Snipes

[NormanH]

In defence of Media Studies (which was not the subject of my degree so I am disinterested in my view) I believe that a really good grasp of the techniques used by  the media  to manipulate and mis-inform,  together with the research skills needed to check sources, and discover who are the interested  parties should form part of general education.

It would be like rhetoric in the old tripos.

[Hoddy]

Thanks for the all interesting replies.

Nomoss - my first teaching job was in a school which had recently become a comprehensive after being a secondary modern. The classes were quite small and we had extensive playing fields and fiercely competitive sports teams. It was the general experience in that local authority that the schools which had been secondary moderns did much better as comprehensives than the old grammar/high schools did because the old secondary mod teachers could deal with ‘challenging’ children with one hand tied behind their back while the grammar school teachers thought that they could continue to sit at the front and dictate notes.

Gluestick - I accept your ideas about the quality of Loughborough - the trouble is that it’s our local - they could probably walk there. Very embarrassingly some of their friends’ parents teach there so it’s at the bottom of the list.

I agree with you about the playing fields. When I was a school governor I fought tooth and nail to keep ours. I thought I had sound logical reasons based on the fact that many of our feeder primaries only had a small tarmac yard so it was the kids only chance of sport. The headmaster accused me of being romantic - a first and only for me. In the end though they weren’t sold.

My personal idea of choosing a course is more in line with Mint and Linda that doing something because you are interested in it is more worthwhile, but in these uncertain times I was hoping for something more concrete.

Norman - I agree with every word you say about media studies, but then I think the whole curriculum needs reform. Perhaps Brexit could be a good reason to persuade people that we need something different.

I'm sorry I seem to have hijacked the thread. I've been saddened and astonished by some of the vitriolic and personal vituperation that has gone on. I've hardly ever had a government I voted for but I've never felt the need to be so personally abusive as some people have been.

[nomoss]

Hoddy. I'm sure not all the comprehensive schools were as bad as those we experienced.

It couldn't have helped for the final one to have gone from being a normal sized grammar school to a comprehensive school with extensive new buildings, which had 13 streams plus 2 remedial streams per year. Strangely, children of the staff were all in the higher rated streams.

It was enormous, and had a huge parking area where buses lined up to redistribute the pupils around the countryside at the end of each day.

The warfare was between gangs such as the town, the nearby air station, and groups from nearby schools which had been shut down.

[Gluestick]

Hoddy:

As with wine, there is good wine and bad wine. Same with schools.

A very dear and close friend (from motor racing) was Head of Department, CDT, at the first and largest major comp in Essex. It was a very troubled area. He was a very tall (6!6") Yorkshireman and an excellent rugby player: and took no prisoners! 99% of the kids loved him to bits, since he led from the front.

He also set up extra-curricular clubs for both woodwork and metal work and even set up a Cart Racing Club, which naturally all the kids wanted desperately to belong to.

No work; no club. He taught them so very much; craft skills for a lifetime. He himself was a brilliant engineer.

So sadly, he collapsed and passed away almost instantly at 50. I still miss him.

[Gardian]

If I may, I'm going to return to the question of how we are going to be affected.

May I first of all say that I loose no sleep over the Brexit decision. Sad and it wasn't the way I voted, but it happened.

There are two ways in which we are potentially affected (and I make no apologies for considering how we might personally be 'hit'). As I've said before, I blame the EU for what happened (in not making itself attractive enough) rather than Brexit voters, though I do regard those who said afterwards "I didn't really think that it would happen" with utter contempt.

First, the exchange rate. It's at about 1.15 interbank at the moment, but I reckon that it'll improve a bit by October when we make our annual contract. It always drops off in the Summer hols. So, if I can get 1.15 (interbank - 3 pts), I'll be satisfied. I really doubt that it would have much different if the vote had been to Remain. The heady days of last Autumn are gone.

Second, healthcare. Well, none of us has a clue yet as to what will actually happen. My guess? A typically British compromise. Fast forward to Summer 2018 and the British Govt will say that w.e.f 1/1/19, no new S1's will be issued. Existing arrangements will be honoured (it'll be reducing population). Must admit that I like that idea and satisfies nearly everybody. I should have been a civil servant!

[mint]

[quote user="NormanH"]In defence of Media Studies (which was not the subject of my degree so I am disinterested in my view) I believe that a really good grasp of the techniques used by  the media  to manipulate and mis-inform,  together with the research skills needed to check sources, and discover who are the interested  parties should form part of general education.

It would be like rhetoric in the old tripos.

[/quote]

No, that's not the subject of my degree either but we did have some lectures on modern mass media.  In those days, the "new technologies" (eg printing of newspapers without the need for compositors and associated trades and the relatively low cost of starting a newspaper) were still somewhat distant but were anticipated.

When Murdoch and Wapping came into being, I remember feeling rather "knowing"!

With regard to the media, it's not only manipulating and misinforming, though there is a lot of that, but the difficult-to-dig out "leaving out of information".  Who is the gatekeeper and who is the regulator of those who set out the protocols and rules of what can and cannot be published or broadcast?

Then there is the vast, not-completely-understood area of the "language" that is used, the political bias of proprietors and editors, not to mention the whole tone and ethos of the mass media corporations and authorities.

I am sure a certain infamous North Korean gentleman have made quite a close study of the media! 

[Gluestick]

[quote user="mint"]

With regard to the media, it's not only manipulating and misinforming, though there is a lot of that, but the difficult-to-dig out "leaving out of information".  Who is the gatekeeper and who is the regulator of those who set out the protocols and rules of what can and cannot be published or broadcast?

Then there is the vast, not-completely-understood area of the "language" that is used, the political bias of proprietors and editors, not to mention the whole tone and ethos of the mass media corporations and authorities.

I am sure a certain infamous North Korean gentleman have made quite a close study of the media! 

[/quote]

Today, Mint, using the MSM (Main Stream Media) is a complete waste of time.

For those who seek cogent factoids which may be cross-checked against other sources, then News Agglomerators are a much more useful source. As you say and I quite agree, it is invariably what is left out which is often critical.

As well as Agglomerators, new wave news and current affairs websites offer much more value and direction than the MSM.

A certain Dr Joseph Goebbels wrote the book on fact distortion, bias and what was effective brain washing of the masses. Soviet Russia and China didn't do so badly, either!

Back to Mark Twain.

"The man who does not read a newspaper is ill-informed: the man who does read a newspaper is misinformed!"

Interesting admission since he was a journalist!