SCHOOL MEDIA CLUBS

Central Institute of Educational Technology organises
NCERT SCHOOL MEDIA CLUBS
Media is very important part of students’ lives. They spend lot of their time consuming media messages. They watch TV, surf internet, listen to the radio, read newspaper and also take pride in owning a sophisticated toy called Mobile phone which gives them an opportunity to do all these activities when they are on move. Media has penetrated deep into their lives and hence has enormous power to reconstruct the way they look at the world, to shape their opinion, and redefine their values. Media messages if consumed wisely can broaden their horizon and help them to understand world in a better way but if these messages are not consumed wisely and judiciously it can create havoc.
Therefore, it is important for students to develop a conceptual understanding of the media that will involve both critical reception of and active production through media. It will also enable students to express their own voice through media, as well as the ability to see through what mass media offer. The basic idea is to provide students with an opportunity to develop life skills which will enable them to analyze these forms of modern communication and to help students to become wise consumers of media. The best way to do this is to have Media clubs in schools which will provide students a platform to not only understand media but also express themselves through media by playing an active role.

Objectives

• To develop among students an understanding of the effects of mass media on themselves as individuals and also upon society and how the media influence our understanding of reality.

• To develop skills to deconstruct media messages by making them understand the constructed nature of media.

• To develop skills to encourage the production of creative media messages.

• To encourage students to express their feelings and thoughts through media messages they produce

• To introduce students to various career opportunities in mass media.


The activities under the Media Club:
Media Diary: Each student of media club will have his/her own Media Diary to record consumption of media messages. The club coordinator (teacher) will analyze the diary to see the trend in the media habits of children. This will help the students to keep track of their media diet.

School Newspaper: A thought-provoking newspaper by the students of Media club. The newspaper could be an issue based newspaper which carries news, features, editorials, poem etc on one theme eg. Right to Education, Corporal Punishment, Environment etc. Themes could be selected by the editorial board/members of media club based on their experiences or the events taking place in the society around them

Expression through Pictures: This includes Capturing scenes and events through camera. Students will be given topics to click photographs on.

Documentary: A video / Audio documentary can be scripted and produced by the students of media club. Club may screen the documentaries of programmes produced by their club and critiquing can be arranged by inviting experts from the field.

Screening: The club also can have screening of good films/video listening to good audio programmes

Media Advocacy: Club coordinator along with other teachers and students will track the content of media both print and electronic and initiate debate and discussion on various issues highlighted in the media.

Media Literacy Activities: A manual containing around 50 activities related to media analysis will be provided to schools by the CIET. Club coordinators will conduct those activities with the club members to develop among students an understanding of media.

Media Club News Bulletin: Since lot of activities will be organized in schools, the media club members will record these activities and pass it on to CIET for Media Club News Bulletin which will be aired On DD1 and Gyan Darshan. This will be a news bulletin by the students for the students.

Interface with Media: This is the platform through which members of media club will get an opportunity to interact with the experts from media and media education. Schools may organize talk by various media personalities.

Media Club on Facebook: Each member of media club will be invited to join the media club on facebook where they can share their experiences with others. This will be platform wherein media club members will exchange information and explore more possibilities and opportunities.
Media Club Blog: Each school will have their own media club blog.
Its our voice: Student will be encouraged to participate in mainstream media by writing letters or by joining some socially relevant campaigns initiated by the media.
‘Media Club Experience’ Seminar: This will be organized at CIET at the end of the year wherein club coordinators will share their experience of running media club in their school.
STRUCTURE OF MEDIA CLUB

The media club should essentially have a governing council which plans and executes the activities of media club. The members of the Governing Council should include:

(i) President- Principal

(ii) Secretary

(iii) Media Club coordinator- Teacher

(iv) Four members who will include teachers, experts from media and media education.

The governing council can meet four times in a year for proper planning and monitoring of the media club activities.
IMPLEMENTATION
In order to undertake the programme in a systematic way it will be started in 30-35 schools in Delhi in collaboration with CIET, NCERT. Later on these schools will act as Lead Schools and about 25-30 schools will be attached to each lead school for proper coordination and implementation of various activities. Each lead media-club coordinator (teacher) will act as a master trainer. Orientation programmes for Media Club coordinators (teachers) are being conducted at CIET, NCERT.