Sydney
25 May 2003
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‘Good morning ... welcome to Crossroads’
Pockets of ‘very deep poverty’ - Tim Fischer launches Vinnies Winter Appeal
Time, place right for launch, to be sure, to be sure
Exploring faith at Branches
Young need education on media: Br Kelvin
‘Advocate for poor’
Pope honours Sir William, Lady Deane
Sculpture tribute to nuns
Inside the Inquisition archives
Edmund Rice superannuation forum
Bishops focus on asylum seekers, racism
Leagues club buys dignity for destitute
Catholic University produces second Bible aid in Chinese
Caritas calling: Uganda needs help
Spirituality and suicide
Casimir, De La Salle quick to respond
Yell! For fresh tunes
Editorial: Without fear or favour
Letters: Depth of understanding
Conversation: Molly Griffiths - retiree and Compeer volunteer - Sunday outings, music ... that’s what friends are for
A call for volunteers
What the single life can teach us
Serra clubs ‘foster spiritual growth’
Obituary: Trangie’s priest was ordained ‘to serve all God’s people’
Celebrating 200 years of Mass appeal
The Rosary - ‘a treasure to be rediscovered’
Scalabrinians choose new leaders
Media studies ‘can play a major role’
Media studies ‘can play a major role’
Students conferencing during media studies at St John Vianney’s school, Greenacre
By Damir Govorcin
The world is so influenced by media that “students need to understand that they can’t believe everything they see”, says Tony Skeed, media co-ordinator at Holy Cross College, Ryde.
“Studying the media can play a major role in developing intellectual, social and personal awareness and skills through the students involvement in a wide range of practical tasks both in and out of the classroom,” he said.
Holy Cross has made technology a major focus of its education over the past decade.
Its media studies elective, offered tostudents in Years 9 and 10, has created opportunities for careers in journalism and has seen the school become a leader in educational technology among Sydney’s Catholic systemic schools.
The course is aimed at helping the 90 participating students establish a respect for the power of the media and to understand the influence the media can have on individuals, families and the community.
The students have their own radio show, Crossroads FM, which is broadcast to the schoolyard daily.
And they have a media studies classroom and a television production room, which they use to produce their own TV and video projects.
The 200-hour course covers the history of media and communication, radio and television production, film analysis, newspapers, magazines, computerised music and photography.
Holy Cross College was one of four schools in the archdiocese The Catholic Weekly visited last week as part of World Communications Day.
St Ursula’s College, Kingsgrove, also has an impressive media centre, containing more than 100 computers. Teacher Chris Dryden says a text these days is “any material which communicates” including song lyrics, films, advertising and material from the internet.
New methods of communication “mean that students must be educated in critical reading, interpretation and comprehension of various forms of texts”.
“The internet, in particular, has changed the way students research for information and communicate,” he says.
“Because of this they need skills which will enable them to use electronic media efficiently and also assess the authenticity and credibility of what they read in the electronic media.”
Media studies at St John Vianney’s Primary School, Greenacre, are incorporated into other learning areas.
Students discuss issues in relation to the media, such as the war in Iraq, and how newspapers portray events through the use of headlines and photos.
“The children really enjoy the discussions and it opens their eyes to what is happening in the world around them,” says teacher Natasha Ruzic.
“We have discussed topics such as the war in Iraq and how the media portray women in terms of the way they look.”
Students at St Pius Primary School, Enmore, watch the ABC television program Behind The News, which puts current affairs in an understandable format for them.
Principal Cathie Blinman says events such as September 11, the Bali bombings and the war in Iraq have made the students curious as to why they have occurred.
“A program like Behind The News allows the students to gain a better understanding of what is happening in the world,” she says.