NewspaperIn

Education

Building Youth Readership with

Digital Editions

We researched

• In-house

• NAA Conference

• List Serve

Created a Timeline

• SEP 06 - Planning meeting

• OCT 06 – Demonstration of Digital Edition for NIE Advisory Board Members at fall meeting

• NOV 06 to MAY 07 - Trial access for NIE Advisory Board members & their classes

• MAY 07 - Review of digital edition classroom usage at NIE Advisory Board spring meeting.

May 07 Advisory Board Discussion• Teachers used digital editions for planning purposes

• Students used digital editions in lab settings

• Teachers used it with LCD projectors while students used weekly print copies

• Individual students or small-groups used it on non-delivery days

• Advisory Board requested summer access

So where did we stand?

• Advisory Board trial period resulted in positive feedback

• Young Readers & N.E. Mid Atlantic NIE Conferences reinforced the need for NIE programs to look at digital newspapers

• Product was already available

Decision:We would offer

the digital edition to classroom teachers

participating in our NIE Program

Initial Plan

• Start promoting the digital edition to teachers in August

• Hold an August teacher workshop

• Offer the digital edition as a back-to-school option

“PROBLEM”

Yikes! We were too busy in AUG/SEP

• Pet Star Contest

• Labor Day Car Show

• Pet Fair

• Vacations

• Regular back-to-school responsibilities

New Plan

• Launch a full campaign during National Newspaper Week (NNW)

• Hold a teacher workshop during NNW

• Offer free access to teachers & students during NNW

• Offer free access to the public during NNW & promote with in-paper ads & rack cards

• Design a new NIE website ASAP

We would also offer a tab focusing on e-editions during National Newspaper Week

Created a logo

User name: couriertimesPassword: 4Uonline

This could be used by teachers, students and the public for free

access during NNW

Created a rack card

Created a classroom poster

Created daily activities for NNW to be used with the print or

the digital edition, with references to both products in all

ads and information on the free access offer

We held a teacher workshop during NNW. 22 teachers attended.

Nearly all signed up for classroom access.

Then we began introducing the digital edition at all teacher workshops and

the teachers received it with positive enthusiasm

We continue to highlight and promote the digital

edition in all flyers, e-mails and even at the holidays.

We also continue to

learn about it through

electronic seminars and

webinars

Model by Example

Create an Ad Workshop

• Discussed ads in that day’ s paper using the digital edition

• Reviewed previous editions in the archives

Technology Hurdles• Most teachers have only 1-4 older computers in the classroom

• Technology or computer teachers have around 20 computers

• Some classes attend a computer lab once a week; others can reserve the computer cart occasionally

• Some classes have SMART boards; other classes can reserve LCD projectors

• One History/English teacher reported she was just accepted into the Classrooms for the Future Grant and will be receiving 30 laptops.

• Most common statement: “I wish I had more computers so each student could work on his own.”

Other Obstacles

• There is confusion between newspaper websites and digital editions

• Teachers and the public need demonstrations

• Many teachers need to practice; they are insecure with technology

Research your market and find out what technology is available in the

schools and get a feel for the technology comfort level of your

educators.

Despite the obstacles, teachers and students really enjoy using the digital edition. Let’s

review some feedback from our recent survey.

Teacher Feedback

How do you like using the digital edition?

“I enjoy it because it looks like the newspaper.”

“It’s good!”

“Very helpful as my time in class is limited with students – only 30 minutes per week.”

“I like it for getting some quick information.”

“It makes reading a newspaper come alive in a sense for 4th graders.”

“It reflects the students’ culture of online information and communication - dominated by color and choices.”

“Very easy to navigate.”

“I like it very much!”

“I personally like it and have shared it with several other teachers. I hope that they will be contacting you in the near future.”

Student Reaction

How do the students like using the digital edition?

“Students enjoy flipping through the pages”

“They love it – especially with the SMART board.”

“The students enjoy it; unfortunately students only get computer class for one marking period.”

“They like using it for research and copying and pasting pictures and stories.”

“Generally they like it”

“They enjoy it”

“The appearance attracts their interest, as well as the varied options available”

“Love it!”

“My students like it because they get to use a computer, focus on an article by enlarging it and can read back issues. They find it quicker to skim.”

Which features are most helpful?

• All

• Search, Table of Contents

• 14-day archive

• Copy & paste

• Multiple sizing of pages, ability to save articles

• Ability to enlarge articles, quick access to sections

• Ability to print with citation so that it looks like the article

How do students use the digital edition?

• Share a weekly story

• Highlight current events

• Make connections to novels, poems or projects

• Review the Money Pages for the Stock Market Game

• Independent reading

• Graphing temperatures, vocabulary enrichment

• Current events & math challenges

• Finding parts of speech

• Summarizing articles

• Reading comprehension

• Creating their own newspapers

“Our 7th grade students became reporters and created newspapers in

Word. They researched articles from the BCCT digital edition, summarized those

articles and created their own newspapers.”

“Each student then became an editor to evaluate another student's work to see

if they met the requirements.”

“Many found articles of their choice with general topics given for their

research. They were able to print them out to write their summaries. They were

also able to copy and paste pictures from the newspaper into their Word

documents.”

Other teachers create lessons tied to the

PSSA Standards:

“Online Analysis: Talk to Text”PSSA Standards 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.5, 1.7

Procedure:

1. Access the online site.

2. Select two sections of the newspaper for this performance task

3. Read and comprehend one article from each section.

4. Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the written article: not topic. Be mindful of the reporter’s purpose. Use Cornell Note/Graphic Organizer

5. Using the newspaper analysis sheet, write an informative article that states which reporter has the most effective article and what literary devices were used to attain this distinction. Be specific. A minimum two quotations per body paragraph to support general statements is required.

5. Email the reporter and indicate your purpose in writing. Explain your performance task and why he/she was selected.

6. Print out your email, as well as any return emails.

7. Submit your informative analysis, emails, and assessment by due date.

Final Element

Updated NIE Website

Launched January 2008

• Encourages use of the digital edition• Promotes NIE offers & materials• Provides online supplemental resources• Offers new monthly lessons• Offers weekly news quizzes• Provides links to pertinent sites

Our goal remains the same – to encourage students to become newspaper readers and lifelong learners. We just diversified by

offering the newspaper in another environment - one that appeals to

the “wired” generation.

Same great NIE program . . .

now in print or online