Development of a tool for choosing the best picture book apps for digital e-readers: Some guidelines for educators

Marcy Zipkemzipke@providence.eduProvidence Collegehttp://appsmykidslike.blogspot.com

What is an e-book anyway?

• Is it just semantics?• E-book vs. interactive storybook app • Jeremy Brueck: term is too broad. Can be a

PDF of the book, or 75% movie.

• Creators of Bats! Furry Fliers of the Night suggest “bapp,” short for “book app.” Say their intent was to make reading “deeper and richer”

Features of an e-book

Pre-tablet computers• Text and illustrations on

a screen, accompanied by an oral reading

• text highlighting • built-in dictionaries• sound effects

Exciting new features• animation • zooming in and out• hotspots activated by

the touch screen• musical scores• voice recognition• surprises that occur with

tilting and shaking of the physical machine

Are e-books good for children?

Shamir and Korat (2009) reviewed the research on pedagogical uses of e-books and concluded there is “accumulating research literature showing the positive effects of well-designed software on children’s cognitive and social development” (p. 171).

What does it mean to be well-designed?• Focus on literacy experiences, rather than games,

movies, or other distractions• But what about background music? interaction with the

characters?• In some instances—in some e-books, and for some

students—these interactive elements contribute valuable background knowledge, vocabulary support, and more. In other e-books, or for other students, those same elements can be distracting.

• Each e-book needs to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis

What is quality literature?

• Began by thinking about what I look for in print books

• Norton’s (1995) developmental approach• at ages 3 and 4, preschoolers are beginning to compare

two things and identify which is bigger or smaller, so Rod Campbell’s Dear Zoo

• Exemplars of good writing• Judy Schachner’s Skippyjon Jones = voice• Margie Palatini’s Moosestache = sentence fluency• Mo Willem’s Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus =

persuasive writing

How does this translate to e-books?• E-books should make good use of the medium, while still

encouraging good literacy practices.

• Provide a read-aloud that enhances comprehension (Matthew, 1996)• Display the text with tracking that can be turned

on/off (Kluver, 2012)• Have word pronunciation and dictionary tools (Olson

and Wise, 1992)• Scaffold the reader through all animation and

interactive media (Brueck, 2013)

Systematic review• 25 e-books, chosen by positive review in a respected source like

The New York Times or Kirkus Reviews. Goal was to have a selection of quality literature with interesting digital features to analyze.

• Approximately half were originally published in print. Half are original e-books. All aimed at pre-k to grade 3.

• Listed and cross-referenced all the features of the e-books, until categories emerged. Focused on interaction with the characters, interaction with the language, sound (both in terms of the music and sound effects), navigation of the e-book, and specific skill instruction.

• Attempted to critically analyze their role in helping or hindering a young student’s independent reading of the e-book. • “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen” in The Great Cookie Thief =

distracting or an aid to comprehension?

Results• A table with categories for interaction with the characters,

interaction with the language, sound, navigation, and specific skill instruction in which I had written notes for every e-book

• The best e-books were interactive, but not so interactive that the storyline was lost

• Sound supported the story and added to the students’ background knowledge

• Navigation of the e-book was simple or supported by characters within the story

• Some e-books supported a particular element of literacy instruction• Example: Winken, Blinken, and Nod by Larva Labs as a fluency tool

Suggestions for Getting Started1. Make a List of Which Features are Most Important to You• Who will be reading these e-books? What do you want

them to learn?2. Browse Reviews on the Internet• www.kirkusreviews. com/book-reviews/ipad• digital-storytime.com

3. Look for Lite or Free Versions of the App4. Go For It!5. Set Up the App, Try it Out, and Read it with Kids6. Weed Out the Duds• 9/10 times, they won’t even notice…

E-books evaluated in the study

• Arnold, M.D. (2013). Prancing dancing Lily. San Rafael, California: Fat Red Couch. fatredcouch.com/Prancing_Dancing_Lily

• Bartleby’s book of buttons. (2010) Seattle, WA: Monster Costume. monstercostume.com/bartleby/

• Bobo explores light. (2011). Seattle, WA: Game Collage, LLC. gamecollage.com/apps/bobo-explores-light/

• Bruza, M. (2012). Even monsters get sick. Santa Clarita, CA: Busy Bee Studios.www.busybeestudios.com/games/evenmonstersgetsick.html

• Carson, M.K. (2012). Bats! Furry fliers of the night. New York: Bookerella with Story Worldwide. www.batsfurryfliers.com/bats/

• Curtis, J.L. (2012). Where do balloons go? Los Angeles: Auryn Media. auryn.com/aword/portfolio/where-do-balloons-go/

E-books evaluated in the study, con’t

• Drori, S. (2011). The magnificent travelling palace. PlaneTree Family Productions. www.travellingpalace.com/

• Field, E. (2011). Winken, Blinken, and Nod. New York: Larva Labs Ltd. larvalabs.com/wb/

• Gleeson, B. (2010). Pecos Bill. Wilton, CT: Ruckus Mobile Media. ruckusreport.com/

• Hachler, B. (2010). What does my teddy bear do all day? Los Angeles: Auryn Media. auryn.com/

• Kingsley, E.P. (2012). The great cookie thief. New York: Callaway Digital Arts. (Publisher is out of business; search app store)

• Lester, H. (2010). Tacky the penguin. San Diego, CA: Oceanhouse Media, Inc.

• www.oceanhousemedia.com/products/tackythepenguin/

E-books evaluated in the study, con’t

• The land of me—story time. (2012). London: Made in Me. www.madeinme.com/the-land-of-me/

• The little red hen. (2009). Hong Kong: Kidztory.www.kidztory.com/the-little-red-hen/

• Mayer, M. (2010). I just forgot. San Diego, CA: Oceanhouse Media. www.oceanhousemedia.com/products/ijustforgot/

• Melbourne, C. (2012). Goldilocks and the three bears. London: Playfuel. www.goldilocksapp.com/

• Melling, D. (2012). Hugless Dougless. London: Heavy Entertainment. www.huglessdouglas.co.uk/

• The princess and the pea. (2012). Israel: TabTale LTD tabtale.com/apps/the-princess-and-the-pea/

E-books evaluated in the study, con’t

• Rounds: Parker Penguin/Franklin Frog. (2012). London: Nosy Crow Ltd. nosycrow.com/apps/rounds-penguin

• Shanahan, S. (2011). Love you to the moon and back. Los Angeles: Auryn Media. auryn.com/aword/portfolio/love-you-to-the-moon-back/

• Stone, J. (2011). The monster at the end of this book. New York: Callaway Digital Arts in association with Sesame Workshop. (Publisher is out of business; search app store)

• Dr. Seuss Properties. (2011). Horton hears a who. San Diego, CA: Oceanhouse Media. www.oceanhousemedia.com/products/hortonhearsawho/

• Dr. Seuss Properties. (2011). The cat in the hat. San Diego, CA: Oceanhouse Media. www.oceanhousemedia.com/products/catinhat/

• The tortoise and the hare. (2010). Hong Kong, China: Kidztory. www.kidztory.com/the-tortoise-and-the-hare

• The three little pigs. (2011). London: Nosy Crownosycrow.com/apps/the-three-little-pigs