A Success Story: Media Teaching in New Zealand

Assoc Prof Geoff Lealand

Screen and Media Studies

University of Waikato, New Zealand

lealand@waikato.ac.nz

April 2008

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)

To structure my chapter and argument

I have used Canadian media educator John Pungente’s Criteria for A Successful Media Education Program (www.medialiteracy.org/reading_room/article118.html).

John sets out nine conditions or factors which lead to a successful media education programme

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

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)

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

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_studies/ --a teaching resource site and virtual forum for media teachers

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

Factor 4. In-service training at the school district level must be an integral part of program implementation

Factor 5. School districts need consultants who have expertyise in Media Education and who will establish communication networks10

Factor 6. Suitable textbooks and AV material which are rtelevant to the country/area must be available

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

Factor 8. There must be appropriate evaluation instruments which are suitable for the unique quality of Media Studies

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

Other factors and conclusions