Institution: Teaching a lesson

With Media institutions, there is no substitute for knowing a variety of institutions in detail.

In your pair, you need to teach a 6-8 minute lesson on the institution you are given. The lesson needs to involve the following…

Starter activity
This could be image or clip-based, or perhaps involve a quiz to engage the class. It should introduce your institution and grab the attention of your students.

Teaching
Make sure you cover the following in your lesson:

Their history: how did they come to be where they are now?

Their influence: What audiences do they reach? Do they have political influence?

What they control: What companies or other media institutions do they own or have authority over? How many phases of production and distribution are they involved in?

Who influences them: Are they owned or controlled by powerful individuals, families or governments?

Synergy: In what ways do their different businesses support each other? Give specific examples.

Why is any of this important? Explain what we need to know about this institution.

Handout
You need to produce a handout to give to the class for their Media folders. No more than one page of A4, this needs to summarise the main aspects of the institution.

Plenary
Finish up with something that will help your students remember your institution. It might return to the starter activity or be a memorable or important fact about the organisation.

Think about…

• Using audio-visual materials (clips, images etc.)
• Interactivity – involve other students
• Role play or performance
• Key questions you may be asked at the end of your lesson

The topic you’ve been given is HUGE, so try to take a step back. Individually, do some preliminary research, and get a sense of the most important elements of the institution. Then, as a pair, you can decide how to use your research to plan an effective and memorable lesson.

Good luck!