Like other technologies, I have been interested in using e readers in my f2f classroom. I have had the opportunity to download one of the novels I use in my classroom onto a few of the school iPads. I thought this would provide students with an opportunity to read a book on an iPad. Students I found were very interested in using the iPad to read a book. I found that the students were more distracted from the technology in their hand and less interested in the literature they were reading. These books were basically digital copies of the printed books I have always used. But, because of the technology, they allowed students to flip the digital pages, search for content, highlight words to see a dictionary definition and customize font size and style (Schreurs, 2013).
After reading a journal article by Kathleen Schreurs, I have a better understanding of different types of eBooks. Kathleen points out that basic, enhanced and interactive eBooks are the three main types of eBook for children (2013). As I have tried using a basic eBook with my students, I am very interested in trying to use the enhanced and interactive eBooks with my students. As all students have different interest, abilities and learning styles, not all students would benefit from the same type of eBook. If we can provide student with positive experiences with reading by providing them with a variety of options to interact with digital copies of printed books, students will be more apt to want to read eBooks. “If we learn visually, give us more visual material. If we learn auditorially, let’s go ahead and read it aloud. And, if I use both synchronized, because that works best for me, I would like to get it that way. The ultimate goal would be to move away from that one size fits all approach and to start thinking about developing new customized eBooks” (Bloemarts, 2013).
Over the course of my career, I have accumulated quit a collection of novel sets that I use with my grade 5 students. I have typically used a traditional Q&A format for student assignments while reading the novels. Although it great to have a good selection of novels for my students to read, it is costly to compile such a collection and the novels take up a lot of space within my classroom. If school districts are able to purchase and store collections of eBooks then teachers could easily access the material and provide their students high interest novels to read. Having greater access to a larger collection of novels would allow teachers to give their students more choice about the material they read. Students and teachers could also have instant access to a large collection of electronic books via their school library.
As a stand-alone device, because of the cost and limited functions, I could not see myself using eReaders with my students. But, on the other hand, I would certainly consider multifunction devices like iPads or Samsung Galaxy. Unlike eReaders, they provide users with web browsing, a wide variety of applications, and an expanding set of entertainment options (Johnson, Smith, Willis, Levine, and Haywood, 2011). As competition for multifunction devices increases the cost for the devices should decrease. With decreased cost, and the availability of digital content available, integrating eBooks with every computing will become the norm (Johnson, Smith, Willis, Levine, and Haywood, 2011). More importantly, students are able to communicate and collaborate with their peers and teachers about the information they are reading/learning about with multifunction devices. If money was not a concern, I would like to purchase a class set of Samsung Galaxy Note tablets. Students would then be allowed to choose, from a district generated list, a novel that they would like read. Students could then download the novel onto their tablet, read it and communicate and collaborate with their peers who are reading the same novel.
In a TedEd featuring Mike Matas: A next-generation digital book, he demonstrates the first full-length interactive book for the iPad. Mike is a software developer that is creating a tool that allows publishers to make interactive books. In the book Our Choice by Al Gore, he demonstrates how this next-generation digital book includes photo explanation, interactive animations, text narrations, interactive maps and interactive infographics (Matas, 2011). What a great way to foster deeper learning. I think this will enhance the learning potential of our students because they are very interactive and allow readers to choose how the content is delivered.
As I was reading the article by Tina Barseghian I was reminded about a conversation I had with a parent about eight years ago. The parent came to me with a concern that her son, who was struggling in Language Arts, did not like to read. She informed me that she could not get him to pick up a novel and read it. It was a constant struggle she had with her son. She then informed me that all he wanted to do was read graphic novels and comic books. She felt she needed some strategies to get her son to start reading. I informed the parent that if he was interested in reading the graphic novels and comics that she should encourage him to be doing more of it. He is choosing to read and is enjoying it, so encourage it.
