The transmedia world of J.K Rowling’s Harry Potter has existed in the form of films, games, social media pages, fan fiction and interactive websites for years, redefining the concept of books and establishing this franchise as a digital pioneer. In fact, Pottermore Limited, the online representative of the Harry Potter stories, patented the ‘interactive digital experience for a literary work’ (United States Patent and Trademark Office, 2013). Wizarding World (Wizarding World Digital, 2019), however, is a very new inclusion to the collection. In the application, articles about different aspects of the Harry Potter world, such as Diagon Alley and Platform 9 and ¾ are accompanied by interactive quizzes, polls, videos, and quotes from the original novels. All the content is presented in a visually appealing way, using recognisable logos that will help readers create links between the different media. Wizarding World is also highly interactive, so it would be a good resource for educators to use when helping students develop contemporary literacy skills because it requires individuals to listen, view, read and interact.

The main benefit of this text is that its transmedia nature provides readers with immersive opportunities that reflect our current society and prompt stronger connections with the story (Carman, 2011; Gutierrez, 2012; James & de Kock, 2013; O’Connell, Bales & Mitchell, 2015). The Wizarding World ‘feed’ replicates the structure of social media platforms, so because the information is presented in a familiar way, navigation becomes less of an issue. The experience is made personal and relevant through the inclusion of a ‘Wizarding Passport’, which displays the reader’s house, Patronus and wand after they complete sorting activities. Interactive polls enable young people to connect with others by seeing how they voted. These results can even be filtered so individuals can see how people from specific houses voted. Hidden codes challenge stronger users and turn the reading of Wizarding World into a game-like adventure. Ultimately, readers are given the chance to explore the story in an interactive way, an experience that is essential to learning in our digital world (Edwards, 2013).

Reader comprehension is supported by thematic ‘weeklies’ that connect videos from the films with original content from the novels and articles. For example, students can read about the different locations associated with Diagon Alley (an important setting in the Harry Potter world) and then watch a video clip of Harry Potter entering Diagon Alley for the first time. Disengaged readers are more likely to become motivated if they can connect with texts that develop information and storylines through different types of media (Hill, 2010). It also means that readers are better equipped to visualise written descriptions and the static nature of print texts can be avoided (James and de Kock, 2013). The ‘weeklies’, as the name implies, are distributed weekly and provide contemporary and up-to-date information, which means that users are not subjected to irrelevant information.

The extensive content, which will continue to be updated as the application is still in its infancy, provides targeted opportunities for different learners. For example, each of the quizzes is given a difficulty rating, which school teachers could use to set interactive tasks for their students and enable them to ‘work at their own pace’ (Lamb, 2011, p. 16). Unfortunately, the text’s organisation, particularly the multiple pathways to content, is a disadvantage. For example, many of the quizzes can be found in the ‘feed’, in the ‘quizzes’ section and the ‘weeklies’ section. Transmedia texts are also inherently non-linear. These multifarious elements could create confusion and be overwhelming for some students (Pope, 2010). Another negative aspect of Wizarding World is that it is an extension of the Harry Potter series, so users of the application will also need to interact with the print text or the films in order to gain complete understanding. On the other hand, the interactive features could prompt students to engage with the written text as it makes the traditional reading experience more exciting and relevant (Carman, 2011).

Due to its availability across various mobile devices and operating systems, the experience of interacting with this app would be easy to replicate in a school setting. It is also free for users to download, so it could be installed quickly without having to consider the budgetary concerns of the school and its families. Overall, it is a high-quality application that is recommended for teachers and librarians who are looking for a way to promote reading, although they would be unable to cover all of the transmedia text in the classroom due to its extensiveness.

References
Carman, P. (2011). Read between the lines. School Library Journal, 57(11). Retrieved from https://www.schoollibraryjournal.com

Edwards, J. (2013). Reading beyond the borders: observations on digital ebook readers and adolescent reading practices. In J. Whittingham, S. Huffman, W. Rickman & C. Wiedmaier (Eds.), Technological tools for the literacy classroom (pp. 135-158). Retrieved from IGI Global.

