A Success Story: Media Teaching in New Zealand

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A Success Story Media Teaching in New Zealand

• Assoc Prof Geoff Lealand
• Screen and Media Studies
• University of Waikato, New Zealand
• lealand_at_waikato.ac.nz
• April 2008

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• This presentation is adapted from my contribution
  A Success Story Media Teaching in New Zealand,
  in C.K. Cheung ed. Media Education in Asia
  (Hong Kong Press, forthcoming)

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To structure my chapter and argument

• I have used Canadian media educator John
  Pungentes Criteria for A Successful Media
  Education Program (www.medialiteracy.org/reading_r
  oom/article118.html).
• John sets out nine conditions or factors which
  lead to a successful media education programme

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Factor 1. Media Education, like other innovative
programs, must be a grassroots movement and
teachers need to take a major initiative in
lobbying for this

• film teaching introduced in NZ schools and
  universities by enthusiasts in mid-1970s
• 1983 Association of Film and Television Teachers
  (to become National Association of Media
  Educators) formed. A grass-roots network of high
  school teachers who share advice and resources
  (Horrocks, 2007). Visual Language strand in
  national English curriculum.
• 2002 Media Studies Unit Standards introduced
• 2004 Media Studies Achievement Standards
  introduced

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• The National Association of Media Educators
  (NAME), an organisation run by and for teachers,
  is the major link between educational
  institutions such as the Ministry of Education
  and the New Zealand Qualifications Authority
  (NZQA), and media teachers. It is also central to
  resource and professional development
• since sending my email I have learnt what a
  generous community the media studies one is. I
  have had many pieces of advice and offers of
  resources.
• (email from NZ student teacher. April 1 2008)

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A matter of terminology

• Media education is the teaching of media elements
  within longer-established subjects eg film
  language, or static advertising images in English
• Media Studies is a stand-alone subject
  area/discipline, with its own content and
  interpretative tools eg political economy
• Media literacy is a newer (and vaguer?) concept,
  describing efforts to encourage awareness and
  knowledge about media amongst a broad citizenry
• Media teaching is a short-hand term that can
  include all the above approaches

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Factor 2. Educational authorities must give clear
support to such programs by mandating the
teaching of Media Studies within the curriculum,
establishing guidelines and resource books, and
by making certain that curricula are developed
and that materials are available

• The Ministry of Education is responsible for
  curriculum issues. NZQA administers Unit
  Standards and Achievement Standards
• Media Studies is officially mandated as a senior
  secondary (high) school subject, for Years 12 and
  13
• A new national curriculum is to be introduced in
  2009 Media Studies is included in Social
  Sciences
• The Ministry maintains www.tki.org.nz/r/media_stud
  ies/ --a teaching resource site and virtual forum
  for media teachers

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Factor 3. Faculties of education must hire staff
capable of training future teachers in this area
and offer courses in Media Education. There
should also be academic support from tertiary
institutions in the writing of curricula and in
sustained consultation
9
Factor 4. In-service training at the school
district level must be an integral part of
program implementation
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Factor 5. School districts need consultants who
have expertyise in Media Education and who will
establish communication networks10
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Factor 6. Suitable textbooks and AV material
which are rtelevant to the country/area must be
available
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Factor 7. A support organization must be
established for the purposes of workshops,
conferences, disemmination of newsletters and the
development of curriculum units. Such a
professional organization must cut across school
boards and districts, to involve a cross section
of people interested in Media Education
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Factor 8. There must be appropriate evaluation
instruments which are suitable for the unique
quality of Media Studies
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Factor 9. Because Media Education involves such a
diversity of skills and expertise, there must be
a collaboration between teachers, parents,
rsearchers and media professionals
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Other factors and conclusions