Category: INF 533

Module 7 The end and the beginning

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Throughout the readings, in this module, common threads and ideas were highlighted regarding the benefits of literature.

  1. Provides the reader with access to learning
  2. Creates an experience for the reader
  3. Can be a cure for loneliness and show us other points of view
  4. Prepares us for failure as we read about others who make mistakes

Humans are natural storytellers. We have an inclination to share our experiences with others orally to create relationships. Oral storytelling has been used for generations to share knowledge. Now literature, both traditional and digital is a means of learning and knowledge sharing. Stories are beyond facts, but rather an art of sharing experiences and perspectives with others. The listener or reader must be engaged through details, information, illustrations and Karisma. There is a purpose and meaning behind the story and the author has something important to share.

In the 21sr century, digital tools support students in learning.  There are skills required to effectively and efficiently navigate and utilize technology. These skills are necessary for the workforce. Beyond the use of technology, skills such as creativity, critical thinking, collaboration and communication will support student success in their academic and career path.

Library’s priority is to spark the public’s interest in learning, reading and research. Libraries today struggle to balance their collection and the variation of readers’ needs. Digital literature, e-books, classics and archives are all important to meet the needs of their members. The internet has changed the way libraries engage readers and the public. The internet provides all those with access to literature that is not static and is ever-changing. There are skills that are required to effectively use the internet – locating, synthesizing, communication, evaluating and evaluating the reliability of the information.

The role of educators is to ensure students learn how to use the internet, Web 2.0 effectively and efficiently. Students develop a love of learning, reading and knowledge. Educators need to equip students with skills to use technology, navigate the internet and obtain knowledge through the endless resources available online. The constant for schools is that technology is constantly evolving and we all need to develop a mindset that fosters and embraces technology and change.

Module 6 Policy and Practice

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Copyright law is different across the globe but the primary premise is to protect creative rights and control how intellectual property is shared. Copyright law in the United States protects authors’ rights 70 years past the date of death. Watermarks in headers control and monitor how files are shared and opened. These laws and policies are restrictive and prohibit the transfer of knowledge.

Copyright supports artists’ profit margin, allowing them to make money and control how their creation is used and shared. However, it limits how and when the public can access information. Google successfully created an online database of literature that is accessible to the public through Web 2.0. The authors objected to the project. but lost the lawsuit, the project was permitted by copyright’s fair use guidelines. Today we have access to a number of books at no cost from any device connected to Web 2.0.

Digital literature is growing in market share and sales over traditional book purchases. Programs such as Overdrive support users’ access to many ebooks. There are many devices that support readers’ use of online reading and ebooks. To combat the ease of sharing, digital lock protects how digital literature is shared, monitored. These locks protect profits and illegally downloading and reading material outside of the policies and procedures.

Similarly, to how a physical book is checked out at a library, even though ebooks are digital there are only a certain number of licences available through online libraries. Each loan is monitored by the loan system, so when the loan period is over the book is automatically returned and loaned to the next individual who has reserved the book. Again, these systems support the author’s profit and creative rights. Ensure each copy of the book is paid for.

Policies and procedures support authors but inhibit sharing and public access to information. Digital rights management (DRM) can restrict content to research and prohibit the transfer of knowledge. When governments fund research the results should be made public. It is ultimately public funding that compensates the authors and researchers to create these materials. Copyright law continue to protect and compensate these writers for their work, even after the public has paid them for their work. I understand the need to monitor and control the use and sharing of information to ensure that authors are compensated for their work. However, what restrictions limit publishers, libraries and e-book vendors.

Assessment 4 Part C Critical Reflection

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Current and emerging trends in digital literature are supporting students learning and engagement through social media platforms with features that support the needs of all learners and integrates curriculum using technology. Literature in digital environments has increased access to books and the ability to collaborate and interact with authors. Social media platforms facilitate users sharing and creation of text. Interactive features beyond the pages of a traditional book have enriched the reader’s experience through engaging graphics, music, narration, gamification and accessibility functions to support the needs of all learners (Combes, 2016). The growth and expansion of digital text have transformed the way educators engage with the curriculum and implement effective pedagogy into the classroom. These trends support digital natives learning in the classroom and beyond the school through interactions on Web 2.0. As technology continues to evolve, reading and creating open-source literature will support student’s storytelling experiences.

