Australian
Teachers of Media
Social Values Exam Seminar
This powerpoint was mainly written
by the presenter for A.T.O.M.
With additions for Buckley Park College students
Social Values Assessment Criteria
Exam Criteria
• Understanding of the relationship
between social values and media
texts
WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE
EARLY 1980S WHICH HAS
AFFECTED THE WAY
FOOTLOOSE IS MADE ?
Analysis of the ways in
which social values shape
the content of media texts
•
How has the social values of
the early 80s affected the
construction of Footloose?
Social Values Assessment Criteria
Exam Criteria
• Understanding of the relationship
between social values and media texts
What is the relationship like?
A STRONG ONE-traditional
BECOMING STRONGER-emerging
NOT THAT STRONG- alternative
• Analysis of the ways in which
social values shape the content
of media texts
THERE ARE THINGS THAT
ARE IN FOOTLOOSE
BECAUSE OF THE SOCIAL
VALUES OF THE TIME
Social Values Key Knowledge and Skills
• The production context of media texts
-this means knowing about the time and
environment in which the text was made
- this includes knowledge about year and
country of production
-it may also be relevant to focus on the
production environment of the text or
specific personnel involved in making the
text
-KNOW ABOUT AMERICA IN EARLY 80S
Social Values Key Knowledge and Skills
• Attitudes in the form of social values
held in society during the production
period
-this means you need to know some values
of the time of the production for the country
of production
AMERICA IS WORRIED ABOUT IN THE
EARLY 80S?
AMERICA FEELS STRONGLY ABOUT IN
THE EARLY 80S?
-social values can be dominant,
alternative,
oppositional,
traditional,
Emerging
WHAT TYPE OF VALUES ARE
THERE IN FOOTLOOSE?
Social Values Key Knowledge and Skills
• Ways in which social values of the
production period
shape the content of media texts
-social values are intangible attitudes and beliefs
-you need to know how what was believed or
‘lived’ out in the production period has impacted
on / influenced what is in the text
- this becomes apparent when you look at the way
people and society are portrayed via a text
Social Values Key Knowledge and Skills
• The nature and structure of representations
in media
texts
- this refers to the way that characters / issues /
themes /
institutions / behaviours / relationships etc. are
presented or portrayed by the text.
- think about…
What and who is represented by the
text?
•RELIGION
•ATTITUDES TO POPULAR CULTURE
Are stereotypes used?
WHO IS A STEREOTYPED
CHARACTER?egROGER & ELEANOR
Are particular characters or viewpoints
valued more? REN & SHAW
Social Values Key Knowledge and Skills
• Representation of a range of social values of
the
production period within media texts
- this refers to the social values that are presented
by the text
(know around about 4 ‘good ones’ - ones that you
can back up with information from the production
period and textual examples)
- which values of the production period are
included? Are these values dominant, oppositional
or emerging?
Social Values Key Knowledge and Skills
• Social values and how they are represented in
media texts
- this refers to the link between social values and
representations.
- understand that the representations within a text
reflect social values. What are these? (Look at
character’s beliefs and roles, or the way that
particular issues are treated.)
Social Values Key Knowledge and Skills
• The extent to which media texts supports and/or
challenges social values
- this refers to the whether the values presented in
texts
support (go along with) the values of the time or
challenge (go against) these.
- sometimes, it is possible for a text to do both at
once.
- be able to discuss how texts supports and
challenges via the use of textual examples. State a
value, state if its supported /challenged and discuss
HOW and by WHO.
Social Values Glossary
Key terms you will come across and need to
understand
Social Values
Social values are the intangible beliefs of a society
which dictate, consciously or subconsciously, how that
group of people should think, feel and act.
Social values can be represented both verbally and
nonverbally in the media.
Social values tend to govern the way we live, act and
behave in our everyday lives. They change as the
dominant ideology of a culture changes.
Social Values Glossary
Key terms you will come across and need to
understand
Dominant values - values that most people believe
Oppositional values - values that go against (are
opposite to) what most people believe
Alternative values - values that are different to
dominant values; they are a different ‘option’ for
people to choose
Emerging values - values that bring about ‘new
ideas’
Traditional values - values that have been believed
throughout history or for many years
Social Values Glossary
Key terms you will come across and need to
understand
Production period - the time that the text was
produced (e.g.1980’s)
Representations - the way in which people / issues /
themes/ institutions etc. are portrayed by the media
Supported values - beliefs that agree with the values
of the time
Challenged values - beliefs that go against the
values of the time
Social Values Pitfalls
Where students can and have gone
wrong on past Exams
• Know your production period!
Know about the production period that your
text is from. This
will involve ‘facts and figures’ RESEARCH!
Don’t just rely on anecdotal evidence such
as…everyone in the 1970s were hippies.
Once you have ‘facts and
figures’ about the production
period, begin devising clear
statements about the social
values of the time, for the
country of production.
REFER TO THE HISTORICAL
EVIDENCE YOU HAVE FOR
FOOTLOOSE
•The event at Elmore City High School in 1980:
the whole film comes from this event and the
outrage by some members of society
•The invention of MTV 1981
•The rise in conservative religion due to
conservative presidency
(in USA Reagan in Britain-Thatcher)
•Rise in televised religion-PTL network,
Reagan wanting prayer mandatory in schools
bill.
