Thinking Outside the Page: Four Views of Children’s eBooks

Thinking Outside the Page: Four Views of

Children’s eBooks

NAEYC November 10, 2012

Warren BuckleitnerEditor

Children’s Technology Reviewwww.childrenstech.com

Twitter @buckleit

Friday, September 27, 13

http://www.childrenstech.com


Inclusion in this presentation is not

necessarily a recommendation


Four view preview

• Historical view

• Theoretical view

• Reviewers view

• Child’s view

Phoenix SunriseFriday, September 27, 13

What’s an eBook?

4


5

?What’s an eBook?


6

“book” =

scroll... manual... booklet... set of instructions... computer (powerbook or dynabook) ... living book... hardcover ... softwarecover ... NYTimes Best Seller ... something you buy at Barnes & Noble...


Allen Kay’s Dynabook

7


8

“e” =touch & hear ... electric... ... not a “p book” ... narrative driven interactive media ... enhanced book ... app book ... downloadable ... media ... for the kindle ... interactive ...


blessing or curse

Every fool finds a champion, or a devil, in new technology.


Children’s eBook Interactivity Continuum

PDF —> eReaders —> anima?on —> popup touch/hear/see —> Touch Press —> Kinect/3DS

Less interac+vity More interac+vity

Think of an “eBook” as a

messy continuum between

less and more interactive

10

“App Books”“Enhanced eBooks”


Converging on an “ebook”

definition with four views


Historical view

1Thinking Outside

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nce upon a time, eBooks came on shiny CD-ROMs.O Educators were excited! For the first time, you could click on a word to hear it read aloud!

Just Grandma and Me, Brøderbund Software, 1993


Microsoft Office

Hyperstudio

2000 2005

CD-ROM

Living Books

Reader Rabbit

Decline of Educational Software

IMing

MMPGs

TVs become HDTVsPS3Xbox 360Nintendo Wii

FLY PenComputer

LeapPad

WordStar Word PerfectBank Street WriterMindstorms/LOGO

Pokémon

Internet

Speech to textVoice RecognitionSoliloquy Reader

Moore’s Law Meets Literacy — Some Key Events

Google

Flash/Starfall.com

Read180

Accelerated Reader

LeapsterPixter

ECHO Speech synthesizer

2008 2009 2011

Netbooks

iPod TouchiPhoneNintendo DSiTag/Tag JrKindle

Intel ClassMate

iPadAn Amazing History!

Dustin Heuston forms WICAT

View it from Moore’s Law


Sony PS4, Coming in Two Months


10 Pillars of the iPad

“The iPad is the computer we always wanted.” Ann McCormick, Founder, The Learning Company

1. Multi-touch (11 simultaneous touch points) 2. 10 hour batteries3. Internet4. ~10,000* viable apps for kids made by a trained army of programmers5. Clear audio speakers6. Motion sensitivity via accelerometers, compass & GPS7. Oleophobic screen8. Cameras9. Microphone (ears)10. Affordable: $150 to $500

(born May, 2010, Cupertino, CA) Father: Steve Jobs* CTR


http://gizmodo.com/5302097/giz-bill-nye-explains-the-iphone-3gss-oleophobic-screen/gallery/

http://gizmodo.com/5302097/giz-bill-nye-explains-the-iphone-3gss-oleophobic-screen/gallery/

New Techniques

17

When Beatrix PoMer wrote and illustrated The Tale of Peter Rabbit, she insisted upon using color illustra?ons, pushing the limits of the current technology. Today, as you read this, future Beatrix PoMers are working on a next genera?on of children’s storytelling, made possible by a new 800 lb gorilla in children’s publishing -‐-‐ the tablet. The clear mul?-‐touch screens can display colors that PoMer could’ve only fantasized about.

Things will only get more interes?ng when the wave of Android-‐based tablets, and their associated apps, become beMer developed and start trying to catch up to Apple.

We’re looking forward to reviewing these products, and learning more about how this technology can be used to for the benefit of children, and a happy ending.


18


Theoretical view

2Thinking Outside

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Lev Semenovich Vygotsky

(1896-1934)

Jean Piaget (1896-1980)

Maria Montessori (1870-1952) BF Skinner

(1904-1990)

View it from a theoretical framework: What would each say about an “eBook?”

