Digital Media

In Year 7 pupils will learn about two areas of digital media:

Graphics – pupils will use Adobe Photoshop Elements to create posters based on animals. They will learn a variety of software tools but also how posters are created and used and apply this knowledge to their own ideas.

2D animation – pupils will learn about 2D animation and how it is created. They will use two software programs to create their own animations. Pivot allows pupils to create 2D animations using stick figure characters that are pre created although pupils can create their own. 2animate allows pupils to draw individual animation frames to create 2D animations.

Pupils will evaluate their work and also peer assess other pupils work at the conclusion of each project.

Pupils will also learn about how media artefacts are planned – with a particular focus on mind maps and mood boards.

Pupils will also learn about the PEGI video game rating system and demonstrate their understanding of this.

In Year 8 pupils will continue to explore areas of the media and build upon the skills and knowledge they learned in year 7. The areas studied will include:

3D animation – pupils will learn about 3D computer animation and how it is created. They will learn to use Muvizu software to create their own 3D animations. The software allows pupils to customise 3D characters and scenes and develop narratives with them.

Pupils will evaluate their work and also peer assess other pupils work at the conclusion of the project.

Film Studies – pupils will explore film genre and narrative theories. They will look at how different genres can be categorised and also look at how they are advertised. Pupils will look at different narrative theories and apply these to existing examples of film. With this knowledge, pupils will prepare their own film idea by creating various documents to help show their film; finishing with pupils creating a full size movie poster.

In Year 9 pupils will complete one unit from the Cambridge Nationals qualification in Digital iMedia. The unit ‘Storytelling with a Comic Strip’ involves the pupils learning about the history of comic books and comic book characters and how they have evolved to the present day. They will look at how to plan and construct their own comic books. The unit concludes with pupils receiving a project that allows them to demonstrate what they have learnt to satisfy a client brief. They will then evaluate how successful they have been in completing the task.

Year 10 pupils will complete one unit from the Cambridge Nationals qualification in Digital iMedia. The unit ‘Creating Digital Graphics’ involves the pupils learning about the creation of digital graphics and how they can be used. They will look at how to plan and construct their own digital graphics. The unit concludes with pupils receiving a project that allows them to demonstrate what they have learnt to satisfy a client brief. They will then evaluate how successful they have been in completing the task.

Pupils will also learn theory elements of Digital Media in order to attempt a written exam which is a mandatory element of the Cambridge National qualification.

Year 11 pupils will complete one unit from the Cambridge Nationals qualification in Digital iMedia. The unit ‘Designing a game concept’ involves the pupils learning about the planning stages creating computer/video games a. They will look at the history of video games and how to plan and construct their own video game concept. The unit concludes with pupils receiving a project that allows them to demonstrate what they have learnt to satisfy a client brief. They will then evaluate how successful they have been in completing the task.

Pupils will also re-attempt a written exam which is a mandatory element of the Cambridge National qualification, should they have not passed in the previous year or in an attempt to achieve a higher grade for the unit.