Digital or on paper?

A lesson plan comparing two Inquirer versions


Philippine Daily Inquirer

Editor's Note: To view the activity sheet for this lesson plan as well as how this lesson plan appears in print, download this PDF file.

COMPUTERS and the internet have had an amazing impact on news reporting and reading in these technological times.

Today's news can be read from a written source on paper, like the Philippine Daily Inquirer, or read from a digital source, like INQUIRER.net, the online version of the Inquirer.

This Inquirer in Education lesson on comparing and contrasting makes use of the print version of the Inquirer's front page and its electronic counterpart. Through the IIE, the Inquirer hopes to make life-long readers out of students by introducing them to the many interesting contents of a daily newspaper.

In the hands of a progressive teacher, Inquirer may be used to teach not just current events but subjects like language, history, science or math as well. IIE study guides may be adjusted to meet abilities of students and grade-level requirements.

Objective Students will compare and contrast the print and online versions of today's Inquirer. Materials Copies of the Inquirer, copies of the Activity Sheet, computer(s) with Internet access

Procedures
1. Introduce the lesson with an overview that news may be read (written or print sources), viewed (television) or heard (radio). Tell the class that there are different written sources of news as well. Can they name some? (Broadsheets, tabloids, magazines, local newspapers, school papers, etc.) The invention of the computer has brought more sources for the written news. Can they name some? (Online versions of newspapers, news aggregators like Yahoo! News), news blogs, cell phone text news alerts, among others).

2. Poll the class to find out how many students read a print newspaper on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. How many have parents who read the newspaper? How many of them read the online version of the daily newspaper? How many have parents who read online?

3. Explain to students that they will be working in groups to compare and contrast the front page of today's Inquirer and the homepage of its electronic counterpart on www.Inquirer.net. If you need to, review basic newspaper vocabulary words with the class.

4. Distribute copies of the Inquirer.

5. Divide the class into groups A and B. Instruct Group A to complete Part A of the Activity Sheet referring to the printed copy of the Inquirer. Divide Group B into subgroups, as many as there are computers available in the classroom. Have each subgroup complete Part B of the Activity Sheet.

6. After each group has completed their section of the Activity Sheet, switch newspaper sources. Have Group B now work on Part A of the Activity Sheet with their printed copies of the Inquirer. Divide Group A into subgroups, as many as there are computers available in the classroom. Have each subgroup complete Part B of the Activity Sheet.

7. Allow the class to share and discuss their responses to compare and contrast the print and online versions of the Inquirer. What are the most noticeable general differences between the print newspaper and the online version? What features are exclusive to each version? Under what circumstances would you recommend reading the print version of the Inquirer over the online version? Under what circumstances would you recommend using Inquirer.net over the print version of Inquirer?