Social media platforms facilitate how students are able to share and organize a story. Platforms such as Twitter, YouTube and Snapchat can be used to communicate to a real-world authentic audience. Social media enables online discussion between students and educators from all over the world (Clowes, 2019).  Students have the power to share their perspectives and to collaborate, building on others’ ideas. Students are able to communicate with authors through author websites to share ideas for future books, write comments and recommend alternative endings (Clowes, 2019). Social media platforms enable students to connect with authors and comment on stories. However, teachers must educate students on how to interact online with Web 2.0 and practice responsible digital citizenship. Educators need to be diligent to teach students how to responsibly engage using social media (Clowes, 2019). Students must learn through explicit instruction and practice how to engage online using social media platforms.

Digital literature increases access to text that supports all learners. Digital literature includes additional features that amplify content (James & De Kock, 2013). Students have options such as narration, hyperlinks, music, bookmark, highlight, annotation, word tagging, changing font and backlighting. These options allow readers to tailor their reading experience to meet their individual needs (Clowes, 2019). All these interactive features allow the reader to adopt the text to suit their individual needs. According to Prensky (2001) students today are called digital natives and have grown up with technology in their hands, as a result, their learning style and needs align with the use of technology. There are many reading applications that engage students through graphics, animation and variable multimedia (Clowes, 2019). Students in classrooms today learn differently, technology meets their learning needs and motivates them (Prensky, 2001). Beyond technology, digital literacy creates equity through universal design, each student gets what they need to learn (Ministry of Education, 2013). Students can demonstrate their learning beyond pencil and paper using digital literacy creation tools. Students are able to deeply construct meaning from a text, by tailoring their digital literacy reading experience according to their needs. The functionality, accessibility options and multimedia features support the learning needs of all students.

Digital literature can be introduced into the classroom through online reading apps and programs such as Sora, Raz Kids and Bookflix to support instruction across the curriculum. There are a variety of e-books, interactive and enhanced books to support student learning for all content areas. Additionally, students can create digital stories to demonstrate their learning. Programs such as WeVideo, Stop Motion Animation, DoInk and Book Creator are tools that have been used to support the creation of digital literacy in the classroom (Clowes, 2019). Students are engaged in their learning while using and creating digital literature. The Ontario curriculum has not evolved to include the use of digital tools as a recommended method for students to demonstrate learning. Students are engaged and excited about using technology (Clowes, 2019). Students can demonstrate their learning for drama, oral language and social studies curriculum through the creation of a stop motion animation video. Many curriculum connections can be integrated to effectively and efficiently cover curriculum content. Educators are encouraged to teach the curriculum, through the use of digital literacy and technology.

This critical reflection is evidence of the value of social media, integrating digital literacy in the classroom to support all learners and a method to deliver the curriculum using engaging resources. Student collaboration through online social media platforms allows students to learn from others across the globe expanding their perspectives. Prensky’s (2001) research informs educators to utilize technology to support students. Digital literacy is a method for educators to deliver curriculum and engage learners.

References

Clowes, S. (2019, July 26). Assessment task 1 – blog task [Online blog post]. Retrieved from Charles Sturt University Thinkspace website: https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/sclowe01/2019/07/26/assessment-task-1-blog-task/

Clowes, S. (2019, August 16). Module 1 trends and developments [Online blog post]. Retrieved from Charles Sturt University Thinkspace website: https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/sclowe01/2019/08/16/module-1-trends-and-developments/ 

Clowes, S. (2019, August 16). Module 2 learning and teaching [Online blog post]. Retrieved from Charles Sturt University Thinkspace website: https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/sclowe01/2019/08/16/module-2-learning-and-teaching/

Clowes, S. (2019, September 7). Module 3 interactive text and interfaces [Online blog post]. Retrieved from Charles Sturt University Thinkspace website: https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/sclowe01/2019/09/07/module-3-interactive-text-and-interfaces/

Clowes, S. (2019, September 15). Module 4 digital storytelling [Online blog post]. Retrieved from Charles Sturt University Thinkspace website: https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/sclowe01/2019/09/15/module-4-digital-storytelling/

