Keep coming back !

More will be posted here in the coming days and weeks, including:

Material from sessions you may have missed

more humiliating pictures

feel free to add your comments and questions

2732 workshop notes

Gavin Luhrs ran a useful session on 2732, the New Media Technologies and Institiutions unit. This unit offers students and teachers the chance to take advantage of blogging, vlogging and a range of other cutting edge technologies including MySpace. To remind people of the session we have some notes here. Hopefully these will be useful. You may even be able to see yourself in the pictures.

Don't forget to check out..

the media education association which Jenny spoke about at the conference. Please do their online questionnaire

Music Programmes on TV

Clive Edwards ran a successful session introducing a new topic for 2735, Music programmes on TV. The feedback from the session was positive and for those of you who missed it we have a copy of the session.

Lobby for 50% coursework

One of the main issues still to be decided with regard to the new specifications - and which impacts upon the subject criteria - is the proportion of internally assessed coursework which will be allowed in the new syllabuses. Currently, the maximum amount of coursework allowed across the whole A level syllabus is 40%. Along with the other Awarding Bodies which offer a GCE in Media Studies, OCR would like the maximum proportion of coursework to be raised to 50%.

We are seeking your support for our request to QCA and to this end would ask you to contribute accordingly to the QCA feedback (via its website) and/or post a message to the OCR Media Studies e-community.

Briefly the reasons for an increased amount of coursework are:

In common with other subjects with a practical, creative dimension, coursework in Media Studies is one of the best indicators of student skills and aptitudes and is fundamental to the learning process.

Practical coursework cannot be separated from theoretical learning at AS/A level. The two are thoroughly integrated.

The practical skills, creative collaboration and technological understanding inherent in media coursework cannot be assessed effectively by standard external examination.

At GCSE level, 50% of the overall grade derives from performance in coursework. Raising the assessed coursework element for A level to 50% would, therefore, maintain the balance between written examined and coursework from GCSE and offer students some continuity.

Practical coursework is extremely motivating for students.

A substantial amount of impressive and ‘cutting edge’ work has been produced through Media Studies practical projects.

Both Higher Education institutions and ‘media’ employers have reaped the benefits of A level Media students arriving with relevant skills ICT skills, experience of independent research and using initiative and the ability to work collaboratively and reflect upon own learning – skills developed and enhanced through coursework projects in Media Studies at GCSE and A level.

Anecdotal evidence is that ‘non media’ employers also value the kinds of employability skills that production work in Media Studies encourages.

The restructuring of the GCEs for 2008 represents a major opportunity to develop Media Studies further as a valuable and relevant subject for study. In line with other subjects such as Art and Design, Computing and Performing Arts, a greater emphasis upon coursework would be a significant and necessary step towards achieving this goal. Please support our case.

If you want to reply direct, just click on comments

Changes to 4 Unit A levels

As most of you will be aware, all GCE A levels are to be re-structured over the coming months as the basis of the Government’s transformed system of education. One of the key aspects to the re-structuring is the move from six unit courses to four unit specifications. Awarding Bodies have to submit draft specifications to the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) in Autumn 2006 with a view to approval being obtained and final versions of the new specifications being in Centres in September 2007, ready for first teaching in September 2008.

Along with the other Awarding Bodies which offer A level Media Studies, OCR is currently involved in working with QCA to develop a set of common Subject Criteria for Media Studies which will form the basis of all new A level specifications in Media.

The subject criteria set out the aims of studying the subject together with the knowledge, understanding, skills and assessment objectives which will be common to all of the new GCE A levels.

Draft criteria have been agreed and you can view these and take part in the QCA’ consultation exercise by visiting the QCA website

Best comments:

"stimulating, enthusiastic, experienced approachable and knowledgeable trainers"

"inspirational attitude and approach. Motivational with great variety !"

"so much variety and inspiring ideas to develop"

"very positive- can't wait to get back teaching. The overall message has been very upbeat, looking to reward"

Feedback on evaluations

Comments from delegates were very helpful and will inform changes we make for next year, when we will definitely aim to run such a conference again.

The main problem raised, for which I take full responsibility, was the mis-calculation of numbers for sessions. I had assumed that more people would go to the Aberdeen room sessions so that the workshops would even out. Far more people wanted to go to the 2730/33 sessions than I had anticipated, so apologies for that. Many people suggested that we should get delegates to opt for sessions in advance to ensure demand can be met. We will find a mechanism to do this next time.

