Thursday, 29 January 2009

Burnt Mill Magazine


When researching for an online magazine, I came across a issue that Burnt Mill do, although it is not student run, I found that it was still worth looking in to.

What strikes me straight away about this magazine is how the heading hits you straight away. It is neatly in line with the Burnt Mill badge to the left of it, and the arts colleges symbol to the right of it. This symmetrical look gives the magazine a formal look and feel to it almost immediately.
The first article is about the year 9 students beginning a programme for Burnt Mill's new individual learning plan. It is noticeable that if you look at the left hand side the beginning of the new sentences are completely in line, as well as the picture. This gives it a more formal look and shows that the magazine is neat and tidy. They have included two photographs on the first page, with a badge in the first article about plan it.

The second page is about the new plasma televisions that have been put up around the school. The next article on the page goes on about the current year 11 leaving, and how they have had their year photograph taken that will go up on the wall with the previous year 11's from years before them, and how the students can be seen looking at relatives in the photos from before.

The language used in this magazine is extremely formal, indicating that it is aimed towards the parents more so than the pupils. Although pupils are known for reading the magazine, it is informing the parents about what is happening around the school.

However, there is a section, with a question on Barack Obama, and after it says:

"This question carries a £20 gift prize of a Woolworths - sorry, I mean HMV voucher for the first correct answer out of the box at astudent services."

This makes the magazine a bit more informal by including a joke, and makes it seem a bit more relaxed.

Online school magazine - search one

I have been researching for the past hour for an online school magazine and am finding it a very hard task. It is easy to find details of one but to actually find an online one is hard. I have looked at local schools in my area, but fail to find a student run magazine.
I will continue my research and endeavour to find one.
It is extremely simple to find University magazines, but is a challenge to find school magazines.

Wednesday, 21 January 2009

The Sheaf

In today's lesson, we carried out research on a newspaper for a university.

The Sheaf has been the University of Saskathewan student's newspaper since 1912 and has distinct features that I will use, that I didn't think of before.

It's distribution is weekly, however, I think weekly would be a bit too much for a magazine at school, therefore I am considering distributing my magazine fortnightly.

In this newspaper, it included campus chat, which was very entertaining, in mine it would have to be different, involving the students as it is a younger age.
An opinion poll was another idea I came up with whilst looking at this newspaper online.
Advice pages would be good for students in sixth form, helping people coping with stress and for people to write in, also letters to the editor would be good.
I also read that The Sheaf has a policy, which I would include in my magazine.

Today's lesson was extremely useful in learning about this newspaper, and although it is a newspaper it has helped me understand what students want, and what content would be good to include in my magazine.

Pleminary Task

On Monday's lesson, 19/01/09, we were set the Pleminary Task.

The task involves creating a front page and a contents page for a school magazine, which must include a medium shot of a student.
The magazine must also include a minimum of 4 images.

I will endeavour to keep my magazine simple, and set myself realistic tasks.

I have decided to use a blog as a way of recording my research.

I will start my research into real texts, considering audience awareness and I will plan carefully thinking in terms of stages and I will also ensure that I follow my deadlines.

It is extremely important that I set myself goals and stick to them.

For my research, and using my blog, I will answer the following questions:

1) In what ways does your product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
2) How effective is the combination of your product and evaluation texts?
3) What have you learned from your audience feedback?
4) How did you use media technologies in the construction, research planning and evaluation stages?