Clowes, S. (2019, September 25). Module 5 interactive authoring tools [Online blog post]. Retrieved from Charles Sturt University Thinkspace website: https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/sclowe01/wp-admin/post.php?post=580&action=edit

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), pp. 107-123. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10131752.2013.783394

Ontario Ministry of Education. (2013). Learning for All: A Guide for Effective Assessment and Instruction for all students from Kindergarten to Grade 12. Queens’ Printer for Ontario. Retrieved from http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/general/elemsec/speced/learningforall2013.pdf

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants. On the Horizon. 9(5), Retrieved from http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf

Assessment 4 Part A Context for Digital Story Telling Project

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Introduction
St. Joseph School is the first school in the school board to fully transition traditional learning spaces into 21st-century flexible classrooms. The physical space students learn in affects how students learn. 21st-century classrooms are designed to be flexible and foster collaboration (Ministry of Education, 2016). The school board initiated and directed the project, engaging educators and students that learn and work in the building throughout the process. The digital story includes photos and interviews that illustrate the impact on the learning environment. The story includes discussion of physical and pedagogical transformations and the impact on student learning and behaviour.

Context for the digital story
St. Joseph School’s Transition to Flexible Seating is a journalistic feature article that tells the story of the staff and student’s experience through the transformation of their learning space. The school principal, teachers and students share their perspective through personal interviews. The interviews provide the audience with a primary source of information to develop the artifact of the digital story (Fuhler, 2010). The interviews capture the voice of those directly impacted and illustrate their feeling, challenges and recommendations for future school transitions to a 21st-century learning space with flexible seating (Ministry of Education, 2016).

The School Board Administration Team initiated the project at St. Joseph School.  The video article will tell the story of the transition by providing administration with valuable feedback to inform future projects. It is vital that the school’s educators and students voice their thoughts, feelings, challenges, impact and recommendations to the school board to conclude the project.  The digital story is the project consolidation, by reporting back to the decision-makers for the school board.

Digital story tool selection
Digital storytelling is using multimedia tools to share stories in a powerful, emotional and engaging way (Matthews, 2014).  The medium for the digital story St. Joseph School’s Transition to Flexible Seating was video, using the program WeVideo. WeVideo was selected over iMovie as WeVideo is the software licensed by the school board; students in Grade 3 to Grade 8 access WeVideo on their Chromebooks. Constructionist learning tasks, such as this, provides the creator with a rich, authentic experience to engage in a platform that is being used in the classroom (Kearney, 2011). It is advantageous to engage in a program that will be used by students. A video clearly and transparently shares the authentic and genuine feelings of students, teachers and the school principal. 

Primary interviews as the digital story storyboard
The goal of the video to create an artifact to illustrate how the new spaces have influence student learning and behaviour and document educators learning journey as they adapt their instructional practices to maximize the new learning space. Educators and students responded to the same questions; these questions formed the storyboard for the digital story. The story will uncover their thoughts and feelings about the project. The concept of flexible learning spaces is to encourage collaboration, enable the creation and student self-awareness (Ministry of Education, 2016). The board will learn how their investment in the school has stimulated students.

The interviews capture teacher and student excitement and apprehension. Students provide honest feedback, outlining how their new learning space supports learning and their involvement in the project. Teachers explain how a 21st-century learning space has changed their practice and their observations of student behaviour in the flexible learning environment. It was important to include all the voices from the school to create a digital artifact that tells the story from all users perspectives. The digital story communicates the school’s ideas to school board decision-makers. 

Principal Questions

●      What were your initial thoughts and feelings when you learned about the flexible seating transition at your school?

●      What have you noticed about teaching practice as a result of the transition of the physical classroom space?

●      What have you noticed regarding student behaviour since the transition to the physical learning environment?

●      What have you noticed about student learning since the transition?

●      What were the challenges you encountered during the transition and what would have improved these challenges?

●      What needs to be done to support students and educators to fully benefit from the flexible seating in the school?

●      Please share any final thoughts or ideas you may have regarding flexible seating transitions in schools.

 

Teacher Questions

●      What were your initial thoughts and feelings when you learned about the flexible seating transition at your school?

