It is 12:30 PM at Port Lympia Middle School, and like every Friday, Alexandre, Zoé, and their sixteen other classmates gather in the classroom of Mrs. Schwab and Mrs. D’Ovidio. A French class? No, an editorial meeting!
For six years now, students from the middle school have been creating their own newspaper, but with the rise of new media, they have had to adapt. In this September of 2012, the students of 5°1 are equipped with touchscreen tablets funded by the General Council. They have therefore decided to create an online blog.
Like real budding journalists, they decide on their topics themselves. Then, they go out into the field to bring back photos, sounds, and videos. Assisted by François Dumont, a school life assistant, the students create their own video edits which they later publish online.
A format adapted for everyone
This 5th-grade class includes five blind children. This new system allows them complete freedom in their creativity. Indeed, the tablets are all equipped with pioneering technology. Thanks to “voice over,” the web pages are read to them, allowing them to navigate with ease. This system is complemented by a BrailleSense box, a portable personal assistant, which enables them to transcribe texts into Braille. The students can then write articles that will be read by everyone.
This new blog seems to be inspiring the students, with already three mini-reports under their belt. Very comfortable with these new digital tools, these young journalists have a promising future.
You can visit their blog and leave comments on the site: journalportlympia.overblog.com.
