Welcome to the Exciting World of Electronic Books!
Some Key Questions (Kristi Kleisler)
*What is an eBook?
- An eBook is an electronic version of a traditional print book that can be read by using a personal computer or by using an eBook reader. (SearchMobileComputing.com)
* How can it be used in the classroom?
-Teachers can use the e books as a group activity, for story time or for individual computer time. E books can be used as a center activity or a read aloud. The possibilities are endless for teachers to implement e books into their teaching plans.
*What are the benefits?
-“The students love to watch the pictures, and as they progress with their decoding skills they pick out words that they know. When we watch one of these books, I have to pause it after every page so they can find all their sight words that are on the page”-Kindergarten Teacher, Alabama (Tumblebooks.com)
- “I love the way that the books come to life with not too little or too much animation. There is just the right amount added so as not to take away from the actual text, but to keep young learners entertained” -1st Grade Teacher, Illinois (Tumblebooks.com)
- “Unfortunately, we don't have enough helpers to read individually to students. Tumble Books provides an alternative to the "listen to reading" time”- 1st Grade Teacher, Oregon (Tumblebooks.com)
-“The children in my class just needed a change. I took my laptop into the classroom, since we do not have internet access in our room and let them watch "Pigs". They laughed so hard and have asked for me to play the book again to them many times. Being able to have the option of sharing books both by reading and watching them in a video format is a wonderful change that has been very positive in my classroom” –Head Start teacher, Ohio (Tumblebooks.com)
-“I love this site. It has replaced my listening center (no cassettes or CD’s for my first graders to have difficulty putting in the player.) I select books and add to my list for students to choose from” – Primary grades teacher, Kentucky (Tumblebooks.com)
*Are there any disadvantages of E Books?
-Cost can be a big disadvantage. Some schools cannot afford computers in the classroom, making it very difficult for teachers to gain access to E Book resources. Also some companies charge a fee to access their e books and that can often keep teachers from accessing those materials.
-Depending on the type of website teachers are accessing, they might not be able to find a wide variety of books to fit their needs.
How can I learn more? (Tricia Bolding)
Resources for Future Learning
- Tumble Books for Kids: http://www.tumblebooks.com/
- eBooks, the digital bookstore: http://www.ebooks.com/
- The Online Books Page: http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/lists.html
- Raz Kids Online - http://www.raz-kids.com/
- Youtube Example - eBook App for iPhone
Applications for Future Teaching
- eBooks for Teachers: http://www.schoodoodle.com/
- Lesson Ideas for Using eBooks: http://drscavanaugh.org/ebooks/classroomapplications.htm
- Using eBooks in your classroom: http://istars.education.co.uk/Displaycontent.aspx?ArticleId=26
- Implementing Instructional Technology Innovations: http://www.uwstout.edu/soe/profdev/innovations/two/act2A.html
- One teacher’s eBook experience: http://blog.bookoven.com/2008/12/23/ebooks-in-the-classroom/
References (Kristi Kleisler)
Electronic Books Definition. Retrieved from http://searchmobilecomputing.techtarget.com/definition/eBook
Ebooks for Teachers. Retrieved from http://www.schoodoodle.com/
Ebooks, the Digital Bookstore. Retrieved from http://www.ebooks.com/
Implementing Instructional Technology Innovations. Retrieved from http://www.uwstout.edu/soe/profdev/innovations/two/act2A.html
Lesson Ideas for Using eBooks. Retrieved from http://drscavanaugh.org/ebooks/classroomapplications.htm
One teacher’s eBook experience. Retrieved from http://blog.bookoven.com/2008/12/23/ebooks-in-the-classroom/
Raz Kids Online. Retrieved from http://www.raz-kids.com/
The Online Books Page. Retrieved from http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/lists.html
Tumble Books for Kids. Retrieved from http://www.tumblebooks.com/
Using eBooks in Your Classroom. Retrieved from http://istars.education.co.uk/Displaycontent.aspx?ArticleId=26
Youtube Example. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3uZq8S6oJc