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 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 analyse the role of the Australian Constitution, the federal system of government, and the process and reasons for constitutional change. They explain policy development and legislative processes in Australia’s democracy. They identify the key features and jurisdictions of Australia’s court system and explain the role and processes of courts and tribunals. Students identify the reasons individuals and groups participate in and contribute to civic life nationally and globally. They explain the influence of the media on reflections of identity and diversity.
Students develop a range of questions and locate, select and compare information from sources to investigate political and legal systems, and contemporary civic issues. They analyse information to explain perspectives and challenges related to political, legal or civic issues. Students identify and evaluate the methods or strategies related to civic participation or action. Students use civics and citizenship knowledge, concepts and terms to develop descriptions, explanations and evidence-based arguments.
Content descriptions
Civics and Citizenship Knowledge and Understanding
The legislative processes through which federal government policy is shaped, developed and implemented. (AC9HC9K02)
The influence of a range of media, including social media, in shaping identity and attitudes to diversity. (AC9HC9K06)
Civics and Citizenship Skills
Develop and modify questions to investigate Australia’s political and legal systems, and contemporary civic issues. (AC9HC9S01)
Locate, select and compare information, data and ideas from a range of sources. (AC9HC9S02)
Analyse information, data and ideas about political, legal or civic issues to identify and evaluate differences in perspectives and interpretations. (AC9HC9S03)
Evaluate the methods or strategies related to making decisions about civic participation. (AC9HC9S04)
Create descriptions, explanations and arguments using civics and citizenship knowledge, concepts and terms that incorporate evidence. (AC9HC9S05)
Teacher resources
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Influences on government policy
Why does the media matter in our democracy?
Navigating the media
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