Wow! What great topics… My media specialist confirmed that we currently do not have any ebooks or e-reference, though she is looking into the idea for the future. She was thankful for sites that I gave her and will review them in assessing the needs of her elementary school population.
Ebooks are texts that are stored electronically and are accessed through the Web. This means there are no covers, dog-eared pages, fraying edges or overdue books. They are typically accessed through e-readers, iPads, Rocket, Nook and Kindle, but can be accessed on home or school computers, as well. Project Gutenberg is an interesting and noble undertaking; one that could greatly assist student learning, and the general literate population. It is a group of volunteers who manually type in texts of materials whose copyright protections have expired, thus allowing the book to be considered “unowned” by anyone or any entity. They are all in the public domain and can be accessed by anyone. International Children’s Digital Library is a digital library site for children that I found confusing. It is a site worth viewing, though.
The article by Christopher Harris, “A Souped-Up Picture Book: What Apple’s iPad might mean for libraries” is interesting. While the author acknowledges his love for traditional books, he is enthralled by new technology that allows so much information to “replace” books. He notes the obstacles: (1) aesthetics; (2) usability issues; and 3) access. Ultimately, he states that he wants to be part of the discussion about future of books and the library so “his (new) daughter and his students will have the chance to grow and learn both as a natural and nurtured digital child”.
The article by John Green, The Future of Reading: Don't worry. It might be better than you think was exciting to read. All that I can say is, “Who IS this guy?” His main thesis is that we, as educators and media specialists, have a unique role to play in the future of books, reading, and media centers. His most on-point message is the following: “The choices you make—whether to defend the status quo or to attack it, whether to reinforce the gatekeepers or to undermine them—will affect reading and readers for generations to come.”
Now, a word about e-reference, because its idea is related to ebooks. Last year, I took the MEDT 6464-Reference Sources and Services class. Our media center has numerous shelves devoted to reference materials, which are excellent resources, but are difficult to maintain and keep updated. The latest trend in reference materials is e-reference. If you are interested, check-out the article by Pat Luebbe, "Is Print Reference Dead?" at http://www.gale.cengage.com/gvrl/printReference_casestudy.pdf.
Digital Storytelling is a blend of images, audio, music, text and content, all rolled into one presentation format to create a story. While it may be used primarily for personal stories (re-telling a vacation, wedding, graduation) or personal life event, it has great implications for teaching. In education, I see it as a way for teachers to grab students’ attention and interest before starting a new unit; sort of like a teaser or a commercial. On the flip side, it is a vehicle for students to “show what they know”. Rather than creating a poster, scrapbook page, or diorama, students may use their technology skills to capture and present their learnings. Digital storytelling is a way for teachers to re-enforce research and writing skills, copyright/plagiarism/bibliography issues, art, context/meaning and, perhaps, persuasion.
By Cecilia
By Cecilia
Ebooks would cut down on the cost of having to replace and patch-up books that are lost or have the dog-eared pages, frayed edges, etc. My mother-in-law is a media specialist and last year her school purchased books on ipods. Students can check out these ipods and the book will be read to them as they follow along in the hard copy of the book. Having books presented in this way can help motivate and get students excited about reading. Incooperating technology and reading would help reach older students who might view reading as a "nerdy" thing to do. The main problem that ebooks present are what you would do for children who do not have computers at home. Even though computers are very popular, not all homes have a computer and internet access.
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