getting started with Making the News ** What is Making the News? ** How do I find my schools pages? ** Making the news is easy ** Write a news story as a Guest ** Schools policies * * Making the most of MTN ** More issues and ideas

What is Making the News? online news reporting system can be used at school and at home used by staff and pupils of all ages its free to set up and to use (contact to be set up) simple interface no technical knowledge needed or assumed

How do I find my schools page? access Making the News website: 1. click on Regions 2. click on WMNet 3. Click on Regions again and choose WMNet schools from the drop down menu 4. click on your schools name (contact if you arent yet set up) (this is your schools MTN homepage or Rostra)

Go to click on

then click on 3.3.

click on the name of your school or project Choose your school / project 4.4.

your school /project URL is unique This is your school / project URL and the link you should use from your website

Making a news story is easy make sure you are on your schools page 1. click on news and then submit 2. click on guest entry 3. start writing – complete the submission form

Make sure you are on your school / project page click on News then 1.1.

click on Make sure you are on your school / project page 2.2.

Start to write - or copy and paste – your story beginning with the by-line…. Enter your name – school policy is usually first name only 3.3.

Then the Story Headline Think carefully about headlines – do use CAPITALS, puns, alliteration etc

Then the Story Stories can be copied and pasted from a word processing package – clear paragraphing is important.

Then Multi-Media – make the most of it Upload a picture, movie, or an MP3 sound file

Multi-Media – make the most of it Explain your media to the reader in your caption

Insert a relevant hyperlink This is the text that the reader will see

Insert a relevant hyperlink This is the full web address for the link (use

Save and Preview Preview and add more media items and hyperlinks

Re-edit Click on re-edit to alter your story, add more media and/or links

Publish Click on publish to send your story to your schools administrator(s)

School ICT/Image Consent Policies Schools will need to look at Making the News in the light of their ICT, Internet and image consent policies and guidance should be issued. This is the responsibility of the individual school.

Making the most of MTN Make sure that you have up-to-date Flash Player, QuickTime, WMV players installedFlash Player QuickTimeWMV At present only QuickTime and WMV movies can be uploaded – this will be changed in the near future Make sure that pictures arent too big to be uploaded – use a free package such as Irfan View to compress themIrfan View Ensure that all your reporters are aware of copyright

More issues and ideas Administrators can preload images in the Media Library ready for use (be aware of copyright issues) FlashBlogging doesnt always work within your Local Authority for security reasons. It is a neat way of recording a small talking head using a webcam plugged into your computer. It may work at school or at home if you wish to try it Look beyond E2BN at the other RBCs in Regions for ideas and inspiration

Everyone can use MTN – pupils, teachers, non-teaching staff, PTA, governors… Use MTN to celebrate learning, activities and events in your school/home community

Good luck making your news! This presentation is used courtesy of Damaris Revell (CLEO)