Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 October 2009
1132 Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Education and Science the steps he is taking to support media training for young people in view of the fact that this is an area that offers potential for employment growth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33237/09]
View answerMedia education is a specific strand unit within the social, personal and health education programme for all primary school pupils. By sixth class pupils develop an understanding of how information is conveyed, what may be deliberately excluded, the role of bias and the different messages promoted in advertising. The curriculum is designed to promote an increasingly critical and discerning attitude to advertising and media, their purposes and the messages they promote. This goes hand in hand with the strand unit on making decisions, so that children learn to examine critically the influences on their decision making and the consequences and processes involved.
While media studies is not a specific subject at second level, the skills of interpretation and analysis, the use of language in different contexts and genres and the influences on decision making are covered within the existing curricula and allow scope for exploring issues related to the media. For example, in junior certificate English students are required to think, respond and communicate in everyday contexts, including a diary, a journal, a radio programme, video film, drama, poem, essay etc. Through exposure to a range of literary and media genres, they develop a critical consciousness with regard to all language use and learn to focus on the choice of words and the reasons for and effects of these particular choices of words. The skills acquired in junior cycle are built on in senior cycle English where the term "language" includes verbal and visual forms of communication, including the role of media, film and theatre. Engaging with fiction, drama, essay, poetry and film in an imaginative, responsive and critical manner forms part of the approach.
These skills are also developed in history, through the critical examination of source documents. The emphasis is on the development of historical investigation skills and historical thinking, using evidence, and the need to look at history from different perspectives and as a dynamic process. The development of these critical and investigative skills can be transferred into many other areas of the curriculum and beyond. The skills of information processing, analysis and critical evaluation are also developed through the action project within Civic, Social and Political Education, and through the specific module on influences and decisions within Social Personal and Health Education, both of which are mandatory subjects in junior cycle. This is designed to help students understand the role of the media and the impact of social mores in the wider community on their decisions.
In the Transition Year Programme media studies is among the range of flexible options which can be taken by students. Overall, within our second level curricula, there is a key emphasis on the development of skills in research, data gathering, analysis, valuation and critical reflection which are important elements of effective learning.
These skills are further strengthened through provision in the further and higher education sectors, where an extensive range of post leaving certificate courses and degree programmes are available in media production, journalism, animation, radio, TV and film, performing arts, graphic design, digital media, photography, computing and art and design.
