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Sri Lanka Advanced Level Examination Syllabus - Media and Communication Studies

This syllabus is designed for the G.C.E. Advanced Level curriculum in Sri Lanka, implemented under the New Education Reforms. It draws upon national and international syllabi on Communication and Media, incorporating recommendations from UNESCO and the Paris Agenda. The syllabus aims to develop students into successful communicators and responsible citizens by fostering essential knowledge, skills, and attitudes. It consists of two main sections: Communication and Media Studies.

Grade 12

1. Communication Studies: Foundations and Importance

1.1 Introduction to Communication Studies: Covers the origins, development, and significance of Communication Studies as an academic discipline.
1.2 Communication Studies in Sri Lanka: Examines the introduction and development of Communication Studies within the Sri Lankan context.
1.3 Rationale for Studying Communication and Media Studies: Explores the importance of this subject area in contemporary society.

2. Fundamentals of Communication

2.1 Defining Communication: Explores various definitions of communication to establish a comprehensive understanding of the concept.
2.2 Nature of Communication: Examines the multifaceted nature of communication, including its goal-oriented, purposive, symbolic, contextual, processual, diverse, forceful, and bidirectional aspects.
2.3 The Communication Process: Analyzes the fundamental elements of the communication process: communicator, encoding, message, channel, receiver, decoding, feedback, noise, frame of reference, context, effects, and influence.
2.4 Key Definitions of Communication: Explores definitions by prominent communication theorists such as Wilbur Schramm, Harold Lasswell, and Claude Shannon & Warren Weaver.
2.5 Role and Functions of Communication: Examines the diverse functions of communication, including information gathering, instruction, persuasion, entertainment, surveillance, interpretation, collaboration, and socialization.

3. Communication Types, Forms, and Models

3.1 Types of Communication: Explores various communication types, including intrapersonal, interpersonal, group, public, mass, and virtual communication.
3.2 Forms of Communication: Examines different communication forms, such as verbal/nonverbal, spoken/performing, written/oral/visual, and formal/informal communication.
3.3 Communication Models: Analyzes theoretical communication models, including the Aristotle model, Lasswell model, Shannon-Weaver model, and Schramm-Osgood model.

4. Traditional, Mass, New, and Social Media

4.1 Traditional Media: Explores the characteristics and significance of traditional media forms.
4.2 Mass Media: Examines different types of mass media and their specific features, including mass communication models like the HUB model.
4.3 New and Social Media: Explores the characteristics and societal impact of new media and social media platforms.
4.4 Practical Skills in New and Social Media: Develops practical skills in creating and presenting messages using new and social media technologies.

5. Culture and Media Impact

5.1 Nature and Significance of Culture: Explores the concept of culture and its importance in society.
5.2 Cultural Evolution and Media: Examines the interplay between culture and media, including traditional culture, mass culture, media culture, popular culture, global culture, and cross-cultural studies.
5.3 Media's Impact on Culture: Analyzes the influence of media on cultural attitudes, behaviors, violence, cultural shock, and addiction.

6. Media Literacy and Criticism

6.1 Media Literacy: Explores the concept of media literacy, its definitions, and key elements, including the ability to recognize media message processes, identify media influence, analyze messages, understand intertextuality, evaluate messages, and perceive media messages critically.
6.2 Media Criticism: Examines the concept of media criticism, its various aspects, and the role of a critical receiver.
6.3 Media Message Analysis: Develops skills in analyzing media messages by considering meaning, appropriateness, motivation, bias, credibility, distortion, effectiveness, manipulation, stereotypes, and overall evaluation.

7. Creative Communication

7.1 Nature and Importance of Creative Communication: Explores creative communication as an effective communication strategy.
7.2 Basics of Creativity: Examines the foundations of creativity, including creation, creative thinking, the role of the creator, and creative composition.
7.3 Creative Language and Media: Explores the creative use of language in various media, including print, electronic media, cinema, and performing arts.
7.4 Folklore and Folk Art in Creative Communication: Examines the use of folklore and folk art in constructing creative messages.

8. Public Relations and Event Management

8.1 Introduction to Public Relations: Explores the origins, importance, and necessity of public relations.
8.2 Defining Public Relations: Examines various definitions of public relations to establish a clear understanding of the concept.
8.3 Public Relations Situations: Explores different public relations contexts, including state/public relations, institutional PR, professional PR, business/public relations, and media/public relations.
8.4 Instruments and Strategies of Public Relations: Examines the tools and techniques used in public relations practice.
8.5 The Public Relations Officer: Explores the role and responsibilities of a public relations officer, including the media officer's PR role.
8.6 Event Management: Explores the concept, definitions, necessity, and importance of event management.
8.7 Stages of Event Management: Examines the different stages involved in planning and executing events.

9. Communication for Development

9.1 Development Concepts and Opinions: Explores the concept of development, its historical evolution, and various perspectives on development theories.
9.2 Nature of Development: Examines the contemporary understanding of development, including people-centeredness, localization, social equity, poverty reduction, and participatory policy-making.
9.3 Communication Needs for Development: Explores the role of communication in development, including media quality, participation, interpersonal relationships, information dissemination, reform engagement, and sustainability.
9.4 Communication Expectations for Development: Examines the expectations for communication in development, including needs-centeredness, self-determination, self-confidence, conducive environments, and participatory democracy.

10. Communication Policies and Media Monitoring

10.1 Communication Policies: Explores communication policies, including universal declarations on human rights, constitutional provisions, media freedom, intellectual property rights, and the right to information.
10.2 Media Monitoring: Examines the concept of media monitoring, its history, need, significance, monitoring agencies (e.g., Telecom Regulatory Commission, SLCERT, Press Council of Sri Lanka, Public Performance Board, Press Complaints Commission), and their roles.
10.3 Media Ethics and Guidance: Explores ethical guidelines and guidance for various media forms, including newspapers, radio, cinema/performing arts, television, and new media.

11. Contemporary Media Trends

11.1 Media Expansion in Sri Lanka: Examines the growth and development of media in Sri Lanka.
11.2 Trends in Media: Analyzes contemporary media trends, including media convergence, demassification, deregulation, consumerism, co-modification, commercialization, and globalization.
11.3 Media Trends Specific to Sri Lanka: Explores media trends unique to the Sri Lankan context, including technical, institutional, content-related, and receiver-related trends.

12. Communication Investigations

12.1 Media Surveys: Explores the use of surveys in media and communication research, including survey methodology, types, advantages, and disadvantages.
12.2 Communication Survey Process: Examines the steps involved in conducting a communication survey, from problem identification to report compilation and presentation.

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