Context paper

September 2004
Ben Williamson, Futurelab

The full version of this paper is available to download in pdf format - see box below. On this page you'll find the paper's introduction and section on citizenship in the curriculum.

Introduction

The purpose of this context paper is to review the recent research and policy that may have implications for the Snapshot project. It first outlines the key relevant aspects of the English citizenship curriculum, then provides a summary of some of the latest critical and theoretical thinking in the area. Secondly, it summarises the key relevant aspects of the discussion on new technology and media and their implications for the citizenship curriculum. Thirdly, it provides a short analysis of the role of computer games in learning, and congruencies there with the aims of the citizenship and media studies curricula. Finally, it identifies a number of implications for the design of the Snapshot project arising from these readings.

Citizenship in the curriculum

In England, schools are now required to teach a citizenship curriculum to students from Year 3 in the primary level up to the end of GCSE. Snapshot is being designed for use by students from the upper end of Key Stage 3 (age 13-14) through Key Stage 4 (15-16). The themes in these stages are wide-ranging and reflect local, national and global concerns, topical political, spiritual, moral, social and cultural issues, as well as specific subjects such as human rights, the privacy laws, multiculturalism, children's rights, and the role of the media in society. Owing to this diversity in the citizenship curriculum, this document will next briefly describe the area most relevant to the project: media. The subject of the media in citizenship is run in a series of discrete units throughout the key stages, but also figures more widely across every area of the citizenship curriculum; children are expected to develop an understanding of the role of media across many citizenship debates.

By the end of Key Stage 3 students are expected to be able to demonstrate knowledge of how significant the media's role is in putting across different views, understand how topical issues are portrayed and other events (such as sports) publicised; they should also understand how the media can promote particular causes, and its effects on individuals' rights and responsibilities.

In Key Stage 4 students are expected to take part in discussions about content and technical aspects of media production, recognise the importance of editorial decision-making processes in the media, to be able to ascertain bias in reports, and recognise the role that media plays in shaping and/or manipulating public opinion. They are also expected to be able to act as producers of media, and to actively participate in the development of a news story through different media (newspaper, radio, TV, internet) through which they may explore differing opinions and views, and to be able to debate issues such as the importance of a free press.

Throughout the media in citizenship schemes there is also an emphasis on developing skills of participation and responsible action to allow them to become active stakeholders in their schools and communities rather than simply consumers. This is of course a highly theorised area, and it is worth here exploring some key points from the debates.

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