•The rise in the divorce rate-more single
mothers
•The rise in book banning due to conservative
society. A third more books are banned than
in 1970s (source: Amercian Library
Association)
•Women are people too- equal rights due to
womens’ movement of the 70s
Social Values Pitfalls
Where students can and have gone wrong on past
Exams
• State your values correctly!
A correctly stated value may be that women are just as
important as men in society.
An incorrect way of expressing this value may be just
saying equity or women.
You can NOT express a social value in one
word…..‘religion’ or ‘youth’ or ‘culture’ is not a social
value!
These are themes, not values. The word ‘that’ helps to
make your thought into a value. Try using it…it helps!
What do social values questions look like
in the exam?
Social Values questions on the Exam will either be:
• Short answer
- requiring you to respond directly to the question, in a
succinct and concise fashion
-perhaps a 3 or 4 line response, or a short paragraph
• Extended answer
-requiring you to provide a detailed, lengthier response
(miniessay style)
-this response will require some planning prior to
writing it out
• OR BOTH!
What do social values questions look like?
Approaching Short Answer Questions
• Read all the questions through carefully first before you
answer….sometimes they are linked together.
• Often questions will begin with a ‘blurb’ to ‘set the scene’ and
give hints as to what the question is about. Don’t get put off by
this!
• Concentrate on the ‘question’ that is being asked by
underline the main points.
• Look at the space provided for your response and the marks
allocated to the question, as this helps you know how much
you need to write.
What do social values questions look like?
Approaching Extended Answer Responses
• Extended response questions still require the
same knowledge…just all at once!
• Underline the important parts of the question.
• Take a little bit of time to plan out what you need
to say and the order you will say it.
• Ensure your ‘mini essay’ has a brief introduction
and conclusion…it’s not an English Exam, but
following this structure helps to make your points
a little clearer.
What do social values questions look like?
Take a look at past Exam questions to see
how they are
structured
You can find these on the VCAA website at
www.vcaa.vic.edu.au
• Click on the VCE Studies link
• Scroll down to choose ‘Media’
• Select from the available past exams, found in
PDF format
What is a good Social Values response?
A good response…
• Is clearly expressed
• Answers the question
• Shows off the relevant knowledge of the student
• Backs up statements with examples from the
text/s
• Uses terminology appropriate to the topic
• States values correctly
What is a good Social Values response?
Examples of Good Responses
Q. Define the term ‘social values’ and discuss their
relationships to media texts.
Social values are the beliefs, opinions or general
attitudes a society or group holds at a particular time.
Social values are intangible and can be dominant,
oppositional, alternative or emerging.
Media texts tend to be shaped by the social values of
Their production period. Texts include values of the time,
either by showing ways in which they support the
values or challenge /go against them.
What is a good Social Values response?
Examples of Good Responses
Q. Identify one dominant social value of the period. Explain
how this value has influenced the content of the text,
particularly its representations.
One social value of the production period of ‘Bend It Like
Beckham’ is that people of different cultures should be
accepted and respected. The film presents us with a very
multicultural society, represented via the characters of
Bhamra family (Indians), Joe (Irish coach) and Jules’ family
(British). The friendship between Jess (and Indian girl) and
Jules (an English girl) represents acceptance for those of
other cultures, as does the relationship between Jules and
Joe.
What do I need to revise?
• Understand and be able to define the term ‘social values’.
• Know about the production period that your text is from.
This will involve ‘facts and figures’ RESEARCH!
• Once you have ‘facts and figures’ about the production
period, begin devising clear statements about the social
values of the time, for the country of production.
• Develop a list of social values from the production period
research that you have completed.
• Re-watch Footloose. Note down any
important scenes in which social values are particularly
evident.
• Make a list of the representations within the text. These
may be characters, groups, issues or institutions.
• Return to your list of social values. For each value,
decide whether this is supported and / or challenged by
the text.
Remember…it is possible for a text to do both at the same
time!
• Give a great textual example to ‘back up’ each supported
/challenged value.
Exam preparation tips
• Revise, revise revise!
• Go back and cover anything that you think you
may not have done thoroughly in class at the
time (e.g. production period research)
• Make sure that social values are written as
Values statements (use the word ‘that…’)
•writing practice under a time limit. Work
through practice\questions / previous Exams.
Sample Questions
Question 1
Describe one social value that can be identified in the text(s)
that you studied.
4 marks
Question 2
a. Identify two ways in which a social value is represented in
the text(s) that you studied.
6 marks
b. Discuss how the two
representations you identified above are related to the social
values of the period of the production of the text(s).
8 marks
Sample Questions
Question 3
Discuss how a social value(s) has shaped the content
of media texts. In your response make sure you discuss
at least two media texts.
8 marks
Question 4
Discuss how the two representations you identified
(in sample Question 2) are related to the social values
of the period of the text’s production.
8 marks
Question 5
Representations in media texts may include the
depiction of institutions and/or organisations as
well as characters and social relations. These
representations may support and/or challenge
social values.
With particular reference to a media text you
have studied this year describe representations
presented in that text and discuss the extent to
which those representations support and/or
challenge social values of the period of its
production.
15 marks