There were lots of positive comments on specific sessions, which I will not embarrass speakers with here (likewise any negatives!). Overall, people seemed to like the fast pace (with a couple of exceptions), the choice of workshops and other sessions, the expertise and the sharing approach, the variety and the external stalls on show.

What people particularly want more of:

1. advanced info on precisely what the sessions will involve (i.e. not just unit numbers)
2. print work for coursework units
3. something on Section b of the textual analysis unit
4. something for teachers new to the specification
5. Q and A 1 to 1 opportunities in a more formal structure with Principal Examiners
6. more on how to teach the research unit
7. session on how to raise achievement with student writing
8. exemplar scripts
9. practical hands-on training sessions on software and equipment

For 1-6, we can try to ensure that all will be on offer next time. The moderation session concentrated on video whilst there was a teacher-led workshop on print, which we could reverse next time. Section A was the focus this time, so section B can be next for 2731 and though new teachers were in a small minority, we could offer a specific workshop discussing broad questions and how to organise a course next time. We could build in one-to-one surgeries and also ask a successful practitioner to take delegates through how they organise the research unit. Helping students with writing in exams would also make a good session if we can find the right teacher to run it !

We would probably leave the exemplar scripts to the other INSET days which are a different (more traditional) format and have more time for looking at material in detail (they will again be divided into As and A2 separate days). As for practical training, this is very difficult for OCR to run. The BFI have tried it with iMovie at the annual conference, but it does take a lot of setting up. Keynote have run courses with digital editing and I believe Photoshop, whilst Phillip Allan Updates are running a Final Cut course at Long Road again this June. Please see the relevant providers' websites for details.

Other things asked for included more courses outside London, which we would like to do but they do not prove cost effective as take up is so small and sometimes they have to be cancelled. Realistically the only place we can hold a big conference with lots of speakers is London.

If you have any further comments which I have not addressed here, please click on the comments button and leave them for me to get back to you !

Pete Fraser

Conference evaluation forms

Of the 120 delegates, 80 returned their forms.

On overall course quality, 75 out of 80 rated the course excellent or good and only 3 rated it satisfactory, with 2 not commenting.

70 out of 80 rated the course excellent or satisfactory for achievement of aims and the same number for suitability of structure

73 rated excellent or good for trainer delivery style effectiveness and 72 for handling of questions and for relevance of information.

The delegate pack received more mixed results (just under 75% for quality of info and presentation) but that is perhaps not surprising given that the pack was deliberately minimalist, with this blog serving to replace it.

OCR training received a similar satisfaction level for admin

The venue itself scored very highly (73 excellent or good for accessibility and directions, 79 for quality of service, 75 for catering)

The only negative which we fully recognise was on room layout and equipment (56 out of 80). This is discussed in the feedback posting

Feedback from sessions

Gavin Luhrs reported that in the 2732 session there was some agreement that teachers need to spend more of their spare time using new media to become more expert in it !

OCR Media Specification powerpoint

The Gents from Hurtwood

Patrick and Simon demonstrating how to create 'top quality' print coursework.





Here is an example showing the chief examiner looking 'gangsta'!

Lindy Heyman - Music video director

Lindy Heyman has directed numerous music videos; here are two of them:


Faithless Insomnia


Ronan Keating She Believes in Me

Lindy discussing the video for 'She believes in me' by Ronan Keating

Steve deep in discussion about Final Cut Express

Higher Education presentations

Andrew Ireland's Presentation - Bournemouth University



Julian McDougall's presentation - Newman College

Images from the opening part of the day


Pete Fraser discussing the outline for the day


Richard Harvey chairing the discussion on student research


View from the back of the room

Welcome. This blog is intended to serve as a record of the OCR Media Studies conference. It has links to a range of websites that will hopefully be useful to you, these include links to both individuals who spoke on the day and some of the institutions represented at the sessions. There will also be videos and pictures uploaded throughout the day, both of events happening and also of speakers' work. It is hoped that this blog will replace the need for handouts and that the information you need can be uploaded to the blog and then downloaded at your lesiure and as you need it.

Finally, we hope that this blog will inspire teachers to have a go at blogging for and with their classes.