Extended Learning Project: IDEOLOGY in Contemporary Media

Your task, over the next half term, is to complete the following tasks in relation to the concept of ideology.  The following tasks should be completed and posted on your homework blog (blogger).  You are encouraged to be as creative as possible in your presentation.

 

To help you with the following tasks you might want to use the information sheets ‘Ideology for A2 Students’ (no. 038), ‘Ideology from Representations for A2 Media’ (no. 020) and ‘Ideology:  Ideas and values within contemporary Media’ (no. 010), which have been emailed to you.  Please contact me if you have any issues accessing these information sheets.

 

Task 1:

• After reading at least 3 different definitions of ideology, create a pictorial (picture/illustration) definition of the term.
   

Task: 2

1. Read the section from the information sheet ‘Ideology for A2 Students’ (no. 038) on dominant ideologies.
2. Give your own example of a dominant ideology in our society (not one listed on the information sheet).
   1. Do you agree with this dominant ideology?
   2. What can be done to challenge this ideology?

 

Task: 3

• Many people believe that the media, news corporations in particular, are guilty of constructing dominant ideologies in society. 

1. What impact could headlines such as this (see left), taken from the Daily Mail, have on the dominant ideologies in society?

 

 

 

 

Task: 4

1. Look up the following ‘-isms’ to see the differing ‘world views’ held by those who subscribe to (believe in) these ways of thinking.  These ideas all consider how society should be organised in terms of economics (money, jobs, housing) but they come to very different conclusions.
   • Capitalism
   • Socialism
   • Communism
2. Pick one of the ‘-isms’ listed above and summarise the main principles (values and beliefs) of this structured ideology (‘world view’).

 

Task: 5

1. Read the section from the information sheet ‘Ideology from Representations for A2 Media’ (no. 020) on Binary Oppositions.
2. Complete the following table (similar to the one on the information sheet) using your own texts (can be films, television programmes or video games):

Text	‘Good’ Values Represented	‘Bad’ Values Represented

 

Task: 6

• What are your ideologies? 
  • In a creative manner, create a mood board which represents your own ideologies.
  • Do they conform to the dominant ideologies in society or challenge/subvert them?  Find a way of showing this on your mood board.

 

Creativity Extended Learning Project

 

Over the next half term, you should complete the following tasks, which all explore the concept of CREATIVITY.

 

The tasks completed should be posted on your blog, however the method of presentation is completely up to you – BE CREATIVE!

Task 1:  Define Creativity

1. Without looking up an official definition, create your own definition of creativity.
2. Now find an official definition.
   1. Compare you definition and the official one:
      1. What are the similarities and differences?
      2. Which, in your opinion is better, and why?

Task 2: Creativity and Originality

Many people think that originality, and thus creativity, is ‘dead’ – that we no longer experience anything that isn’t an imitation, in some way, of a previous text.

              

1. Look at this (right) quotation by Herman Melville, do you agree with him or do you think that imitation can still be creative?
2. Find an example of a media text (music video, advert, album artwork, film poster etc.) that you think imitates another media text, whilst still being creative.

Task 3: ‘Colourbleed’

1. Watch the short film, Colourbleed’ (https://vimeo.com/69272765).
2. In what way could this short film be considered creative?  Consider:
   1. Use of camerawork (shots, angles and moves)
   2. Mise-en-scene (colour, lighting, setting, props, costume, make up etc.)
   3. Sound
   4. Narrative
   5. Representation of characters

Task 4: Inspiring Creativity

1. Read the following blog article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/allison-volk/is-social-media-killing-your-creativity-3-ways-to-get-it-back_b_9206242.html.
2. Evidence (in whatever media form you feel is appropriate) you taking the advice given at the end of the article.
   1. Describe how this inspired you creatively: what creative decisions have you made as a result?

Task 5: Be Creative

This is your chance to be even creative!

1. Go back to your definition of creativity from Task 1.  Present your definition in a creative manner – be as adventurous, original and unique as possible.