Digital texts, by their very nature, exist in the world of computers, devices and software, and the possibilities continue to expand as the digital world grows and transforms the users experience of what is possible in the world of storytelling. In creating the digital text, Scaredy Cat, it was helpful to consider the various features of digital storytelling that are unique to the digital world (added audio, multimedia, hotspots, etc.,) and consider Yokota and Teale’s five point criteria for evaluating digital picture books (2004, p. 580). Walsh (2013) examines the multimodal nature of the digital text, acknowledging the variety of modes available (print, images, gesture, music, sound, etc.,) but still focusing on the creation of meaning through communication, regardless of the media used.
In considering how to create a digital storytelling project that could be useful in my public library setting it was helpful to focus on some of the potential benefits of such a project. These included:
- Digital texts can be created and shared by anyone with access to a device, shifting the focus from consuming to creating.
- Reading/writing can develop empathy through considering alternative points of view and the nonlinear aspect of digital texts allows the possibility of exploring many points of view simultaneously.
- The technology aspect of digital storytelling may encourage participation by those who do not consider themselves readers/writers in the traditional sense or encourage emergent readers (Aliagas, 2017, p.51)
- Digital storytelling is ideal for collaboration in a workshop setting.
Having previously run Stop Motion animation school holiday workshops for 8-14 years old participants, a “Create your own Digital Book” workshop seemed a great way to build on existing skills. As a school holiday project time would limited to one or two 3hr sessions. These timing constraints, coupled with my own experience that young people can get bogged down in the planning stage of creative projects, led to the creation of Scaredy Cat, a digital story which can be read from cover to cover or by jumping to different characters point of view. The story has deliberately been left ‘unfinished’, serving the dual purpose of being an example of a digital text and a device by which students can springboard from the existing story to make their own additions and changes.
The original plan was to use various Google applications with the advantages that Google is a familiar and free platform, able to be accessed and displayed across different devices. Accessibility is an important consideration in digital literature where there are additional aspects such as cost and the plethora of different computer applications which may require particular software/hardware, the need to subscribe, etc. It became clear that multiple Google application would be a confusing process to explain and replicate in a workshop model, so with the needs to the intended audience in mind, a different set of tools were needed.
Book Creator (Tools for Schools Limited, 2020) was chosen as a more appropriate app for the target audie
nce. Although it does require an account to create a text, the end product can be viewed across all platforms and has a variety of export options. It has a simple interface and the ability to add or draw images, add or record sound and link to videos and files – all features which allow a text to be a multimedia, interactive experience. It also allows the reader to control how the story is experienced with options of ‘read to me’, choose a ‘voice’, turn the pages manually or automatically, play multimedia, etc. Some of these features are not as sophisticated as might be desired – especially the rather clunky sounding read to me option – however there is the ability to turn these features off and the app is being regularly updated and improved. Given that the focus of the workshop is the process of creation (as opposed to having a perfect end result), Book Creator allows the incorporation of digital features that enhance the story and also the ability to incorporate media made using other apps, such as Stop Motion which some students have already used. There is a sense of the traditional book in the layout, turning pages, etc., so there are some definite restrictions compa
red to how far other digital texts have progressed, however the ability to hyperlink pages does allow the creator to take the story in different directions, a feature which has been modelled for the work
shop attendees in Scaredy Cat.
Book Creator (Tools for School, 2020) can be edited even after the link has been shared, allowing the text to be modified at any time. Many of the features are fun to use and the temptation for students will possibly be to include lots of links and hidden sounds, etc., simply because it is possible. A good quality digital text should allow all the features to work together to tell the story (Sargeant, 2015, p. 460). Interactivity is a positive feature when it has some connection to the story, as seen in the inclusion of the jigsaw puzzle which Grandma is playing to pass the time. Playfulness in these inclusions can increase the enjoyment of the text (Zajac, 2013, p. 69.) however it can also be overdone simply because it is possible, rather than to create synergy between the features (Walsh, 2013). The ability to continue to edit and review the ‘finished’ product with Book Creator will hopefully encourage the process of reflection, another advantage of the digital creation. Blume and Kinkead (2014, p. 41) list a number of helpful questions which could be used as prompts in the workshop setting, keeping in mind that this is a school holiday experience as opposed to a school project. (see Appendix A).
Aliagas, C. & Margallo, A. (2017) Children’s responses to the interactivity of storybook apps in family shared reading events involving the iPad. Literacy, 51(1).
Blume, K. & Kinkead, J. (2014). Digital Literacy and Young Adult Literature. The Utah English Journal, Volume 42.
Burke, J. (2020). Scaredy Cat. https://read.bookcreator.com/library/-MI717FkXkYxhPHBC6ar
Cateater. (2020). Stop Motion Studio (Version 10.4.10) [Mobile Application Software] App Store. https://apps.apple.com/au/app/stop-motion-studio/id441651297
Sargeant, B. (2015). What is an ebook? What is a Book App? And Why Should We Care? An Analysis of Contemporary Digital Picture Books, Children’s Literature in Education (2015) 46:454–466 DOI 10.1007/s10583-015-9243-5
Tools for School Limited. (2020). Book Creator. https://bookcreator.com/
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).
Zając, M. (2013). Book apps for younger children: between a book and a computer game. Ars Educandi. https://doi.org/10.26881/ae.2013.10.04
Appendix A
Questions to prompt students when creating interactive texts.
- Do students use tools to communicate original perspectives and to make new thinking visible?
- Do students communicate information and ideas in a variety of forms and/or various purposes?
- Do students communicate information and ideas to different audiences?
- Do students articulate thoughts and ideas so that others can understand and act on them?
- Do students analyse and evaluate the multi-media sources that they use?
- Do students evaluate multimedia sources or the effects of visuals, sounds, hyperlinks, and other features on the text’s meaning or emotional impact?
- Do students evaluate their own multimedia works?
- Do students consider their own design choices as much as their choices about text?
- Do students use information ethically, understand intellectual property, copyright, and the fair use of copyrighted material?