Year 11 Module A: Contemporary Possibilities

In this article, we will explain everything you need to know to ace Year 11 Module A: Contemporary Possibilities. We’ll guide you through the syllabus rubric and address the key statements that will help you achieve a Band 6.

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Year 11 Module A: Contemporary Possibilities

Contemporary Possibilities is the second Module of the Year 11 English Standard Course. The other modules that you will or may have come across in Year 11 English Standard are:

• Common Module: Reading to Write (You can read a detailed breakdown of the module here)
• Module A: Narratives that Shape Our World
• Module B: Close Study of Literature (You can read a detailed breakdown of the module here)

If you want to take your English skills to the next level, take a read of our Beginner’s Guide to Acing HSC English.

The NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) has mandated that all schools study the same three Modules in Year 11. However, there are no prescribed texts, meaning that schools select their own texts for students to study.

In this Guide, we will discuss:

• What is Module A: Contemporary Possibilities?
• What is the purpose of Mod A?
• Mod A Rubric
• Unpacking Mod A Rubric 
• What exactly is context?

What is Module A: Contemporary Possibilities?

Year 11 Module A: Contemporary Possibilities is all about breaking down different digital text types that are used to communicate in today’s technological age… like film, television, online news, and social media.

We are in the age of experimentation, where our forms of communication are rapidly evolving and changing.

So, it’s important that you also explore the context of these texts, their place in the modern world and how they challenge traditional forms of literature.

Furthermore, you need to think about the moral and ethical issues that these contemporary digital texts introduce into our society. For example, privacy has thinned out over the years as content is now easily overshared and accessed by many people.

In summary, Module A requires you to ask yourself:

• How has communication and representations of experiences changed in the modern age?
• What are some new possibilities that digital texts offered for us?
• What is the result of these digital texts? What is our digital footprint?
• How is the modern world represented in texts?

Assessment form:

You can be assessed in different ways for Year 11 Module A: Contemporary Possibilities…

However, there is a high likelihood that you will be asked to create a multimodal presentation for your assessment task.

Multimodal presentations tests your understanding of digital texts and the way they function, as you are expected to imitate the way composers use different forms of media to convey meaning.

This means that you are not only examining and analysing different digital texts, but also putting that knowledge into practical use.

So, you will need to select the most appropriate forms of media for your purpose and audience.

If you want to learn more about How to Prepare a Multimodal Presentation, take a read of Part 10 of our Beginner’s Guide to Acing HSC English.

What is the purpose of Year 11 Module A: Contemporary Possibilities?

Year 11 Module A: Contemporary Possibilities prepares you for Year 12 Module A: Language, Identity and Culture. In this Module, you will learn all the necessary skills and knowledge you need to carry on to Year 12.

Module A is concerned with how texts (especially digital texts) manipulate the form’s distinctive features to express and communicate one’s experiences and ideas.

As such, you will find that the Year 12 Module A course simply extends on the core ideas of Year 11 Module A

To ace Module A, you must first understand the Module A Rubric

Module A Rubric from NESA

To ace Module A, you must first understand what you need to achieve. This can be found in the rubric.

In this module, students extend their knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the ways that different communication technologies shape the ways that we read, navigate, understand and respond to digital, multimedia, multimodal and nonlinear texts. They develop understanding of the creative possibilities made available through these rapidly evolving technologies in the ways we communicate and represent ideas and experiences.

Students engage in a detailed study of one complex multimodal or digital text for example film, media or interactive narratives. To support their study, students also explore a range of texts that typically use contemporary technologies such as film, television, online news services and specific social media platforms. They apply their understanding of the nature, scope and ethical use of digital technology in their own responding and composing.

Students develop a deeper appreciation and understanding of the power of communication technologies to reach a broad audience for a range of purposes and the significance of this mode of communication in a global world. Through a close study of the selected texts students appreciate the active roles of both composer (author, poet, playwright, director, designer and so on) and responder (reader, listener, viewer, an audience and so on) in controlling and choosing the reading pathways through texts. They analyse and interpret the ways composers use and manipulate a variety of aural, language and visual devices to shape our understanding of what we listen to, read or view and may explore notions of hybridity and intertextuality.

Through their responding and composing students gain increasing confidence in experimenting with a range of language and visual forms and features to individually or collaboratively design and create their own multimodal or digital texts to communicate and represent their ideas; understanding the importance of creating a responsible digital footprint.

Through viewing, listening or reading students analyse and assess the text’s specific features and form. They express their knowledge and understanding, clearly and concisely, using appropriate register, structure and modality. They independently and collaboratively plan, draft, appraise and refine their own responses to texts applying the conventions appropriate to form of syntax, spelling and grammar.

Source: Module A Rubric from the NESA website

Was the Module A Rubric easy to understand? Not really? That’s okay. Many students find it difficult to interpret the rubric’s meaning. So, let’s unpack the module and see what it really means.

Unpacking Module A Rubric

To help you understand the rubric, we have broken it into 10 statements.

We will look at the 10 rubric statements and explain them in detail in clear English. This will help you understand what you need to do for the Module.