Graphic novels and comics are similar to novels in that they have characters, a setting, a problem and a solution. The main difference is that the graphic novels and comics have pictures that give clues to the reader about the story. And, for some, especially reluctant and struggling readers, graphic novels and comics deliver information in ways that the readers have an easier time understanding. This allows the reader to be more successful. The more successful they are, the more engaged in reading they will be. Finding ways to increase student engagement should be an important component of all learning environments. But, graphic novels and comics are not for everyone. This is a very similar comparison to print and digital books. I think, for some readers, especially reluctant or struggling readers, digital books that provide more stimulus to the reader (images, sounds, hyperlinks, etc) will allow those reader to be more engaged in what they are reading and allow them to be more successful. “If this can do that, especially in kids who might not otherwise be interested, it’s perfect” (Barseghian , 2012). For some learners, the focus of learning to read will be easier with an eBook and for others, the focus of learning to read be more difficult with an eBook. Like many things in life, one size does not fit all and one style of learning does not work for all learners. That is one of the great things that we are learning with our OLTD courses.
At the beginning of this seminar week I was excited to be able to learn about eReaders and how I would be able to use them more effectively in my classroom. But, in the end, I did not learn as much about eReaders as I was expecting. I did, however, learn a lot about online tools that allow students to build their own eBook. I think this will be much more valuable for my students because it will allow them to be engaged in the writing and reading of eBook that they create. Additionally, student will be able to become the author of their own eBook and share their eBook creations with peers in an online environment. With many education benefits, having students develop and create their own eBooks, will certainly allow them to move away from that one size fits all approach to learning. Ultimately, the goal of using eBooks and eBook builders students would be to increase student engagement. The more engaged students are in their learning, the more successful they will be.
After reading a journal article by Kathleen Schreurs, I have a better understanding of different types of eBooks. Kathleen points out that basic, enhanced and interactive eBooks are the three main types of eBook for children (2013). As I have tried using a basic eBook with my students, I am very interested in trying to use the enhanced and interactive eBooks with my students. As all students have different interest, abilities and learning styles, not all students would benefit from the same type of eBook. If we can provide student with positive experiences with reading by providing them with a variety of options to interact with digital copies of printed books, students will be more apt to want to read eBooks. “If we learn visually, give us more visual material. If we learn auditorially, let’s go ahead and read it aloud. And, if I use both synchronized, because that works best for me, I would like to get it that way. The ultimate goal would be to move away from that one size fits all approach and to start thinking about developing new customized eBooks” (Bloemarts, 2013).
Over the course of my career, I have accumulated quit a collection of novel sets that I use with my grade 5 students. I have typically used a traditional Q&A format for student assignments while reading the novels. Although it great to have a good selection of novels for my students to read, it is costly to compile such a collection and the novels take up a lot of space within my classroom. If school districts are able to purchase and store collections of eBooks then teachers could easily access the material and provide their students high interest novels to read. Having greater access to a larger collection of novels would allow teachers to give their students more choice about the material they read. Students and teachers could also have instant access to a large collection of electronic books via their school library.
As a stand-alone device, because of the cost and limited functions, I could not see myself using eReaders with my students. But, on the other hand, I would certainly consider multifunction devices like iPads or Samsung Galaxy. Unlike eReaders, they provide users with web browsing, a wide variety of applications, and an expanding set of entertainment options (Johnson, Smith, Willis, Levine, and Haywood, 2011). As competition for multifunction devices increases the cost for the devices should decrease. With decreased cost, and the availability of digital content available, integrating eBooks with every computing will become the norm (Johnson, Smith, Willis, Levine, and Haywood, 2011). More importantly, students are able to communicate and collaborate with their peers and teachers about the information they are reading/learning about with multifunction devices. If money was not a concern, I would like to purchase a class set of Samsung Galaxy Note tablets. Students would then be allowed to choose, from a district generated list, a novel that they would like read. Students could then download the novel onto their tablet, read it and communicate and collaborate with their peers who are reading the same novel.
In a TedEd featuring Mike Matas: A next-generation digital book, he demonstrates the first full-length interactive book for the iPad. Mike is a software developer that is creating a tool that allows publishers to make interactive books. In the book Our Choice by Al Gore, he demonstrates how this next-generation digital book includes photo explanation, interactive animations, text narrations, interactive maps and interactive infographics (Matas, 2011). What a great way to foster deeper learning. I think this will enhance the learning potential of our students because they are very interactive and allow readers to choose how the content is delivered.