●      How has the classroom transition affected your teaching practice?

●      What have you noticed regarding student behaviour since the transition to the physical learning environment?

●      What have you noticed about student learning in the flexible seating classroom?

●      What were the challenges you encountered during the transition and what would have improved these challenges?

●      What needs to be done to support students and you as the educator to fully benefit from the flexible seating in the school.

●      What is your goal or dream for your physical classroom?

●      Please share your final thoughts and ideas regarding the flexible seating transitions at school.

Student Questions

●      Were you excited when you learned you were getting new furniture in your classroom? Why or why not?

●      Did you have an opportunity to share what furniture you wanted in your classroom?

●      Do you like your new learning space? Why or why not?

●      How has new furniture helped you learn?

●      What are your final thoughts or opinions about the flexible seating in your classroom/school?

The Purpose and Audience of the Digital Story
The purpose of the digital story is to provide the Senior Administration Team and Trustees for the school board with a report of their investment. The video article will be shared at the October board meeting. According to Alexander (2011), a story is the telling of an event using media that interests and engages the audience. Creating a video artifact to illustrate St. Joseph’s School story is essential. Seeing the faces of students and educators and hearing their voices as they share their authentic and transparent perspective will emotionally move the school board decision-makers.

The story will be shared with schools within the board who will be undertaking a similar project. The video will serve to engage educators and students prior to the change in their school’s learning environment. The video will support the implementation of improvements to future schools transitioning from traditional learning environments to flexible learning spaces. All stakeholders can benefit from learning from the experience captured in the digital story.

  

Reference List

Alexander, B. (2011). Storytelling: A tale of two generations, Chapter 1. In The new digital storytelling: Creating narratives with new media. ABC-CLIO. Retrieved from http://www.eblib.com

Fuhler, C. J. (2010). Using primary-source documents and digital storytelling as a catalyst for writing historical fiction in the fourth grade (Ch. 11). In B. Moss, & D. Lapp (Eds.), Teaching new literacies in grades 4-6: Resources for 21st-century classrooms (pp. 136-150). New York, NY: Guilford Press.

Kearney, M. (2011). A learning design for student-generated digital storytelling. Learning, Media and Technology, 36(2), 169-188, DOI: 10.1080/17439884.2011.553623

Matthews, J., (2014). Voices from the heart: The use of digital storytelling in education. Community Practitioner, 87(1), 28-30. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1474889132?accountid=10344

Ministry of Education. (2016). 21st Century Competencies Foundation Document for Discussion. Queen’s Printer for Ontario. Retrieved from http://www.edugains.ca/resources21CL/About21stCentury/21CL_21stCenturyCompetencies.pdf

 

 

 

 

Module 5 Interactive Authoring Tools

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Storytelling can be achieved using a multitude of platforms. Social media, video editing and creation software, writing a letter or orally sharing an experience. These are all methods of authoring or sharing a story. Stories primarily share an experience or tell a perspective of an event to convey knowledge of the author. Stories and narratives function as a communication tool when digitizing stories, they can live on and be shared quickly and easily with others.

When stories are shared on Web 2.0, the audience has the ability to comment, add or question the authors content. This feedback cycle can continue the conversation and communication between author and reader. The interaction between the two deeps and engages both participants.

One of my favourite methods to engage students in creating a story is through stop motion animation. Students deepen their understanding and comprehension of the characters, setting and the sequence of events when they participate in recreating the story using stop motion. I have had students reenact the three little pigs and different Ojibway Legends. Students start by creating the character using plasticine and the background setting either by choosing backgrounds and using a green screen or a diorama styled backdrop. Students really need to consider the physical features of character and setting. Learners critically think about the sequence of events. When the story is complete, students have an artifact that can be shared on Youtube or the class website with parents. Students as storytellers have a strong sense of accomplishment and love to share their work with others.

The curriculum has not yet evolved to include digital tools as a method for demonstrating learning, however, we know that students as digital natives are engaged and excited about using technology. As educators, we need to ensure that students have the opportunity to use digital tools, but we must be mindful of the learning students will require to use them effectively. The concepts of digital citizenship and digital footprint need to underpin the use of all digital tools. Classroom teachers must also model and demonstrate by performing a think-aloud to explain to students how to use digital tools.

