Making the news with a comic edge

Students were taught how to create an online newspaper

Pupils and teachers from three schools learned how to create an online newspaper during a training day at the BBC's digital learning centre in London.

Staff and students from Chantry High School in Suffolk, Longsands College in Cambridgeshire and Villiers High School in London descended on the 21st Century Classroom on 24 January 2007.

Not even the snow could stop the budding reporters, who are all learning to make the news as part of the BBC News School Report project, although it did hold up one of the course trainers.

After scouring the day's newspapers and websites, many students were keen to gather facts about a man-eating shark and reports of US President George W Bush turning green.

Comic effects

Pupils found the software enabled them to liven up their news stories

Using software which creates comic-strip style layouts, students manipulated pictures and text to liven up their news stories.

One of the students felt the software opened up a new way to present the news and to think about "how to get the younger generation to be interested in the news by adding comic effects".

21st Century Classroom project manager, Kirsteen McNish, said: "The students threw themselves into the project wholeheartedly. They produced some great work and learnt a lot from the news team and the workshop."

She added: "The 21CC team were very impressed with the creativity and commitment shown by all the pupils involved."

During a press conference, in which students interviewed BBC journalist Ros Smith, many students learnt the importance of speedy note-taking.

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