Since one of today’s sessions was about using SNO to launch an online publication, I am dedicating this blog to online media. I advise an online-only news publication, and there are a few resources I have used in the past that may be useful to other advisers thinking about taking their papers online.
Wordpress: First of all, it helps a great deal to understand that there are really two Wordpress sites: wordpress.com and wordpress.org. Wordpress.com is what you use if you want to set up a free blog. I have a blog that I use to post all of my class agendas and resources for the school year (hellomarcello.wordpress.com, if you’d like to see what it looks like). I also have my journalism I students create free blogs to post all of their stories). Wordpress.org is very different. First, you have to pay for it (but it’s cheap). You will also need to set up a website host (I use Blue Host), a theme (ours is the Zenko theme through WPZOOM), and create a URL (ours is eistone.org). I use Wordpress because I think it teaches students an additional aspect of journalism that they wouldn’t get through a more “user-friendly” newspaper host like SNO. I totally see the appeal of SNO, but I have two students who a very dedicated to learning and understanding HTML code and I want them to be able to play with our news website in a way they couldn’t with SNO. Other than that, I think you’ll find that the two are very similar. **Note: Please come see me if you want help with Wordpress! I don’t know a lot but I’d be happy to help any way that I can!).
JEA Digital Media: Aaron Manfull is a god (side note: AP style says God is only capitalized in reference to the man upstairs). Seriously, anything you need to know about moving online is on this website. We’ve said it already, but Tweet him a question and he’ll get back to you ASAP. I went to one of his workshops at the national convention this year and my admiration only grew. While this site has tons of great info (a section on social media, royalty-free music, and staff manuals, among others), the key is Manfull’s “Guide to Moving Online.” It’s the only thing I needed when I decided to go online with our paper.
CHSPASAW: The Colorado High School Press Assoc. has a summer adviser workshop that Bonnie and I went to last summer, and they still have the website available to peruse. It’s FULL of vaulable links, resources and Powerpoints (there’s even a list of journalists to follow on Twitter, and a section with ideas for the first 30 days of the school year). Totally check it out.
Hellomarcello: Lastly, here’s a link to my class blog. There’s a section on the left-hand side labeled Journalism II that has my personal journalism resources I share with my students. You can also find my syllabus and editorial policy.
I hope this is helpful to those of you going online. Again, let me know if you need anything or have questions!
Tracy Marcello
Fossil Ridge High School
Fort Collins, Colo.
Thank you so much! I am new to all of this. I used MyHSJ, so now I am looking for a new site to use for our paper. I was so confused...some sites "host" and some edit, and it's all confusing if you have no idea about websites. I will definitely look through the links you provided! I have heard a lot about Wordpress and I think I am considering that.
ReplyDeleteYes, thank you for this information. I'm getting so much more out of this class and the classmates like you that are willing to share information. Initially, I thought I would just be able to teach my class to produce a well-written newspaper. Now I'm planning on online publication as well.
ReplyDeleteMichelle Williams
San Antonio TX
Have I told you that you're amazing? If not, you're amazing. This is very helpful. I have learned so much from you and the rest of the people at the institute. Our newspaper staff does not have an editorial policy, so looking at yours and getting some ideas will be very helpful. Also, I am looking at your syllabus and it is very helpful. We only have journalism for a semester, so I will have to take some stuff out and really determine what I think are the most important aspects to teach my students. My main goal is to prepare my students to be on the newspaper or yearbook staff and also get them to fall in love with journalism. There are so many changes that I want to implement and I am excited to go back and share them with my editors and mentor. Thanks again.
ReplyDeleteKatie Kroeze
Lincoln High School
Sioux Falls S.D.