 

Module 4 Digital Storytelling

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Storytelling can be deeply personal, digital expression of oneself or experience. It communicates to an audience an event, problem or complex situation. Stories are engaging, represent people and evoke emotions. Technology has changed how stories are told. In the past stories were told orally, then through paper and pencil, mass production through a print press and now a story can be shared instantly with the entire world through Web 2.0.

Storytelling provides a voice to those who may not have otherwise had one. Anyone with an internet connection is able to write a story and share it with the world. Digital storytelling provides a medium to share differing points of view, emotions and justification of oneself. Web 2.0 builds social capacity by allowing many points of view to be shared and considered.

Social media, wikis and blogs are common mediums used to communicate stories. Technology allows for images, video and audio to support and enhance a story. Students can document their educational learning journey using an ePortfolio. Programs such as Brightspace Portfolio or Google Drive are great tools for students to keep artifacts of their work. Students can organize photos, videos and documents by naming and tagging work. Students can quickly and easily review previous examples of their work, reflect on their learning or reference prior knowledge. Eportfolio’s can be shared with parents to promote parent engagement and school and home communication. The student has control of what they choose to document and save, they are responsible for their own learning story.

Digital storytelling is a great tool to engage students in literacy. Students learn how to use cameras, video editing equipment, green screen and photograph. These skills support students development of transliteracy skills. Students who are shy to present to the whole class, have an opportunity to create a digital story to share their learning. Students have control over what the audience sees and hears. Students are producers and actors in their learning environment while creating digital stories; this fosters a student centred classroom culture.

I have used WeVideo, Stop Motion Animation, DoInk and Book Creator to support students creating digital literacy in the classroom. My experience has been that most students are engaged in using these platforms to share their learning. I have facilitated lessons where students create book trailers using green screen technology and reenacted an Indigenous Legend using clay and stop motion animation techniques. With both these lessons students worked collaboratively with a group of students where each student had a specific role they needed to fulfill. My favourite digital storytelling moments are when students share their work; they are so proud and enjoy watching their own production, they critique their own work and others.

 

Module 3 Interactive Text and Interfaces

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Digital literacy and online reading platforms provide students with a plethora of options to tailor their reading experience to suit their needs. Online stories can be read to students who have visual impairments and font sizes and styles can be adjusted accordingly. Online books can be manipulated to support student learning. Features that provide word definitions, clickable font, pictures appear and animated illustrations deepen students understanding and expand connections to the book. Non-linear reading opportunities exist through hyperlinks to additional related content beyond the book covers.

Authors are extending their writing as they create an online presence and medium for communicating with their readers, social reading. Readers have the opportunity to contribute and comment on endings, ideas for future books and discuss books similar to an online reading club. Author websites support fan fair, readership and create a connection between author and reader. Reading is no longer one-way of communication but rather an ongoing conversation.

Reading apps support student engagement through animations and unpredictable multimedia features create an element of unpredictability. Interactive books also lend themselves to extending reader engagement beyond the covers. Online mediums faciliate online learning games that check student comprehension, extend the story and gamify literature.

Stories have been evolving since the beginning of time – oral, printing press, CD Rom books, eBooks now interactive, enhanced and audiobooks. These are all different mediums for storytelling, readers and writers now have more options for creativity with the evolution of technology. However the importance of stories and books hasn’t changed, they provide an escape from reality or method of learning new information. Online reading platforms have provided the reader with a choice as they can interact directly in the reading experience.

Assessment 3 Topic Proposal

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I am proposing to create a journalistic feature article using the video creation program WeVideo. The purpose of the video is to capture the story of a school’s physical transition from a traditional learning environment to a 21st-century learning space with flexible seating.

The school board selected a remote Northern school to be the first of the nine schools within the board to transition. I would like to capture the principal, teacher and students’ voices about how they faired through the transition. Since the transition was board directed I would like to give those directly impacted a voice to share how it has impacted teaching practice and student learning. I believe that the video article will consolidate the transition and provide the school board with valuable information to inform future transitions. The impacted principal, teachers and students will also have closure to the project as they will have an avenue to voice their successes and struggles to the school board regarding physical classroom transitions.

