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Authors
Authors. Fr J Borg was the promoter of media education in Malta. He and Dr Mary Anne Lauri have been collaborating on this programme since the late Eighties. They co-authored the books used in Form One and Two and a number of academic papers. One such paper is available here.
The authors can be contacted on joseph.borg@um.edu.mt or mary-anne.lauri@um.edu.mt
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Twenty five years ago – October 1981 –Church schools run by the Sisters of St Joseph, the Jesuits and the Salesians under the guidance of the Commission of Social Communications led by Fr J Borg introduced the teaching of media education. It was a brave move at a time when the same schools were going through a hard time because of the prevailing political situation. Instead of retreating into a defensive position these schools found the strength to be innovative. The move recognized that in a world dominated by the media the way forward was education not censorship.
Media education has nothing to do with using media in education nor has it anything to do with educational broadcasting. These two misconceptions abound but are incorrect just the same.
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A media education programme has the following characteristics:
i. Students are familiarised with the conventions of the language of different media. As a result students will be able to “read" the media.
ii. Students are also empowered to assess critically the message that the media present and be able to judge the values and life styles portrayed.
iii. Students learn that media messages are produced by organizations with definite ownership structures and which operate according to particular production techniques. These organizations work within a society which influences the media while it is itself influenced by the media.
iv. Students are helped to "write" with the media by being given the possibility and the opportunity to express themselves through their own productions.
Between 1981 and 1984 teachers and students used stenciled notes and materials that were produced by an ad hoc group of teachers. In 1984 the heads of all church schools decided to introduce the subject in Grades 4, 5, and 6 of all Church schools. In 1985 a group of teachers produced the first set of media books for the junior schools. The group, led by Fr Borg, was made of Ms G Cachia, Ms L Brockdorff, Sr R Grech, Fr P Grech Marguerat and Fr Sacco. The set consisted of three workbooks to be used in the grades four to six (ages 8-10) of primary schools. The Social Communication Commission regularly revised and updated the books in the light of feedback from teachers and students as well as changes in the media environment in Malta. The latest, and heavily revised, edition was printed in 2003 and was edited by Ms M Dandria and Sr Riches Grech who was responsible for the running of the project in the last decade.
The books for the primary schools are basically workbooks. Information is held to a minimum while practical activities are emphasized. Consequently students learn by actively involving themselves in projects. The very basic and elementary elements of the language of television, newspapers, magazines, picture stories and radio are introduced to students but television is given the most importance.
In 1987 Fr J Borg wrote Media Studies, the first book for use by Forms 1 and 2 of the secondary schools. This was revised in 1989. Together, Fr Borg and Dr Mary Anne Lauri, wrote the new editions which were published in 1993 and 1998. These editions were the result of continuous evaluation and a response to changes in the media environment. The edition of 1993 reflects the introduction of radio pluralism in Malta and the resurgence of the cinema. The edition of 1998 reflects the introduction of TV pluralism and the Internet.
Following feedback from teachers Borg and Lauri wrote Exploring Media Languages. Media Education for Form 1. This 2003 publication of the Media Centre, emphasises various media languages and the production of different media products. In 2004 they authored, Exploring the Media landscape. Media Education for Form 2 which discusses issues related to media content such as news, advertising and stereotyping within the context of Maltese society. The secondary school books are textbooks more than workbooks but they still include many activities.
International Dimension
The introduction of media education in Church schools in Malta has to be seen in the light of what was happening internationally. Official Church documents stress the need of having media education taught in its schools. The Decree of Vatican II, Inter Mirifica (1963), stated that it should be taught at all levels of church schools and promoted the teaching of “proper habits of reading, listening and viewing” (para. 25). The Pastoral Instruction Communio et Progressio (1971) states that media education must be given a regular place in school curricula and be taught systematically at every stage of education. It further states that: “It is never too early to start encouraging in children artistic tastes, a keen critical faculty and a sense of personal responsibility based on sound morality” (para. 67).
Church schools, in many countries including Italy, Australia, India, USA, France, Ireland and Chile were putting into practice the documents issued by the Church. UNDA, the international Catholic Association for radio and TV, was working hand in hand with UNESCO to promote media education. In UNDA, together with UNESCO, launched a pilot project consisting of ten sessions. Malta was one of the countries that participated in this pilot project. This served as the basis on which the full programme was built.
The Maltese Programme
In the beginning of the Eighties, the inoculation approach was still present in several media education programmes, in many countries. This approach, encourages the protection of children and young people from media influence in the same way one would protect people from a disease. It looks at the media in a negative way, takes a moralistic approach and encourages children not to use them.
The media education programme used locally distances itself from this position. It is based on the belief that media use is an enjoyable experience for students and consequently this enjoyment should be enhanced. The programme, therefore, is more akin to the aesthetic and communicative models. The media education programme used in many Maltese schools also emphasizes the societal aspect i.e. the context in which media messages are produced and used.
In these last twenty five years thousands of students have gone through the programme. Several studies done abroad show, amongst other things, that media education increases students’ analytical skills, makes students more aware of biases in news broadcasts, make students more cognizant of the persuasive strategies of advertising and reduce the internalization of unhealthy messages put forward by different media. Studies done in Malta my Dr Lauri show similar results.
In view of this research, Heads of schools must evaluate the importance they are giving to media education and together with people informed in this developing area, make the necessary changes to the programmes they offer at their schools. Parents, on the other hand should realize, now more than ever, that media education is a must. Any student not equipped with the tool of media analysis and media use is at a disadvantage in a world dominated by media. Next week we will make suggestions that can help in the success of this effort.
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