Digital media (MDIA)

• Learning in digital media
• Range of media and possible contexts
• Progression
• Key concepts
• Possible achievement/learning objectives

Learning in digital media

Learning in digital media involves developing knowledge and skills about the mechanisms for communicating content.

Digital media uses a combination of different content forms including text, audio, still images, animation, modelling, and video to create digital content for the web, interactive digital platforms and print.

Digital media enable almost every communication and transaction in businesses, manufacturing, agricultural and horticultural production, social networks, education and the information and entertainment industries.

New Zealand needs young people who are critical consumers and innovative creators of digital media content; who can apply their knowledge, techniques and skills to new situations and make decisions leading to the solution of real-life problems; and who understand how digital media literacies enable citizens to have a voice in the global digital media landscape.

A vast amount of content including entertainment, news, information and educational resources are created using digital media. The authorship of this content and the way this content is presented impacts on its meaning.

Digital media enables New Zealanders to tell our stories, market our businesses, entertain ourselves and stay connected as a community.

Range of media and possible contexts

The range of media and possible contexts include:

• audio, for example, making a podcast or a movie soundtrack
• video, for example, making a video to post on YouTube or a stop-motion animated short film
• web content, for example, an easy-to-navigate web site with images or integrating an e-commerce system with a database
• motion graphics, for example, an interactive game on a website or creation of a 2D animated character
• 3D modelling, for example, a modelled creation incorporating sound or video
• print, for example, a poster that effectively combines images and text or a multi panel brochure or booklet.

Students will learn concepts, techniques and skills in computer animation, graphic design, web design, interactivity, digital video and digital audio, including mark-up, scripting and web programming languages.

Students will generate their own resources to use in the creation of their media outcome/s.

Progression

Student learning progression:

• Being able to use common tools for creating digital media to meet specifications (level 6).
• Working within industry guidelines and best practice (level 7).
• Integrating multiple forms of media in a sustainable structure to produce the most suitable content for the audience (level 8).

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Key concepts

Key concepts are the ideas and understandings that the teacher hopes will remain with students long after they have left school.

The key concepts in digital media are:

• Design
  • The ability to follow codes of practice for web browser compatibility and consistency of image display.
  • The ability to apply design elements such as colour, line, shape, texture, clarity, scale, contrast, space, and proximity.
  • The ability to use guidelines for image framing (balance / composition / rule of thirds).
  • The ability to use shot selection to heighten effectiveness of message in video.

• Functionality
  • The ability to compression techniques for image (still and video) to improve transfer / download rates.
  • The ability to engage with user content managed websites – user’s expectations increase as this functionality pervades everyday use through social networking sites.

• Interactivity
  • The ability to design user input in game/simulation.
  • The ability to design and build user interactivity to enhance the level of engagement in web presentations.

Possible achievement/learning objectives

These objectives are indicative only. You might also choose other technology learning objectives.

Level 6 objectives

Select from the following achievement and learning objectives for indicators, context elaborations, and assessment for qualifications guidance information.

• MDIA 6-1: Knowledge of basic concepts in digital media
• MDIA 6-2: Implement basic procedures in digital media
• TECH 6-1: Planning for practice
• TECH 6-2: Brief development
• TECH 6-3: Outcome development and evaluation
• TECH 6-4: Technological modelling
• TECH 6-5: Technological products
• TECH 6-6: Technological systems
• TECH 6-7: Characteristics of technology
• TECH 6-8: Characteristics of technological outcomes

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Last updated April 12, 2012

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