To teach his students how to develop effective Internet-based information, a Mississippi State communication lecturer told them to hit the road.

About 18 students in Eric Johnson's class traveled around the state in the spring semester to identify places, people, and images that capture the essence of Mississippi. The result is a multimedia web magazine called Mississippi Talking.

The premiere issue is found at www.mississippitalking.msstate.edu.

Mississippi Talking was developed in Johnson's class on writing and designing for the web. A summer school class continued the project, adding essays for a second edition.

Included in the multimedia presentation are:

• A section on Mississippi cuisine, including the importance of breakfast;
• A feature about the Delta Blues, with essays and photos about blues legends B.B. King, Robert Johnson, and Willy Dixon, as well as an audio sampling of Kenny Kimbrough's work;
• Photos, essays, and audio descriptions related to a Holly Springs attraction called "Graceland Too . . .The Place Elvis Never Left";
• An essay about Jubilations Cheesecakes, the widely known Columbus bakery; and
• A "patchwork" section featuring photos from the state's four corners and audio samplings of Southern accents.

"My goal is to involve students in working in teams as they would in the real world," said Johnson. "The project lets students hone their technical skills for presenting web-based information while they investigate storytelling."