James, R. & de Kock, L. (2013). The digital David and the Gutenberg Goliath: the rise of the ‘enhanced’ e-book. English Academy Review, 30(1), 107-123. doi:10.1080/10131752.2013.783394

Kutscher, M. (2017). Digital Kids. London; Philadelphia: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Gutierrez, P. (2012). Every platform tells a story. School Library Journal, 58(6), 32. Retrieved from https://www.schoollibraryjournal.com

Hill, R. (2010). When technology and books collide. Book Links, 19(2), 9-10. Retrieved from https://www.booklistonline.com/booklinks

Lamb, A. (2011). Reading redefined for a transmedia universe. Learning and Leading with Technology, 39(3), 12-17. Retrieved from http://www.learningandleading-digital.com/learningandleading/Store.action

O’Connell, J., Bales, J., & Mitchell, P. (2015). [R}evolution in reading cultures: 2020 vision for school libraries. The Australian Library Journal, 64(3), 194-208. doi:10.1080/00049670.2015.1048043

Pope, J. (2010). Where do we go from here? Readers’ responses to interactive fiction. The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies, 16(1), 75-94. doi: 10.1177/1354856509348774

United States Patent and Trademark Office. (2013). United States Patent 8806335. Retrieved from http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=8806335.PN.&OS=PN/8806335&RS=PN/8806335

Wizarding World Digital. (2019). Wizarding World [iPad application software]. Retrieved from https://apps.apple.com/au/app/wizarding-world/id1427926466

My current understanding of literature in digital environments is that there are many divisive opinions and perspectives associated with the use of technology for educational purposes, specifically reading instruction. Some people laud the benefits, such as increased student engagement, while others cling to traditional forms of reading. As an English teacher and blossoming Teacher Librarian, these issues are significant because I need to understand how I can best teach my pupils and ensure digital texts are utilised effectively.

It is important for teachers to engage teenagers and many people believe this can be achieved through digital literature. During my career, I have discovered that young people often have negative reading experiences earlier in their lives and do not develop a love of books. Schools have provided access to Kindles, e-readers or e-book applications and various academics have conducted projects to test the efficacy of these programs. Colleen Foley’s article (2012) was interesting because many teachers, teacher librarians and parents identified increased reading enjoyment amongst students in selected Australian schools. Similar studies, such as the work completed by Haas, Lasley, Sosebee, and Cox (2017), have been conducted internationally and support Foley’s findings. Haas, Lasley, Sosebee, and Cox (2017) surmised that some young people might connect with e-books because the digital nature of the texts reflects their knowledge and interests outside of school, although other factors such as linked tutoring programs and personal choice also contributed. I have used PowerPoint presentations with internal hyperlinks and found similar benefits; students enjoy digital texts if they are given the freedom to explore and make decisions about how their learning will progress. Technology often provides this freedom.

Digital texts that promote engagement include those with interactive elements, although I have discovered that some of these features, specifically hotspots, can hinder students’ comprehension and therefore may not be as useful in a school environment. For example, Barbara Combes (2016) explained that learning to read is already a complex process and students reading digital texts may be distracted by noise or interactive elements, preventing them from ‘making meaning’. Martin Kutscher (2017), a pediatric neurologist, has discussed these issues, stating that students are more likely to understand and remember information if it is presented in a linear format free of extensive hyperlinks (pp. 24-27). He also identifies disruptive multi-tasking or ‘snacking’ (Combes 2016) as a negative feature of digital reading and I have noticed this in my own classroom. On devices, students have access to a plethora of applications, pages and information and can become distracted from their reading by other activities, most of which are leisurely and unrelated to the schoolwork.

At this point, I can see how digital texts can be used to promote interest and engagement. However, I think the possibility of decreased comprehension needs to be considered when choosing texts for the classroom or school library. In any case, digital texts are becoming increasingly present in our world and students need to be able to navigate this literature in order to function within society.

References

Combes, B. (2016). Digital Literacy: A New Flavour of Literacy or Something Different? Synergy, 14(1). Retrieved from https://www.slav.vic.edu.au/synergy/volume-14-number-1-2016/reflections-and-actions/611-digital-literacy-a-new-flavour-of-literacy-or-something-different.html

Foley, C. (2012). Ebooks for Leisure and Learning. Scan, 31(4), 6-14. Retrieved from https://www.csu.edu.au/division/library/ereserve/pdf/foley-c.pdf

Haas, L.E., Lasley, E., Sosebee, T., & Cox, D. (2017). Increasing motivation of Struggling Readers: Can e-readers, Apps, and Support Features Help?. Journal of Literacy and Technology, 18(2), 90-120. Retrieved from http://www.literacyandtechnology.org/uploads/1/3/6/8/136889/jlt_v18_2_haas_lasley_sosebee_cox.pdf

Kutscher, M. (2017). Digital Kids. London; Philadelphia: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.