Jerome Bruner (1915-)


Scaffolding Techniques

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New Scaffolds For Learning to Decode These aren’t just bells and whistles. Some of these techniques have significant pedagogical implica?ons, and when paired with a web connec?on, could be used for assessing and diagnosing a child’s developing abili?es. Decoding helpers (dic?onary, sound it out, word highligh?ng and language toggles) can help a struggling reader make meaning out of confusion. There are also implica?ons for language transla?on; for the first ?me, a publisher can create a product where geography is no longer limited to one region, culture or language group. Here are some text decoding techniques:

• Touch an object to hear it labeled.• Touch an object to see its word label• Touch a word to hear it read aloud.• Touch a word to see it sounded out.• Touch a sentence to hear it read in a natural rhythm.• Drag over a paragraph to hear it read aloud.• Let children write.


Marvin K MooneyMarvin K. MooneyOceanhouse Media. www.oceanhousemedia.com $2.99. Ages .



Learning theory(DAP)

Technology



Reviewers view

3Thinking Outside

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Juror’s Commentary


2013Prize at a glance• “Narrative driven interactive media.”

• 242 entries, 32 countries

• 2012-13 copyright

• Any publisher, any country, no fee

• Any platform

• Deadline for 2014, February 1

• 4 Jurors, 1 vote


“How not to make an ebook.”At www.dustormagic.com/ebooks


http://www.dustormagic.com/ebooks

http://www.dustormagic.com/ebooks

• Clumsy design: e.g., pages flip in the wrong direction.• Not responsive.• I’ve seen this before. This design was clearly influenced by Toca Tea Party with no attribution.• Good story, amazing graphics, but it is hard to operate the catapult.• Instructions are confusing and unnecessary.• Loads too slow. • Background music loops, over and over and over again.• Crashed. • Starts with a wordy introduction.• Contains ethnic stereotypes. • Evil. This is a “free” catalog designed to tease children, and trick them into an in-app sale.

• Contains links to web content in the main menu. • Feels like a template, with sprinkled hotspots• Not reversible.• Asks you to rate this app before you play it. • Pages get turned accidently. • Lots of beautiful looking art that just sits there. • Yet another page-flipper.• Clunky mechanics get in the way of the narrative. • Horrible narration.• Ending makes no sense. • Who made this? The author/illustrator/publisher are not clearly identified.

Why it didn’t win...


• Innovation Moving beyond the “page flippers” tapping the 10 affordances

• A good story

• Quality illustrations

• Quality sounds

• Interactivity that supports the narrative

What the jurors look for...


e = sf2

e = engagement of childs = story’s developmental match with the child (abilities and prior experience)f = features (or frosting)


Elements of Quality

33

Easy to u

se

Educa?onal

Entertaining

Value

Features

Makes you feel powerful quickly -‐-‐ starts quickly, responsive, reversible, Minimum User Competency (MUC) is below child’s developmental level, can jump around between pages, over the shoulder help, minimal or no instruc?ons

You walk away with something valuable; a skill or competence you didn’t have when you came to the experience.

•language•math/logic•art/music•science•social •geography

Challenging, novel, full of discoveries, social

Preferences let you customize. If it is free, you can lower your expecta?ons.

What does it do vs. how much does it cost?


Generic IM Evaluation Instrument

I. EASE OF USE (Can a child pick it up and make it work? Does it enhance feelings of control?)A SE N NA

1__ __ __ __ The experience starts quickly with a minimal introducRon that can be skipped.

2__ __ __ __ There is an obvious path to the first page.

3__ __ __ __ The experience feels crisp and responsive, enhancing a child’s feelings of control.

4__ __ __ __ Pages are easy to turn or flip, forward or backward.

5__ __ __ __ Page turn icons are easy to spot.6__ __ __ __ A “return to main menu” icon is easy to spot.

7__ __ __ __ It is easy to jump to another page, anywhere in the ebook.

8__ __ __ __ If there is a “read to me” mode, it is easy to stop and get back to the main menu to turn it off (you don’t feel trapped).

9__ __ __ __ It is easy to adjust the sound.

II. EDUCATIONAL VALUE (What does the child walk away from the experience with, that he/she didn’t have when he/she came to the experience?)

1__ __ __ __ Embedded reinforcements are used, to support the story or the learning. 2__ __ __ __ The challenge level can be adjusted.

4__ __ __ __ Games and animaRons support the story.

5__ __ __ __ Language enrichment techniques are used.

6__ __ __ __ If the Rtle is a reference, there is an index and the ability to search by keyword.7__ __ __ __ A child can record their own narraRon.

8__ __ __ __ Labeling is clear and directly linked to the finger touch.

