Media Production & Analysis, Swan Christian College
A documentary on children in Cambodia is one of the innovative tasks forming part of the new Media Production and Analysis course at Swan Christian College this semester.
The Media Production and Analysis course is one of three new courses that were introduced in Year 11 this year as part of the Curriculum Council’s new Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE). Around 50 new courses will be introduced into Year 11 by 2008.
Twenty students are enrolled in the course at Swan Christian College, which is supported by a course-specific intranet developed by teacher Owen Beck.
The intranet allows Mr Beck’s students to access a wide range of resources including an image and sound effects library, software tutorials, course guidance and work samples.
As well as researching and designing their own website, students have also produced a music video. The standard of videos was so high that one video has been selected to screen on a national TV music program.
“The new course allows for a student-centred approach and I try to be flexible so students can pursue tasks of interest to them,” Mr Beck said.
(left to right) Lauren McDonough, teacher Owen Beck and Cameron Frost.
“I have encouraged my students to become autonomous and they have responded well to that,” he said.
“I also encourage students to self-assess their work and that tends to make them motivated to achieve the course outcomes.”
Student Cameron Frost (16) said he enjoyed the course because it was free-flowing and kept students interested.
“The course is a good combination of practical and theoretical work. I’m interested in a career in film production and I found that the research component of the course gave us the skills to produce better practical work.
“It also helps that we have a teacher who has contacts and experience in a lot of different industries,” Cameron said.
Student Lauren McDonough (16), who plans to pursue journalism studies at university, said she also enjoyed the freedom the course provided to follow her own interests.
“We’re currently doing a task on inspirational Australians and I am developing a website to honour the Gallipoli heroes, Simpson and his donkey,” Lauren said.
Mr Beck said six students will travel to Cambodia this month, where they will produce three documentaries for a non-profit Cambodian organisation that supports impoverished women and children at risk of being caught up in the sex trade.
“One documentary will be about ‘a day in the life’ of three Cambodian children, another will be a corporate video for the organisation and the final video will be a journal of the students’ experiences,” he said.
“Those students not taking part in the trip will also prepare documentaries, including one on participants in the upcoming Blackwood Marathon.
“Because this is the first year of the course, there will always be mistakes to learn from. For example, I’ve learned that some students probably need more explicit deadlines for their tasks.
“Overall, the course has been successful and I’m expecting my students to produce good work.”
