degree of effectiveness Application: Application and transfer of knowledge and skills. Making connections within and between various contexts. Transfers and applies knowledge and skills to unfamiliar contexts and makes connections with limited effectiveness Transfers and applies knowledge and skills to unfamiliar contexts and makes connections with some effectiveness Transfers and applies knowledge and skills to unfamiliar contexts and makes connections with considerable effectiveness Transfers and applies knowledge and skills to unfamiliar contexts and makes connections with a high degree of effectiveness Feedback will also be provided for student learning skills including: Responsibility, Independent Work, Collaboration, Organization, Initiative, and Self-Regulation. Assessment of these skills will occur independent from student achievement using the following letter grades: E – Excellent G - Good S – Satisfactory N - Needs Improvement OTHER EVALUATION ISSUES: LATE ASSIGNMENTS - The due dates for major assignments will be clearly articulated by the teacher when the task is assigned. The teacher will establish a deadline and an acceptance period for the assignment. If a student does not hand in the assignment by the deadline, a mark reduction will be applied to the assignment submitted thereafter up to a total of 10%. If the assignment is not submitted by the end of the acceptance period the student mayl receive a mark of zero. Refer to the Student Handbook for further details. INCOMPLETE ASSSIGNMENTS - Assignments will be graded according to the extent with which they meet the criteria established in the rubric or evaluation structure. MISSED TESTS - Teachers will give the class ample notice for upcoming tests/evaluations. If the student is aware of an absence on the date of an assessment, it is the responsibility of the student to make arrangements for an alternative assessment date (which may not be during class time) with the teacher before the scheduled time for the test/evaluation. If a test is missed due to a legitimate reason, verification (note only to be handed in on the day of the student’s return) from a parent/guardian must be given to the subject teacher indicating that the parents are aware the student missed a test. The student is expected to write the test on the day of their return. If a test is missed as a result of truancy, a mark of zero will be assigned with no opportunity for a re-write. PLAGIARISM - Any form of plagiarism reflects academic dishonesty and may result in a mark of zero for the assignment in question. Refer to the Student Handbook for further details. ATTENDANCE - It is the responsibility of each student to be punctual and in attendance, with proper materials, in all classes and scheduled activities. Students who miss classes may put their credit in jeopardy. It is the student’s responsibility to catch up on missed work when absent.