Introduction
The proliferation of e-literature since the availability of mobile smart devices has presented opportunities and challenges to those in the education sector. Increased device affordance, powered by exponentially increasing computing power(mooreslaw.org) has led to uncertainty in the basic notion of what constitutes e-literature. This uncertainty, compounded by questions related to pedagogy, and how to utilise these learning resources within the curriculum, leave many busy educators focusing on affordances rather than synergies between technology, pedagogy and content, (Koehler & Mishra, 2009). Within this blog post, I will examine the formats of e-literature assessed in Part A, compare the experience with print resources and offer one way in which we can utilise a specific resource in the undergraduate Paramedic curriculum.
Assessment of e-literature
With very little experience in the field of e-literature, I initially turned to the re-definition of reading and what constitutes a book offered by (Lamb, 2011). These definitions assisted when assessing the interactive book, whose affordances lend themselves to other classifications. In this example, the company development team classified the interactive book as a phone application, although it is unclear why as the digital package satisfies (Hicks, 2014) definition of the interactive book.
While assessing the e-book, enhanced book and interactive book, the approach of (Parrott, 2011) was invaluable as the starting point. It provided a pedagogy before technology framework with specific questions related to e-literature similar to those educators ask within the Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, Redefinition framework of (Puentedura, 2012).
Interestingly, throughout the assessment of the three e-literature pieces, each could be said to enhance the traditional reading experience in some way but, none could be said to contain technological affordances of a quality which satisfied all pedagogical desires. This perceived deficiency highlights the need for educators to be involved in the creation process from the beginning, (Selwyn, 2012), although this didn’t seem to assist for the interactive book reviewed.
While each e-literature piece augmented or modified (Puentedura, 2012) the traditional reading experience, the technological affordances lacked synergy with the original text (apart from the e-book), and in the interactive book, the non-linear reading environment compounded the disjointed experience. Within the post-school education environment, 21st Century learners expect technological affordances with ease of use (interface) akin to their entertainment environments, (Valenza & Stephens, 2012). For educators, the question becomes assessing these affordances for their quality (Mune & Agee, 2015) and matching them to our pedagogical purpose. The aim (if suited to pedagogical purpose) must be to have resources combining text, images, sounds, videos and other affordances which are cohesive, of high quality and engage the reader through their preferred learning style and immersive techniques, (Sadokierski, 2013).
Incorporating an Interactive book into the Paramedicine curriculum
3D4 Medical. (2019). App for iPhone Complete Anatomy Version 5.0.1. 3D4 Medical Ltd, USA
Within this section, I will discuss the above e-literature resource’s proposed introduction into an online-only unit within the paramedic undergraduate program. The mode of delivery is an important aspect of the pedagogical consideration as the use of e-literature has to substitute a digital solution for the student’s distance from the physical campus. The original review of the resource which highlights positive and negative aspects of the affordances is available here.
When comparing printed textbooks with the above, the interactive book is superior from a pedagogical perspective as it:
- Allows modification in the way the student learns with the ability to segment and zoom into 3D anatomical structures.
- Caters to a variety of learning styles with the inclusion of manipulable media resources, video and gamification learning resources.
When introduced into the first-year anatomy unit, this resource allows the student to form relationships between structures as well as viewing each area individually. Additionally, other media resources assist students in learning this complex subject by presenting information in a format most suited to their learning style. Gamification aspects also allow students to check their knowledge and compete, which is suited to particular subsets of learners including the high achievers. There is also a high degree of authenticity in the video resources as they include high definition cadaver dissections. While macabre, this level of realism is highly valued by our students and the profession in general.
Another pedagogical consideration when introducing e-literature is the audience. In teaching the undergraduate Paramedicine course, one has to consider the age group of the students which range from 17 to 55 years and their preferences. While not conclusive, consideration of reader preference (paper vs screens), reading speed on screens vs paper, the attitude students bring to screen reading and potential metacognitive learning regulation issues when reading on screen may affect learning and the student approach to learning, (Jabr, 2013).
While I could expand on many other aspects of pedagogy, equity for low Socioeconomic Status Students (SES) is the final issue I will discuss. Ideally, this interactive book is a recommended reference for all Paramedic specific medical and trauma units. However, the current subscription cost of approximately five times the one-off textbook purchase (over the three-year degree) is prohibitive and may further marginalise some students, (Selwyn, 2016). With such costs, it is envisaged this resource (or one similar) will be licenced via an institutional licence.
Conclusion
E-literature has a place within the curriculum, but careful consideration must be given to the pedagogical purpose, the quality of technological affordances contained within it, and the audience to which it’s delivered.
References
Hicks, T. (2014). Enhancing our eBook Experiences. Retrieved from http://www.digitalrhetoriccollaborative.org/2014/01/21/enhancing-our-ebook-experiences/#prettyPhoto
Jabr, F. (2013). The Reading Brain in the Digital Age: The Science of Paper versus Screens. Retrieved from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/reading-paper-screens/
Koehler, M., & Mishra, P. (2009). What is Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK)? Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 9(1), 60-70.
Lamb, A. (2011). Reading Redefined for a Transmedia Universe. Learning & Leading with Technology, 39(3), 12-17.
mooreslaw.org. Moore’s Law or how overall processing power for computers will double every two years. Retrieved from http://www.mooreslaw.org/
Mune, C., & Agee, A. (2015). Ebook Showdown: Evaluating Academic Ebook Platforms from a User Perspective. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/acrl/sites/ala.org.acrl/files/content/conferences/confsandpreconfs/2015/Mune_Agee.pdf
Parrott, K. (2011). 5 Questions to ask when evaluating apps and ebooks. Retrieved from https://www.alsc.ala.org/blog/2011/07/5-questions-to-ask-when-evaluating-apps-and-ebooks/
Puentedura, R. (2012, 3 September, 2012). Building upon SAMR. Retrieved from http://hippasus.com/rrpweblog/archives/2012/09/03/BuildingUponSAMR.pdf
Sadokierski Zoe. (2013). What is a book in the digital age? Retrieved from https://theconversation.com/what-is-a-book-in-the-digital-age-19071
Selwyn, N. (2012). Education in a Digital World : Global Perspectives on Technology and Education. London, UNITED KINGDOM: Routledge.
Selwyn, N. (2016). Is Technology Good for Education? Oxford: Polity Press.
Valenza, J. K., & Stephens, W. (2012). Reading Remixed. Educational Leadership, 69(6), 75-78.
