Understanding Digital Literature

“The art of storytelling has remained unchanged and, for the most part, the stories are recycled. But the way that humans tell the stories has always evolved with pure, consistent novelty” (Sabia, 2011, 02:46)

The art of telling stories is innate to our very nature, and storytelling traditions span all cultures and time periods across human history. This quote by Joe Sabia, from his storytelling TED talk, powerfully encapsulates how stories are told has transformed due to technological advancements, but at its core, the essence of good storytelling has remained the same.

Digital technology is no doubt impacting the literature landscape, expanding opportunities for multimodal texts that increase user interactivity and redefine the scope of traditional paper-bound books (Lamb, 2011, p.13). Multimodality is defined by Walsh (2013) as “how communication occurs through different but synchronous modes: language, print, images, graphics, movement, gesture, texture, music, sound” (p. 181). Walsh distinguishes between traditional literature, which is represented in a digital format, “digital narratives” that are created digitally, and hybrid texts (2013, p. 183).

There are debates about the benefits of digital literature (e.g. eBooks) such as if it has a place in the classroom, if it threatens the publishing industry, whether the benefits are comparable to students reading paper books, and concern about additional access requirements (such as charged devices, different file types and specific literacy skills) compared to picking up a physical book, just to name a few (Sadokierski, 2013). Some people are resistant to digital literature due to nostalgia or preference for the tactile feeling of holding a book that they are reading (Jabr, 2013).

However, as Sadokierski (2013) states, “electronic books can do certain things that print books cannot, and therein lies their value.” Research suggests that “struggling readers” and students with specific learning requirements benefit from interactive texts that incorporate multimodal elements and enhanced navigation and usability options (Lamb, 2011).

How do we, as teachers, evaluate quality digital literature?

As Walsh (2013) states, “we need to consider whether the screen and audio effects enable students to understand and experience the characteristics of traditional narratives, for example, the development of plot with its climax and resolution, the struggle of good over evil, and the effect of setting” (p. 185). There are elements of quality literature, also proposed by Walsh, that can be used to evaluate all digital texts, such as: clear structure, authentic setting, developing reader empathy and imagination, exploration of ideas, age-appropriate language, and likelihood of motivating users to keep reading (2013, p. 185-187).

To this point Lamb (2011) advises, “when evaluating reading resources, consider the role of the audio, graphics, motion, and interactive elements and determine whether the navigation and support tools are easy to use and contribute to the reading experience” (p. 17). Dobler concurs, suggesting that evaluative criteria should include: “ease of use, the promotion of understanding and literary worthiness” (p. 21). In addition, it is important to remember that the content itself is key to evaluating text quality, not just the multimodal elements (Lamb, 2011, p. 17).

References

Dobler, E. (2013). Looking beyond the screen: Evaluating the quality of digital books. Reading Today, 30(5), 20-21. https://web-p-ebscohost-com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=1&sid=1b2a8f5e-8ca0-46aa-b202-52209b34b771%40redis

Jabr, F. (2013). The reading brain in the digital age: The science of paper versus screens. Scientific American, April 11. Retrieved from http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/reading-paper-screens/

Kingwell, M. (2013, December 4). Why read literature in the digital age? Retrieved from http://www.universityaffairs.ca/features/feature-article/why-read-literature-in-the-digital-age/

Lamb, A. (2011). Reading redefined for a transmedia universe. Learning and Leading with Technology, 39(3), 12-17. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.csu.edu.au/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=67371172&site=ehost-live

Sabia, J. (2011). The technology of storytelling [Video]. TED. https://www.ted.com/talks/joe_sabia_the_technology_of_storytelling

Sadokierski, Z. (2013, November 12). What is a book in the digital age? [Blog post]. Retrieved from http://theconversation.com/what-is-a-book-in-the-digital-age-19071

Walsh, M. (2013). Literature in a digital environment (Ch. 13). In L. McDonald (Ed.), A literature companion for teachers. Marrickville, NSW: Primary English Teaching Association Australia (PETAA).

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