NC Newspapers in Education

NIE is an acronym for Newspapers in Education, a worldwide effort that supports the use of newspapers as supplementary text in schools, homes, adult education programs, colleges and universities, libraries and other educational settings.

Newspapers publish in several formats. All may be used for instructional purposes. Teaching with the e-Edition and Web editions engage "digital natives," today's students, with online learning from a trustworthy source. At national and state levels, 21st century skills require preparation to navigate a world that will continue to evolve technologically. Using the online replica of a newspaper and the newspaper's Web site builds that literacy.

1. Some newspapers offer print editions, classroom sets, one or more days each week. Contact the NIE coordinator or manager or call the publisher, editor and/or circulation manager to find out what a newspaper will provide to schools and at what cost. Newspapers may encourage you to place orders online or provide order forms on Web sites.
2. Some newspapers offer replica or electronic editions, called e-Editions. E-Editions look the same as the print edition. Teachers sign up to receive the e-Editions and use them where students have access to computers or use projectors and white boards for displaying the stories and pages from replica newspapers in class. In the e-Edition, readers use clicks to move from page to page and magnify text. E-editions generally provide archives that allow users to search for stories related to a topic. The archival feature of some e-Editions allows teachers and students to track developing stories or catch up with stories they missed. Some e-Editions can be programmed to notify users through e-mail when stories containing certain words or subjects appear. To gain access to e-Editions, teachers should contact the NIE manager at the newspaper they want to use, ask how to sign up and receive a password that allows them to open the e-Editions. E-Editions are generally password protected.
   
3. Most newspapers offer Web sites. Web sites will publish some or most stories produced for print distribution and may have an archive that readers may use to conduct research on a topic. Some newspapers limit access to their archive to readers who subscribe to the print edition. Some allow open access to the archive for a limited number of days.
   Increasing numbers of newspapers' Web sites include updated reports or continuous news coverage, photo galleries, multimedia presentations, reader comments and reader-generated news. To access North Carolina’s newspapers, visit www.ncpress.com.

Newspaper in Education programs also offer instructional materials, often in their print editions and/or online, and hands-on training on effective use of print and online newspapers in the classroom. Some newspapers run sections and features aimed at young readers, such as the Mini Page and serial stories, puzzles and games. Some also offer blogs, podcasts and other digital lesson plans to use with the newspaper. Search newspaper Web sites for NIE or ask the NIE manager for the NIE program's Web address. The state NIE program also provides educational materials and content and training. Access the state NIE program through www.ncpress.com, click on NCPF and look for NIE. To receive additional information about NIE in North Carolina, call (919) 843-5648.

The Newspaper Association of America Foundation (NAAF) coordinates communication among NIE professionals. NAAF provides NIE curricula on its Web site. To review research on the effectiveness of using newspapers and download NIE curricula and other publications, visit www.naafoundation.org and click on "Reports and Publications." Visit www.naa.org and click on "Newspapers Websites" to gain access to newspapers from across the country.