Media education and the Irish second level curriculum: problems and possibilities

This dissertation argues that Media Education at secondlevel schooling is desirable on a number of grounds and discusses the problems and possibilities, both past and projected, associated with its introduction into the Irish second-level curriculum. The term 'Media education7 here denotes the interdisciplinary study of mass communication media which can inform teaching and learning in different 'subject' areas. It includes the conception of 'Media Studies' as a discrete and separate subject area in itself. Chapter One (INTRODUCTION) traces the development of Media Education at second-level in the Republic of Ireland during the last two decades and indicate some problems encountered and some which remain. Chapter two (POPULAR OPINION AND THE MASS MEDIA), explores popular attitudes to the media, the origins of these attitudes, and their implications for media education. Chapter Three (RATIONALES and AIMS) advances arguments for media education, grounded within curriculum theory and the writings of media specialists. Chapter Pour (CONCEPTUALISATIONS AND TEACHING APPROACHES), describes four conceptualisations of media education and their implications for the teaching of media studies. Chapter Five (CORE CONCEPTS), separates those concepts which might be considered central to the field of study. Chapter six (THE IRISH SECOND-LEVEL CURRICULUM), traces the historical development of the Republic's curriculum, its educational philosophy and general thrust and, in the light of the curriculum's particular aims and goal, argues for the introduction of Media Studies. Finally, in Chapter Seven, CONCLUSIONS and RECOMMENDATIONS are offered. A GENERAL SYLLABUS FOR MEDIA STUDIES, and STRATEGIES FOR INCLUDING MEDIA STUIDIES WITHIN JUNIOR CERTIFICATE ENGLISH are included in the Appendices