As I was reading the article by Tina Barseghian I was reminded about a conversation I had with a parent about eight years ago. The parent came to me with a concern that her son, who was struggling in Language Arts, did not like to read. She informed me that she could not get him to pick up a novel and read it. It was a constant struggle she had with her son. She then informed me that all he wanted to do was read graphic novels and comic books. She felt she needed some strategies to get her son to start reading. I informed the parent that if he was interested in reading the graphic novels and comics that she should encourage him to be doing more of it. He is choosing to read and is enjoying it, so encourage it.
Graphic novels and comics are similar to novels in that they have characters, a setting, a problem and a solution. The main difference is that the graphic novels and comics have pictures that give clues to the reader about the story. And, for some, especially reluctant and struggling readers, graphic novels and comics deliver information in ways that the readers have an easier time understanding. This allows the reader to be more successful. The more successful they are, the more engaged in reading they will be. Finding ways to increase student engagement should be an important component of all learning environments. But, graphic novels and comics are not for everyone. This is a very similar comparison to print and digital books. I think, for some readers, especially reluctant or struggling readers, digital books that provide more stimulus to the reader (images, sounds, hyperlinks, etc) will allow those reader to be more engaged in what they are reading and allow them to be more successful. “If this can do that, especially in kids who might not otherwise be interested, it’s perfect” (Barseghian , 2012). For some learners, the focus of learning to read will be easier with an eBook and for others, the focus of learning to read be more difficult with an eBook. Like many things in life, one size does not fit all and one style of learning does not work for all learners. That is one of the great things that we are learning with our OLTD courses.
At the beginning of this seminar week I was excited to be able to learn about eReaders and how I would be able to use them more effectively in my classroom. But, in the end, I did not learn as much about eReaders as I was expecting. I did, however, learn a lot about online tools that allow students to build their own eBook. I think this will be much more valuable for my students because it will allow them to be engaged in the writing and reading of eBook that they create. Additionally, student will be able to become the author of their own eBook and share their eBook creations with peers in an online environment. With many education benefits, having students develop and create their own eBooks, will certainly allow them to move away from that one size fits all approach to learning. Ultimately, the goal of using eBooks and eBook builders students would be to increase student engagement. The more engaged students are in their learning, the more successful they will be.
References
Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium. Retrieved from http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/hr2011.pdf
Bloemarts, S. (2013, October 30). [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://www.coetail.com/educationjourney/2013/10/30/ebooks/
Barseghian , T. (2012, May 29). For young readers, print or digital books?. MindShift , Retrieved from http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2012/05/for-young-readers-print-or-digital-books/
Johnson, L., Smith, R., Willis, H., Levine, A., and Haywood, K., (2011). The 2011 Horizon Report. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium. Retrieved from http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/hr2011.pdf
Matas, M. (Performer) (2011, March). Mike matas: A next-generation digital book TedEd. [Video podcast]. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/mike_matas.html
Schreurs, K. (2013). Children’s e-books are born: How e-books for children are leading e-book development and redefining the reading experience. Partnership: The Canadian Journal of Library information Practice and research, 8(2), Retrieved from https://journal.lib.uoguelph.ca/index.php/perj/article
Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium. Retrieved from http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/hr2011.pdf
Bloemarts, S. (2013, October 30). [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://www.coetail.com/educationjourney/2013/10/30/ebooks/
Barseghian , T. (2012, May 29). For young readers, print or digital books?. MindShift , Retrieved from http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2012/05/for-young-readers-print-or-digital-books/
Johnson, L., Smith, R., Willis, H., Levine, A., and Haywood, K., (2011). The 2011 Horizon Report. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium. Retrieved from http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/hr2011.pdf
Matas, M. (Performer) (2011, March). Mike matas: A next-generation digital book TedEd. [Video podcast]. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/mike_matas.html
Schreurs, K. (2013). Children’s e-books are born: How e-books for children are leading e-book development and redefining the reading experience. Partnership: The Canadian Journal of Library information Practice and research, 8(2), Retrieved from https://journal.lib.uoguelph.ca/index.php/perj/article