Rubric Statement #1

“Students extend their knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the ways that different communication technologies shape the ways that we read, navigate, understand and respond to digital, multimedia, multimodal and nonlinear texts.

Analysis of Rubric Statement #1

This statement is asking you to familiarise yourself with different contemporary texts and understand how they function.

Contemporary texts are texts that have emerged as a result of our technological age…

For example:

• Digital texts: Any text that is electronic and can be found on the internet or electronic devices like your laptop, phone or TV. These texts include written text, images, interactive elements, and/or hyperlinks… Think websites, blog pages, social media etc!
• Multimedia texts: Multimedia texts use various mediums to represent an experience or idea. They use images, written text, audio etc.
• Multimodal texts: They are similar to multimedia texts in that they use various modes of communication. However, unlike multimedia texts, multimodal texts often rely on interaction with the audience. It may be in the form of a presentation or a spatial installation or an interactive website.
• Non-linear texts: Non-linear texts are texts that do not follow a chronological or straight-forward order. This means that you can engage with different ideas in any order you prefer… like a website!

It is important that you break down these digital texts and explore how we use communication technologies (like computers and phones).

This statement also requires you to appreciate the possibilities that communication technologies offer us. This means that you need to explore the qualities and values of these digital texts in the modern age.

Rubric Statement #2

“They develop understanding of the creative possibilities made available through these rapidly evolving technologies in the ways we communicate and represent ideas and experiences.”

Analysis of Rubric Statement #2

This statement highlights the importance of understanding how emerging digital technologies create new methods of communication and representation.

So, you need to explore:

• The new forms of digital and experimental texts
• How communication technologies changed the way we read new forms of texts
• How digital texts rely on different forms of communication to create meaning
• How we respond to different digital texts

This means that you also need a strong understanding of the modern context.

Context refers to everything that is happening within a specific period of time, including movements, technological changes, social and environmental changes and important events.

So, do some research to find information about how technology’s evolution in society. You should also examine different people’s reactions to these changes, society’s beliefs about technology and the changing usage of technology.

Rubric Statement #3

“Students engage in a detailed study of one complex multimodal or digital text for example film, media or interactive narratives. To support their study, students also explore a range of texts that typically use contemporary technologies such as film, television, online news services and specific social media platforms.”

Analysis of Rubric Statement #3

Contemporary Possibilities only requires you to do a close study of one complex multimodal or digital text.

This is the main text that you will break down and examine in detail.

However, there is a vast array of digital text types that exist in modern society. So, you still need to study different digital texts to help you better understand how your chosen text functions or conveys meaning.

This means that you must examine texts that use contemporary technologies like film, TV, online news and social media. Think about text messaging, photo essays, online news articles etc.

Use your knowledge and analysis of these texts to support your study of your main text.

Rubric Statement #4

“They apply their understanding of the nature, scope and ethical use of digital technology in their own responding and composing.

Contemporary Possibilities requires you to compose your own multimodal texts based on the knowledge you gained from your studies of different digital texts.

In simple terms, you need to demonstrate that you understand how digital texts function by creating your own!

Here are some elements that you need to focus on when you are analysing and composing your own texts:

• Nature: Basic features, characteristics and functions
• Scope: The extent that digital texts are used in society or for specific audiences
• Ethical use: The moral principles or issues that are related to digital texts (eg. privacy, power abuse, copyright etc.)

This means that you will need to consider the digital form’s characteristics, function, target audience and ethical issues when you create your own multimodal texts.

Rubric Statement #5

“Students develop a deeper appreciation and understanding of the power of communication technologies to reach a broad audience for a range of purposes and the significance of this mode of communication in a global world. 

Analysis of Rubric Statement #5

Year 11 Module A: Contemporary Possibilities require you to focus on the purpose and audiences of different digital texts.

In simple terms, you need to examine how composers manipulate different forms and features to create particular responses from different audiences.

This means that you need to explore and appreciate how a range of different texts target and represent different cultural audiences. This can include age, religion, class, beliefs etc.

For example, Barack Obama’s tweets would represent a cultural view and target an audience that is different from Kylie Jenner’s Instagram post.

Rubric Statement #6

“Through a close study of the selected texts students appreciate the active roles of both composer (author, poet, playwright, director, designer and so on) and responder (reader, listener, viewer, an audience and so on) in controlling and choosing the reading pathways through texts. 

Analysis of Rubric Statement #6

This statement is all about the relationship between the composer and the audience.

So, you need to examine how the composer manipulates the text to shape the way we navigate and respond to the text.

Remember, every creative decision has been specifically made by the composer. It is up to you to figure out how and why they represented information in that particular way.

Rubric Statement #7

“They analyse and interpret the ways composers use and manipulate a variety of aural, language and visual devices to shape our understanding of what we listen to, read or view and may explore notions of hybridity and intertextuality.”

Analysis of Rubric Statement #7

Extending from the previous statement, the composer’s creative decisions shape the way we respond and understand the text. So, here are some of the elements you need to analyse:

• Aural devices: Techniques that rely on sounds. For example, repetition, non-diegetic music, discordant sounds, and onomatopoeia.
• Language devices: Figurative techniques that is used in writing to convey meaning. For example, metaphor, allusion, symbolism, and anecdotes.
• Visual devices: These are techniques that rely on images to convey meaning. For example, colour, vector, salience and shots.

