BOOK APPS AND EBOOKS FOR CHILDREN: TOWARDS DIGITAL STORY TIME Presented by Julie Creaser WHAT IS TODAY’S PRESENTATION ABOUT?  Why talk about using digital formats in the library and in story time? Digital media use  New literacies research   What do we need to know about design? Shared reading  Independent reading  Evidence from emerging research   Towards Digital Story time @ your library IS THIS WHAT WE THINK? • Too Much Screen Time • Should be doing real reading • Addiction Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic The question of whether or not any technology affects cognitive function depends on “what type of technology is consumed, how much of it is consumed, and for how long it is consumed…” ~Bavelier, Green and Dye. (2010) Children wired: for better and for worse. Neuron. 67 (5). REAL READING? NEW LITERACIES REALITY: DIGITAL MEDIA USE IN CHILDREN Hours Avg. Time Children Use Digital Media per Day 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 Under 1 2-3 Years Old 8-18 Years Old The use is real, rising, and is a hot topic of literacy research. WHAT’S IN THE MIX? Any many more Computer Literacy Digital Literacy 21st Century Literacy New Literacies NEW LITERACIES: include the new skills, strategies, dispositions, and social practices that are required by new technologies for information and communication;  are central to full participation in a global community;  regularly change as their defining technologies change; and  are multifaceted, and our understanding of them benefits from multiple points of view  How to acquire the skills, strategies and dispositions…? E.G. NEW LITERACIES IN BC - SCHOOLS  BC Digital Literacy Draft Standards       Create and innovate with digital tech Communicate and collaborate Critical thinking, problem solving, decision-making Digital citizenship Technology operations and concepts Primary students are given access to a home-based leveled reading program called www.raz-kids.com (e.g SD 57) -----------For more insight – listen to: Dr. Allan Luke: The New Literacies at http://resources.curriculum.org/secretariat/may31.shtml WE WILLINGLY RECOMMEND THIS AND WE RECOGNIZE WE DO THIS Promote early literacy  Model emergent literacy skills in story times  Support reading practice by providing a safe, freely accessible place for readers to find materials that matter to them  Support readers and life-long literacy  WE KNOW THIS Early Literacy begins with:  Phonological Awareness  Vocabulary Leads to:  Decoding texts  Writing  Comprehension, expression; reasoning; responding to texts; creating texts (abstraction) SO WHY NOT INCLUDE THIS IN STORY TIME? Franklin on a Kobo Arc. OR THIS? Tumblebooks - Munsch, Robert. 50 Below Zero. OR THIS? Childrenslibrary.org OR THIS? iPhone Book App AND THEN THERE IS THIS…. iPad App LET’S CHECK OUT GROVER E-STORYBOOKS FORMAT & DESIGN Static page representations (pdf)  Narration  Text highlighting  Hot spots  • • • •  Dictionary Vocabulary definitions Music Actions Menus Design variance is the spice of life with e-storybooks for kids! DESIGN DOES INFLUENCE LITERACY OUTCOMES – INDEPENDENT USE (OVER PRINT) Pros Cons Increased vocabulary comprehension shown with access to design supports like: • Dictionaries • Contextual explanations • Extra textual quizzes Motivating Mimics shared reading to some extent Distractions • Too many hot spots, bells and whistles take reader away from story Supports become crutches • E.g always using the sounding out hot spot instead of practicing decoding strategies EXAMPLE: INCREASING INDEPENDENT USE COMPREHENSION – EXAMPLE: LIMITED COMPREHENSION GAINS – HOTSPOTS – INDEPENDENT USE Smeets and Bus, 2012 – The Journal of Experimental Psychology WHAT ABOUT SHARED READING OF ESTORYBOOKS? Print Book E-storybook • Higher vocabulary labeling references found • More mediation by adult reader • • • Higher persistence and engagement Higher phonological awareness Word reading and print concepts higher BENEFITS OF SHARED READING EXPERIENCE FOR ESTORYBOOKS Scaffolds in Digital Books promotes • Consistency • Independence • Higher motivation • Literacy skills Experienced Reader can • Recognize limits Shared and stretch child Digital • Provide more Reading mediation • Adapt • Foster literacy skills FEATURES: NARRATION  Does it match highlighting of the text?   Key for drawing connections between parts of language development – e.g. speech and words Is the narration clear and understandable?  Can it be locked or turned off? Big Blue on Tumblebooks FEATURE – HOT SPOTS  Should focus attention on story and related action  Would you know how to untie Grover’s ropes if the knots weren’t glowing? Could provide a definition or help with word pronunciation  Should NOT distract  A hotspot that opens a game or automatically  A hotspot that adds something to the book that doesn’t need to be there  Does the hotspot go away easily or does it drive the user crazy? (e.g. touch the animal and it dances for 5 minutes and you can’t stop it – focus is lost.)  MENUS • Games and extras have a separate menu from the book • Book app allows for page entry anywhere in the book THIS COULD BE YOUR STORY TIME Integrate picture books, oral story telling, action songs, finger plays and digital books, apps, digital felt boards  Consider device options, uses, type of ebook or app  Collect feedback / make adjustments  Courtesy of Cen Campbell – littleelit.com REVIEWS Kirkus : iPad reviews  School Library Journal: Touch and Go Blog  Horn Book: Out of the Box  Smart Apps For Kids  Digital Storytime  Littleelit.com  There are more…and now that you know a bit about ebooks and their design, you may start to recognize good apps on your own! ASK ME Julie Creaser jcreaser@lib.pg.bc.ca