9__ __ __ __ There are ways for a child to represent their experience, e.g., through creaRve expression.

IV. ENTERTAINMENT VALUE (How “fun” is the experience?)

1__ __ __ __ Hot spots provide surprises.2__ __ __ __ Children will want to return to the experience.

3__ __ __ __ There’s enough content to keep a child interested.

4__ __ __ __ There’s enough challenge.

V. FEATURES (Consider the current “state of the art” in children’s ebook design)

1__ __ __ __ Fonts are easy to read.

2__ __ __ __ Text is narrated, and if possible, sounded out.3__ __ __ __ Bookmarking is used, so a child can come back the same point where he/she leh off.

4__ __ __ __ It is possible to save your work.

5__ __ __ __ Language translaRon features are available.

6__ __ __ __ Sounds, such as page flips, can be turned on or off.

7__ __ __ __ It is easy to flip a page forward and backward.8__ __ __ __ You know how “thick” the “book” is. There is some indicaRon of how many pages are in the book, or how long the story is.

9__ __ __ __ Music can be easily toggled on/off, and doesn’t invade a child’s imaginaRon.

10__ __ __ __ In-‐app sales, if used, can be locked away from a young child.

11__ __ __ __ External links are limited to the “about us” menu.

12__ __ __ __ Credits idenRfy the publisher, author, narrator and producing studio, along with a physical address and valid contact informaRon.

IV. VALUE (Rate the ebooks value, comparing compeRRve products)

1 = Low 10 = High

__ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Buckleitner, W., (2011). Children’s InteracRve Media EvaluaRon Instrument, Adapted for Ebooks. Children’s Technology Review, January 2011, Vol 19, Issue 130.hmp://childrenstech.com.

Copyright 2011, Children’s Technology Review.

34

Children’s InteracRve Media EvaluaRon Instrument, Adapted for Ebooks

KEY: A = Always, equals 1 point. SE = some extent = .5, N = never, or 0 points. NA means “not applicable”


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http://childrenstech.com

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What’s coming...


Amplify Tablet: A “top down” solutionA WiFi-only Amplify Tablet will set schools back $299 apiece, so long as you agree to a two-year subscription to Amplify's services at $99 a year.


XO Tablet: A “bottoms up” solutionXO Learning Tablet ($150, www.xo-learning.org) is a 7” Android tablet that comes pre-loaded with 173 apps and hundreds of open-source books. Sold at Wal-Mart.


http://www.xo-learning.org

http://www.xo-learning.org

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3

for Kids

Coming to the USA from Korea this fall 7 inch, 1.2 GHz, Android 4.1 tablet with 8 GB of internal memory plus a micro SD slot, for up to 32 GB of additional storage, two cameras, SD expansion, Google Play. Memo to children's app developers -- start tuning up your Android apps. Expected price: $150


Child’s view

4Thinking Outside

the Page

of 4



43

View from an eBookFriday, September 27, 13

What can I turn this finger into?


About me (Warren Buckleitner)• One of six kids, grew up and taught in

Michigan, live in NJ

• BS Elementary Education, Central Michigan University; MA Human Development, Pacific Oaks College; Ph.D., Educational Psychology, Michigan State University; dissertation http://bit.ly/zOGXwz

• Former Sr. Consultant, High/Scope Foundation

• Former teacher (elementary, college and preschool (yes, I made snacks).

• Reviewer: CTR, Scholastic Parent & Child, New York Times. See: http://childrenstech.com/about/disclosures

• Founding Editor of Children’s Technology Review

• Married, two daughters.

• One of many who advised on the NAEYC position statement.

http://childrenstech.com/files/2011/05/g3-‐1.pdf

Contact: [email protected] Twitter: @dustormagic @childtech Copyright 2013 Children’s Technology Review


http://childrenstech.com/about/disclosures

http://childrenstech.com/about/disclosures

http://childrenstech.com/files/2011/05/g3-1.pdf

http://childrenstech.com/files/2011/05/g3-1.pdf

mailto:[email protected]


[email protected]

Warren BuckleitnerChildren’s Technology Reviewwww.childrenstech.com

@childtechwww.youtube.com/childrenstech






http://www.youtube.com/childrenstech

http://www.youtube.com/childrenstech

Thinking Outside the Page: Four Views of Children’s eBooks

Education

enhanced book

ebook denition

app book

computer powerbook

mooney oceanhouse media

mooney marvin

appbooks enhanced ebooks

simultaneous touch points