Note: If you want to view a full list of literary, visual, and film techniques, take a read of our Essential Guide to English Techniques.

This statement also requires you to look at hybridity and intertextuality.

Digital and multimodal texts rely on various forms of communication. So, they are technically ‘hybrids’ of different forms, and they might also use intertextuality.

But what does this mean?

• Hybridity: A mixture of different forms
• Intertextuality: When a text implicitly or explicitly reference another text by using a commonly recognisable trait or characteristic of the other text. (Read our Literary Techniques: Intertextuality post to learn more)

So, as you are analysing your digital and/or multimodal texts, you need to explore how the composer uses aural, language and visual devices, and hybridity and intertextuality to shape our understanding and response to the information.

Rubric Statement #8

“Through their responding and composing students gain increasing confidence in experimenting with a range of language and visual forms and features to individually or collaboratively design and create their own multimodal or digital texts to communicate and represent their ideas; understanding the importance of creating a responsible digital footprint.”

Analysis of Rubric Statement #8

This is your chance to experiment with different language and visual techniques to represent your ideas in your multimodal texts. Remember, you need to always consider your audience and how you want them to receive your message.

However, this is not all. This statement also requires you to understand “the importance of creating a responsible digital footprint”.

But what does this mean?

A digital footprint refers to the traces of information and data that you leave behind on the internet.

This includes social media posts that you post, posts that your friends post about you, your browsing history, pictures you repost etc.

As you can see, content on the internet is very easily accessible and shareable. So, whatever you share online can be accessed by nearly anyone, and will be very difficult to fully remove.

Think about it, once your content is shared, and re-shared, and re-shared, you can’t possibly trace it down and delete it off the internet permanently. It is in “the cloud” forever.

As such, Module A is highlighting the importance of being responsible online by encouraging you to create your own multimodal texts.

Every time you want to publish content online, you need to ask yourself:

• How will this reflect on me as a person and as a citizen?
• What will my future employer think when they see this?
• What will my parents or grandparents think when they see this?
• Will I regret posting/sharing this in the next 3 years?

These questions will ensure that you are posting and sharing content responsibly online.

Rubric Statement #9

“Through viewing, listening or reading students analyse and assess the text’s specific features and form.”

Analysis of Rubric Statement #9

Module A requires you to analyse features and characteristics that are specific to the text’s form.

For example, if you are analysing a video on a webpage, then you need to examine film techniques used, not literary techniques!

If you want to have a refresher on different literary, visual, and film techniques, take a read of our Essential Guide to English Techniques.

Rubric Statement #10

“They express their knowledge and understanding, clearly and concisely, using appropriate register, structure and modality. They independently and collaboratively plan, draft, appraise and refine their own responses to texts applying the conventions appropriate to form of syntax, spelling and grammar.”

Analysis of Rubric Statement #10

This statement highlights the importance of carefully planning, drafting, re-drafting, editing, and receiving feedback to produce a high-quality response.

The issue with most students is that they draft a response and simply submit it without editing.

This means that their responses may be long-winded or verbose, have grammatical and spelling mistakes, lack a strong structure and/or have other minor visual/aural errors.

As such, at Matrix, we teach students the fool-proof Matrix Method for studying English.

This method ensures that students are producing responses to the best of their ability. You need to:

1. Read your texts at least 3 times:
   1. First reading: Comprehension – Understand what the text is saying holistically
   2. Second reading: Find meaning by analysing key scenes or events
   3. Third reading: Break down the text to find specific quotes and textual evidence
2. Plan and scaffold: Jot down your ideas based on the question, and structure it into a rough scaffold
3. First draft: Don’t waste time trying to edit as you write/draw/create. Just get all of your ideas out first!
4. Read, proof and edit: Go back and edit your work
5. Second draft: Now, attempt to re-write your response and make it better
6. Feedback: Ask your school teachers, Matrix teachers or tutors, or friends to take a look at your work.
7. Polished work: Edit your work and use the given feedback to polish your Band 6 responses!

If you want to learn more HSC skills to write and refine different types of English responses, take a read of our HSC English Study Guide.

What exactly is context?

Context refers to everything that is happening in a specific period of time. This includes:

• Values: Beliefs held by different communities and societies.
  • For example, religious beliefs, cultural practices, economic and political ideologies and even pop-culture
• Attitudes: People’s perspectives and views on society’s values.
  • For example, people from a Communist society may praise communism and dislike democracy, whereas people from a democratic nation will praise democracy and dislike communism.
• Personal events: This refers to the composer’s personal events that occurred in their life.
  • For example, illnesses, upbringing, education, life opportunities etc.
• Historical events: These are events that occur and are shared within a community or society
  • For example, the Sorry Speech, 911, natural disasters etc.

It is crucial that you examine the composer’s context for Module A: Contemporary Possibilities texts so you understand how and why they chose to use a particular form of media.

Furthermore, context shapes composers’ perceptions of the world. So, they usually comment and critique their contexts through their texts.