Influences on government policy and the media
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Introduction
Students explore how groups and outside bodies sometimes seek to influence government policies for their own purposes. They learn about media ownership and influence and explore the role of bias, misinformation, disinformation and fake news in influencing and shaping public opinion, particularly in relation to shaping identity and attitudes to diversity.
Achievement standard
By the end of Year 9, students evaluate features of Australia’s political system, and identify and analyse the influences on people’s political choices. They explain the key principles of Australia’s system of justice and analyse the role of Australia’s court system. They analyse a range of factors that influence identities and attitudes to diversity. They reflect on how groups participate and contribute to civic life.
When researching, students analyse a range of questions to investigate Australia’s political and legal systems and critically analyse information gathered from different sources for relevance and reliability. They compare and account for different interpretations and points of view on civics and citizenship issues. When planning for action, students take into account multiple perspectives, use democratic processes, and negotiate solutions to an issue. Students develop and present evidence-based arguments on civics and citizenship issues using appropriate texts, subject-specific language and concepts. They analyse ways they can be active and informed citizens in different contexts.
Content descriptions
Civics and Citizenship Knowledge and Understanding
How citizens’ political choices are shaped, including the influence of the media (ACHCK076).
Civics and Citizenship Skills
Identify, gather and sort information and ideas from a range of sources and reference as appropriate (ACHCS083).
Recognise and consider multiple perspectives and ambiguities, and use strategies to negotiate and resolve contentious issues (ACHCS086).
Use democratic processes to reach consensus on a course of action relating to a civics or citizenship issue and plan for that action (ACHCS087).
Present evidence-based civics and citizenship arguments using subject-specific language (ACHCS088).
Reflect on their role as a citizen in Australian, regional and global contexts (ACHCS089).
Teacher resources
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Influences on government policy
Why does the media matter in our democracy?
Navigating the media
What type of information or news is this?
Student learning resources
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Influences on government policy
What type of information or news is this?
The power of the media
Writing paragraphs in Civics and Citizenship
Other resources you might like
Suggested activity sequence
This sequence is intended as a framework to be modified and adapted by teachers to suit the needs of a class group. If you assign this activity to a class, your students will be assigned all student resources on their 'My learning' page. You can also hand-pick the resources students are assigned by selecting individual resources when you add a work item to a class in 'My classes'.
Part A: Exploring how and why outside bodies influence government policy
- Pose the question: Why is power important in Australian politics?
Explain that, while Australian citizens elect representatives to govern on their behalf, other non-elected individuals and organisations seek to influence government policy for their own advantage.
- Elicit students’ prior knowledge about organisations that seek to influence government policy.
- Display the quotes visualiser and as a class, discuss its meaning.
- Use a grouping strategy to organise the class into teams of 3 or 4 students and allocate each group one of the following to investigate:
- business association or industry
- union
- non-profit organisation.
- Give groups adequate time to complete the group investigation.
- Explain to students that they will evaluate each group’s presentation. Talk about the process of peer evaluation and develop agreed criteria for evaluation. Possible questions include:
Did the presentation:
- identify the organisation seeking to influence government policy
- identify the government policy the organisation seeks to influence
- adequately explain the strategies used by the organisation to seek influence
- cite the sources of information used in the presentation
- state why the sourced information is valid and relevant?
Part B: Exploring media ownership and influence
- Display and explain the information on Why does the media matter in our democracy – Visualiser.
- Think-pair-share the following proposition: Owning or controlling a media outlet or corporation can be immensely powerful.
- As a class read through the investigation.
- Students complete the investigation.
Part C: Bias, misinformation, disinformation and fake news
- Use slide 2 of Navigating the media – Visualiser to explain the difference between bias, misinformation, disinformation and fake news.
- As a class discuss if students have retweeted a tweet or re-posted an article and if so, why.
- Display and explain slides 2 and 3 of the visualiser.
- Use a grouping strategy to organise students into groups of 4.
- Groups complete the group task.
- Invite groups to share their responses.
Note: you might find the placemat strategy useful for promoting group discussion and consensus.
- Students write and evidence-based paragraph or 2 explaining how the media shapes identity and influences attitudes to diversity. Refer students to Writing paragraphs in Civics and Citizenship – Model