Have
you ever tried to clear out your shed or attic and found that a job
that was to be a 2-3 hour exercise in shedding your life of junk,
becomes a nostalgic walk through long forgotten objects and artefacts
that were once part of your life. I find my mother's Box Brownie camera (the source of all my baby
photos). The first camera given to me as a child. A tool to catch my Mum in awkward poses, my first two
dogs in the back yard. Out of focus shots to be
hidden away in other boxes. Out comes the first serious camera I bought.
I remember its untimely 'death' in Amsterdam; the victim of just one
drop of syrup from a wonderful Dutch Waffle. Objects that 'spoke' of my
past, whispering and prodding forgotten memories.
Mem Fox tapped this sentiment in her wonderful book 'Wildfred, Gordon McDonald Partridge'.
When Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge visits an old people's home next
to his house he makes lots of friends. One of them is Miss Nancy Alison
Delacourt Cooper. "He called her Miss Nancy and told her all his
secrets." When his parents tell him that Miss Nancy has "...lost her
memory" he sets out to discover what a memory is. His friends at the
home all give different definitions - "something that makes you cry",
"..something that makes you laugh", "something as precious as gold". He
goes looking for Miss Nancy's memory, and along the way he collects
objects that he thinks match the definition of a memory and takes them
to her in a box. When he hands them to her she begins to remember
things from her past. "She put a shell to her ear and remembered going
to the beach by tram long ago..", "She touched the medal and talked
sadly of the brother she had loved who had gone to war and never
returned". "And the two of them smiled and smiled because Miss Nancy's
memory had been found again by a small boy, who wasn't very old either".
Above: Hear Mem Fox read 'Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge'
Stories in a box
Using
an object or group of objects to stimulate language is not new, but
some enterprising teachers from Ainslie School have used the idea to
good effect. They describe the practice in 'Practically Primary' (Vol. 15, No.1, February 2010). The concept is simple and was adapted from a strategy Daniel Meadows
uses to stimulate digital storytelling. As part of an annual writing
festival the teachers developed 21 different boxes with carefully chosen
objects. They placed 5-6 objects in a box that had some relationship to
one another. The only exception was the inclusion sometimes of a single
object that was unrelated, to allow additional creativity to be used.
The objects in one box consisted of:
A set of WWII medals
Photo of an Australian soldier
Photo of a family standing around an old man
A WWII photo of a soldier in Egypt
Epaulets showing the rank of lieutenant
A small decorated hand fan from the 1940s
The
boxes were used in varied ways by different groups of children but many
poems, stories, books and digital stories were produced that had their
'seeds' in the items from the class story box.
How might the Story in a Box strategy be used?
Obviously
the idea has many applications at all ages. The teacher or parent would
need to model the process of story creation before asking children to
do it. They might also jointly construct a story or two with children
before letting them do it independently. With that proviso, here are
just some of the ways I'd suggest you might use the strategy:
1.
A group of 5 year-olds might explore the objects in a box and try to
tell a joint story or simply take turns creating individual stories. You
could allow them to supplement the box with a dress-up box if there is a
need for children to become specific characters or take on roles.
2.
A group of 6-12 year old children might discuss the objects and then
prepare a joint monologue to be presented to others (with the objects
used as artefacts or aids). Alternatively, a group story or picture book
could be produced based on the objects.
3. The box of
objects might simply be used to create a digital story (individually or
in groups). Have a look at Daniel Meadows' 'Scissors' video to see what might be produced, as wells as my previous post on digital storytelling (here). This approach could also be used with high school children.
What is the value of this simple strategy?
There are many potential benefits of the strategy:
It encourages creative storytelling.
It offers a way for a group of children to create something
together, allowing collaboration skills to develop, leading to joint
learning, stretching each other, firing their collective imaginations.
It offers an authentic and powerful way to generate stories in digital, print or oral form.
This is a strategy that can encourage divergent thinking as the learner is required to generate ideas, connections and storytelling solutions.
It works well with children of varied abilities
including learners who lack fluency in language and others who are
gifted speakers and writers. You can even mix children of varied
abilities.
Related Posts
All my posts on creativity (HERE)
'Digital Storytelling' (HERE)
Posts on writing (HERE)
# This is a revised version of a post I wrote in January 2011
I have written a number of previous posts on ePicture book apps for the iPad (listed at the end of the post). In this post I look at 6 recent examples, which I believe have merit. Overall, I have been disappointed by the quality of many ePicture books. While there have been many new apps released onto the market in recent times, most fail to realize the potential that electronic devices like the iPad have for adding value to children's experience of picture books. In a previous post (here) that was motivated by 'Alice for the iPad' I concluded:
It remains to be seen if developers can create interactive picture books that are more than just novelties. If they do, I'm sure that they will help to get some children more excited about reading and literature.
Since that post I've continued to look for good new apps for the iPad, iPhone and Android devices. I continue to test them with some children aged 3-10 years. Many of the apps tested have been very disappointing. My major criticisms are:
Many developers have spent their time developing the app with fun interactive elements with little regard for the story.
Once developers have a programmed app they tend to re-use the code many times (for obvious and unavoidable commercial reasons) with different titles.
Many of the interactive elements divert reader attention away from the words and story to the 'gadgets'.
The interactive elements often add little to the reading of the story.
The quality of the illustrations and text quality are often poor, few leading writers and illustrators are as yet contributing material for ePicture books (I'm sure this will change).
Many developers have failed to use the potential of multimodality to engage and enrich readers.
In short, the apps continue to fall short of their full potential. Having said this, I believe that there is enormous potential to use sound, video, text, illustration, related texts, and reader initiated interactions that relate to the story. The following examples are some of the best that I have seen recently and offer some hope that developers might eventually understand what is required to enhance the picture books, not simply trivialise narrative.