The video article will be shared with senior administrators and school board trustees at the October board meeting. The video will support the leadership team planning and improvement in future school transitions from traditional learning environments to flexible learning spaces. The video will also be shared with schools within the board who are undertaking a similar project to support educators and students.

I would like to ask the school principal the following questions.

  • What were your initial thoughts and feelings when you learned about the flexible seating transition at your school?
  • What have you noticed about teaching practice as a result of the transition of the physical classroom space?
  • What have you noticed regarding student behaviour since it transitions to the physical learning environment? 
  • What have you noticed about student learning since the transition?
  • What were the challenges you encountered during the transition and what would have improved these challenges?
  • What needs to be done to support students and educators to fully benefit from the flexible seating in the school. 
  • Please share any final thoughts or ideas you may have regarding flexible seating transitions in schools.

I would like to ask the teachers the following questions.

  • What were your initial thoughts and feelings when you learned about the flexible seating transition at your school?
  • How has the classroom transition affected your teaching practice?
  • What have you noticed regarding student behaviour since it transitions to the physical learning environment? 
  • What have you noticed about student learning in the flexible seating classroom?
  • What were the challenges you encountered during the transition and what would have improved these challenges?
  • What needs to be done to support students and you as the educator to fully benefit from the flexible seating in the school. 
  • What is your goal or dream for your physical classroom?
  • Please share any final thoughts or ideas you may have regarding flexible seating transitions at school.

I would like to ask students the following questions.

  • Were you excited when you learned you were getting new furniture in your classroom? Why or why not?
  • Did you have an opportunity to share what furniture you wanted in your classroom?
  • Do you like your new learning space? Why or why not?
  • How has new furniture helped you learn?
  • What are your final thoughts or opinions about the flexibles seating in your classroom/school?

 

Interactive Book Review Stick and Stone

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What makes a good interactive book?
A good interactive book includes extensive digital features, embeds games, puzzles and media to reinforce or extend the digital story. The digital book may be presented as a video, include animation and full narration of the book (Guernsey, 2011). Traditional books have static images and illustrations; interactive books have animated video clips to support the text of the book (Bourchardon, Heckman, 2012). A good interactive book offers the reader a rich digital experience over and above the adaptability features contained with an enhanced book and E-Book. Similar to E-Books and enhanced books, a good interactive book should be widely accessible to all readers and include features that support all learners to engage with the digital text (Bowler et al., 2012). It should also be compatible with many different devices similar to that of an E-Book and enhanced book. Interactive books provide rich participation opportunities whereby students are able to engage with authors (Skaines, 2010).

What purpose do interactive books serve?
Interactive books link games, puzzles, quizzes, author interactions and hyperlinks to extend the text beyond the covers of the book. The features of an interactive book will motivate students to deeply engage with the content, extend connections and explore alternatives meanings of the text (Bowler et al., 2012) The interactive features are beyond simple games that can be played in isolation of the text, but rather they will foster critical thinking, collaboration and creativity (Ministry of Education, 2016). Young readers thrive in online, multitasking digital environments. Interactive books create a medium for students to engage in literature in a meaningful way. Young readers today are called digital natives, meaning they have grown up with a screen or device in their hands. Digital natives learn differently than previous generations, learning from a static book may be a struggle for digital natives (Siemens, 2005). The features and extensions of interactive books meet the learning needs of students in classrooms today. The functionality and adaptability of interactive books lend itself to meet the needs of all learners (Serafini, 2013).

Analysis of the Interactive Book Stick and Stone
Content
The content of the book is a great resource to support primary students learning about friendship and empathy. The interactive book is about friends that work together to solve problems. The simplicity of text and rhyme supports early readers. To extend the book beyond the pages there are three interactive activities for students to complete a word match game, fact or fiction game or a sequencing activity. Early reader’s comprehension and engagement of the book is supported by the extension activities. Students or educators can search the web through hyperlinks linked to the book to learn more about the topic covered in the book, this facilitates classroom discussions, provides an opportunity to meet student’s interests and explore connections. The interactive book includes an option to learn more about the author by providing a link to the authors’ websites. The online community of the authors’ website connects the reader to the author creating an authentic connection (Valenza & Stephens, 2012).

