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LaSWAP

BTEC Media Level 2

QUALIFICATIONS NEEDED TO START THE COURSE

BTEC level 1 or equivalent at Merit or Distinction 

At least 4 GCSEs mostly at 4

YEAR 12 COURSE SPECIFICATION

 

The Level 2 qualification is full time for 1 year. Students will study a combination of essential core, mandatory and specialist units. Two units are assessed by external exam with all other units being assessed internally by the centre.

The Essential Core, developed in consultation with employers and educators, gives learners the opportunity to gain a broad understanding and knowledge of a vocational sector.

The Mandatory Units assess knowledge, understanding and skills that are not covered within the core units but are essential to the curriculum area or vocational industry.

The Specialist units provide a closer focus on a vocational area, supporting progression into a more specialised level 3 vocational or academic course or into an apprenticeship.

 

Core units

These units underpin the fundamental knowledge and understanding of the creative digital media sector. Unit 2 must be taken alongside the optional specialist units and focuses on communication techniques.

  • Unit 1: Digital Media Sectors and Audiences – in this unit, learners will explore the digital media industry and all the five key sectors that fall under it (Digital Moving Image, Digital Audio Production, Digital Publishing). They will also explore the different types of audiences and how audiences can engage with each sector.
  • Unit 2: Planning and Pitching a Digital Media Product – in this unit, learners will use their verbal, written and visual communication skills to enable them to formulate, develop and pitch ideas for a product, which they then plan to produce.

Mandatory units

  • Unit 8: Media Industry in Context (externally assessed) – this unit has been added in the Certificate as a mandatory unit. This is to give learners studying the larger sized qualification the ability to contextualise their work in creative digital media by understanding the wider media landscape, the organisations within it, how they are funded and their working practices. This complements Unit 1 (which looks ‘inwards’ at media sectors and how audiences consume media) and in contrast looks ‘outwards’ at the bigger picture of local, national and global media and how organisations of all sizes and structures produce media.

Optional specialist units

  • Unit 3: Digital Moving Image Production – in this unit, learners investigate key features of digital moving image productions, including structures and generic conventions. Practical production focuses on the use of camerawork and how it is used to convey meaning in a specific product.
  • Unit 4: Digital Audio Production – in this unit, learners explore techniques and procedures for recording digital audio in different locations and under different conditions with appropriate microphones. Practical production focuses on the recording of audio for particular digital media products.
  • Unit 5: Digital Publishing Production – in this unit, learners will gain the knowledge and skills required for the design and development of digitally published products. They will also understand how to source materials and combine them to create a whole product. Learners will organise and manage the production of a digitally published product.
  • Unit 9: Digital Editing for Moving Image – this unit looks at editing techniques and styles across different formats. The unit builds on Unit 3: Digital Moving Image Production as learners can learn how to edit moving images for films or digital games they have produced.
  • Unit 10: Digital Photography for a Media Product – this unit focuses on photographic techniques and practices for media products across all sectors as well as understanding equipment and functions in a range of environments. This unit builds on Unit 5: Digital Publishing Production as learners will learn how to take photographs suitable for different types of digital media.
  • Unit 14: Writing for Digital Media – this unit provides a detailed focus on the different writing styles, designs and modes of address across various digitally published media that require text. Journalistic techniques of editing, drafting, timings and sub-editing are covered through practical application of learning. This unit builds on Unit 5: Digital Publishing Production and Unit 6: Website Production, as learners will learn how to produce an effective piece of writing suitable for a specified media product.
  • Unit 16 – Digital Art for a Media Product - this unit offers a great opportunity for learners to understand what digital art is, how digital art is produced, as well as enabling practical opportunities to create digital art for a media product.

 LEARNING AND SKILLS

The course is designed to provide lots of hands on practical experience of media technology as well as a broad understanding of how the media industry operates.

Students will learn how to use a number of digital software programmes effectively. Students will also develop the skills required for group work and project management.

There is also a focus on written communication as well as the practical assignments. Students will learn exam technique in preparation for the two external exams. Students will learn the skills and techniques needed for the four stages of media production: research, planning, construction and evaluation.

These are just some of the skills you will learn during the course.

EXAMINATION AND ASSESSMENT

EXAM BOARD: EDEXCEL

The course is predominantly assessed internally with two external exams.

UNITS

TYPE OF ASSESSMENT

DURATION

WEIGHTING

1 – core

External

1 hour, January

30 guided learning hours

 8%

2 – core

Internal

30 guided learning hours

8%

3 – specialist

Internal

30 guided learning hours

8%

4 – specialist

Internal

30 guided learning hours

8%

5 – specialist

Internal

30 guided learning hours

8%

8 – mandatory

External

1 hour,

30 guided learning hours

 8%

9 – specialist

Internal

60 guided learning hours

16%

10 – specialist

Internal

60 guided learning hours

16%

14 – specialist

Internal

30 guided learning hours

8%

16 – specialist

Internal

30 guided learning hours

8%

There is the possibility to resit Unit 1 in May if candidates feel this is beneficial, although we do not recommend this.

FUTURE PROSPECTS

The BTEC Level 2 course provides lots of practical hands on experience. It is an excellent pathway onto a Level 3 advanced media course and can also lead on to advanced study either at LaSWAP or another institution. A number of students also go on to do apprenticeships.

The practical nature of the course allows students a greater understanding of the technological side of the media industry which enables students to gain jobs in this sector in the future.

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