eBooks

Obviously there are some significant differences between traditional paper-based books and books in electronic format.

What do you think about iBooks and some of the book apps that were mentioned?

o    Is there a place for electronic books in education?

o    How might you using interactive electronic books in the classroom?

o    How might you use electronic books in the classroom?

I think iBooks are brilliant. They are a virtual bookshelf that provides access to multiple books, any place and at any time, via a single, portable device, making iBooks perfect for travel, study, etc. I enjoy the convenience of being able to readily purchase a book on iTunes and commence reading immediately rather than waiting until I can visit a bookstore.

The ability to create selections and categories is a helpful feature, providing a personalised filing system for readers.

Images are engaging in iBooks because you can expand the images to enable closer inspection of aspects of an image. This is especially useful when images are small or vision is poor. Enlarging font size or changing font is also use for reading when there is a vision issue. I have heard of people with deteriorating vision enjoying reading again because they can read enlarged print using iBooks. By changing the screen brightness it is also possible to improve reading conditions which is helpful.

A great option when reading is the ability to define words using an in-app dictionary. If further clarification is needed, the reader can search into the web or use Wikipedia. Highlighting sections of text as you read through a book is ideal for identifying key points of interest. Tracking back through the highlighted sections later provides an efficient means of targeting and summarising text. The option of altering the colour of the highlights enables highlighted text to be categorised. Additionally, highlights can be easily removed which makes texts available for use by others in their original form, thus ideal for educational purposes.

There is the option with iBooks to add notes as the reader progresses through a book, allowing for key notes and summaries to be made, thus also an ideal educational feature. At any time the reader can go back and review notes and provides access to the relevant highlighted section by tapping on the notes. Notes can be edited as well as selected and shared with colleagues or teachers via email or printed hardcopy. This feature makes iBooks ideal for collaborative tasks in education and business.

There are iBooks available that have audio and video features. The read-aloud feature has a narrator read the book to you with some books even highlighting the words as you read along, making them ideal interactive texts for children.

There is definitely a place for iBooks in education. The features outlined above make them ideal for fields of education, from early childhood to tertiary.

The interactive nature of iBooks engages reluctant readers to have-a-go. Students can be support in their reading journey with audio texts that highlight the words being read so they can read along. Options to define words with an in-app dictionary, bookmark information, highlight text, create notes, track and share summaries make iBooks excellent teaching resources.

The mobility of iBooks makes them user friendly, providing texts that are easily accessed via one device, thus eliminating the issue of carrying heavy, bulky textbooks around.

The wear-and-tear factor that occurs with repetitive use of traditional paper-based books is avoided with the use of iBooks. However, consideration of the cost and maintenance of the iPads needs to be factored in when financing iBook purchases.

We currently use interactive electronic books in our school using the Raz-Kids program. We use the Raz app for reading sessions for individual student reading support, in groups for guided reading and individually by students for sole reading. This reading program provides students with a levelled reader that has listening, reading and comprehension components. It is interactive, supportive and captivates even the most reluctant reader.

Electronic books are also being used as whole class studies focussing on targeted literacy outcomes.

Other ideas for using electronic books include follow-up literacy tasks such as an author study, creating a class eBook with a theme variation, create a reader’s theatre or play based on the book, grammar study by highlighting grammar with different colours, study genre structure, source definitions of new vocabulary, as a digital big book on a smart board, eBook mapping for geography combining eBook and a world globe, create illustrations to reflect story and create a class picture book, write an present a report based on an eBook, to support a literacy circle of activities, for reading assessments and as a readers corner for quiet reading.