Features and Adaptability
Interactive books contain similar adaptability features associated with those of enhanced books. The continuum of interactivity in this form of the digital text supports all learner’s engagement and facilitates independence as each readers’ experience can be customized and tailored to meet their interests and learning needs (Kearney, 2011). The interactive book has three tiers of engagement and support. The book can be presented as a traditional print book projected on an interactive whiteboard, similar to an E-Book, there is a read-to-me feature that includes music throughout the book, engaging narration and fully animated illustrations or a video without text on the screen. Educators or students can select their reading experience based on their instructional goals, learning styles or needs.

A difference between interactive books and enhanced books that interactive books provide readers with hyperlinked opportunities to engage with the text and participate beyond the book. For example, the interactive book provides additional links to learn about empathy, thereby expanding the online borders of the interactive book. Essentially the digital content is adaptable based on student interest and class discussions.

Access
The interactive book is available through a web platform Bookflix. A subscription, user name and password is required to access the interactive book. The Province of Ontario provides all publicly funded schools with access to the program, however, students will have access to the digital literature resources at home. Bookflix can be used on many different devices, allowing teachers or students to use the program as a whole group or independently. The subscription requirement creates a barrier to access, prohibiting many readers from accessing the rich content of interactive books. Interactive books do provide wide access to the text in comparison to a physical book. For example, a library may have one copy of a particular book, whereas the interactive book, E-Book or enhanced book can be viewed by all students in the school simultaneously. The readership of digital text is broader than that of a single print traditional book on the library shelf.

How to implement interactive books into classroom instruction?
Variety of Text, Reading Familiar Words and Reading Fluency
The book text contains rhyme throughout, one strategy for early readers to gain fluency and confidence is through rhyme. Rhyme is engaging and organically encourages students to participate in reading the text. The read-to-me function creates a fun interactive opportunity for students to read and rhyme along with the narrator. Teachers and students can co-create a list of rhymes that are contained in the book and extended the lists.

Comprehension, Demonstrate and Extend Understanding, Respond to Text
The interactive extension activities provide students with the opportunity to further engage with the text. The activities that can be completed as a whole group at the carpet or students can play them independently on their own device. A hands-on digital literacy extension would be to have students write their own ending. Students can create the characters with clay and use stop motion animation to recreate a new ending to the story. The new ending can be shared with the authors’ websites or emailed to the author (Kearney, 2011). Communicating with the author through the hyperlinks provided in the interactive book fosters student participation. Students can begin to see themselves as authors.

Cross-Curricular to Social Emotional Learning and Healthy Living
The content of the book supports primary students learning empathy which is a key concept of healthy living curriculum. Students can watch the interactive book as a mind on activity on an interactive whiteboard, students can then model parts of the book and discuss how Stick, Stone and Pinecone could have handled situations differently.

Conclusion
The interactive book includes extensive adaptability features and flexibility to customize a reading experience that meets the need of all students. The interactive book will engage students with multimodal features. Educators have the ability to modify the interactive book to achieve instructional goals. Stick and Stone is a rich interactive book that offers opportunities to extend the book beyond the text. The extension activities will support a student’s comprehension and facilitate classroom discussions. Hyperlinks included within the interactive book create opportunities for students to explore and discuss ideas and topics that may have sparked their interests.

References

Bourchardon, S., & Heckman, D. (2012). Digital manipulability and digital literature. Electronic Book Retrieved from http://www.electronicbookreview.com/thread/electropoetics/heuristic

Bowler, L., Morris, R., Cheng, I-L., Al-Issa, R., Romine, B., & Leiberling, L. (2012). Multimodal stories: LIS students explore reading, literacy, and library service through the lens of “The 39 Clues”. Journal of Education for Library and Information Science, 53(1), 32-48

Guernsey, L. (2011, June 7). Are ebooks any good? [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://www.slj.com/2011/06/books-media/ebooks/are-ebooks-any-good/#_

Kearney, M. (2011). A learning design for student-generated digital storytelling. Learning, Media and Technology, 36(2), 169-188, DOI: 10.1080/17439884.2011.553623

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