As with previous posts I will give ratings from 1 (Poor) to 5 (Excellent) in terms of a) Fun & interactivity, b) Useability, c) Benefit for learning, d) Story quality, e) Image quality, f) Value for money. I will also calculate the total score for each. I should stress once again that my assessments are about more than just whether children find them fun to use. 6 Excellent apps
'Moving Tales' is a developer responsible for a series of ePicture book apps that present traditional tales in new ways. The organization states that its purpose is to present imaginative interpretations and adaptations, "...inspired by age-old folk tales, archetypal yarns and legends from around the world." In my view they have succeeded in doing this. They have released four stories to date; each is presented in the same format and with similar stylistic illustrations. I will review just one of the stories. The other titles are 'This too shall pass', 'The unwanted guest' and 'Twas the night before Christmas' (see them here).
The 'Pedlar Lady of Gushing Cross' is inspired by the age-old tale of a man who becomes rich through a dream. There are varied older versions of the story with origins in Persia, Israel and Ireland. The story describes the journey of a poor pedlar woman who, guided by the shifting line between the real and the unreal, discovers a surprising and wonderful treasure.
As with all ePicture books you can read it yourself or have it read to you. The reader can also record their own reading if they wish. The storyteller provided has a wonderful Irish accent that works well with the traditional tale. The background music also adds to the haunting nature of the reading of this story. The illustrations are monochrome, with touches of colour and partial animation on each page. It is available in English, Spanish and French.
The interactive elements are used sparingly (something that I like) with the most obvious gadget being the dissolving text on each page. This is cute and isn't too intrusive as it occurs only when the page is turned. The strength of these four excellent apps is the quality of the text, rich language, the understated but effective illustrations, the reader and the haunting nature of the tales. It is wonderful to see an emphasis on the narrative in this app, not the gadgets.
a) Fun & Interactivity (4) - The book has less gadgets than many apps, but this is a case of less being more!
b) Useability (4) - Very easy to use, with a touch scroll at the bottom of the screen allowing the reader to move back and forth easily.
c) Benefits for Literacy & Learning (5) - A complex story which children will find engaging. The language will stretch readers with wonderful words like 'detritus' and 'ineffable' being used.
d) Story quality (4) - It is an excellent version of this old folk tale.
e) Image quality (4) - The monochrome and partial colour works well.
f) Value (4) -At $US 6.99 the story is reasonable value.
Moonbot suggests that the book was inspired in equal measures, by Hurricane Katrina, Buster Keaton, The Wizard of Oz, and a love for books. It is a story about people who devote their lives to books and how books in turn enrich our lives. It is a poignant, humorous allegory about the power of story. It uses a variety of illustrative and animation techniques to create a moving story. It is presented in a style that offers echoes of the great silent films of the past. As the developers suggest, “Morris Lessmore” is old-fashioned and cutting edge at the same time.
The various interactive elements in this app are complex and yet they relate well to the story. The reader can repair books, descend deep into a great storm, learn the piano, become 'lost in a book', and fly through a magical world of words. I could have done without some of the games sprinkled through the reading, but kids will love them. There is a surprise on each page of this app. The sophisticated CG animation, excellent original music, and quality illustrations work well to support the narrative. While I felt that there was just a little too much gadgetry, I don't think children would agree, this is a wonderful app. But I would still prefer developers to 'hold back' on the gadgets so that they don't distract too much from the reading of the text. When I tested the app with one group of children they spent ages making sentences out of the alphabet cereal. While it is a clever writing activity, it did little to maintain the continuity of the children's reading of the text.
Above: Image showing Morris discovering where the books were 'nesting'
a) Fun & Interactivity (5) -This app sets new standards for interaction.
b) Useability (4) - Very easy to use.
c) Benefits for Literacy & Learning (5) - The book teaches, entertains and enriches. The language of the text is rich, e.g. the flying lady was pulled along by a 'festive squadron of flying books'.
d) Story quality (4) - The story is excellent. While the story app felt a little contrived and there were some great narrative leaps in comparison with the film, this was probably due to the faster pace of the book than the video on which it is based.
e) Image quality (5) - Brilliant illustrations.
f) Value (5) - The app is excellent value at just $US 4.99
'Timo and the Magical Picture Book' was written by well-known Dutch author Rian Visser and is illustrated by Klaas Verplancke, one of Belgium's most celebrated illustrators. It is a story app for younger readers (3-7 years). It is about a little boy called Timo who receives an unusual birthday gift, a magical picture book from his uncle. A parcel that was not to be shaken, but... When Timo begins reading his new book he finds himself and his family mixed up into the story. As Timo enters the book, the app reader is able to interact with the illustrations, shaking and touching the images to elaborate on the story.
While the app doesn't have all the bells and whistles of the Morris Lessmore, it is an appealing picture book that has just enough interactivity to support the narrative. There are a few design ideas that I'm not keen on, for example, the font was a bad choice and didn't work that well over the illustrations. The animation also lacks a little of the sophistication of apps like Morris Lessmore, but it works well enough for readers that I've shared the app with. For me, this app does a good job balancing the interactive elements and story. The app plays English or Dutch language and the reader's voice is warm and friendly, although at times the reading is a little staccato.
a) Fun & Interactivity (4) - The interaction between Timo, the book and the app reader is quite clever.
b) Useability (3) - A simple app although the access to previous pages is a little clunky
c) Benefits for Literacy & Learning (3) - This is a basic story but the language is appropriate and the story structure clear.
d) Story quality (4) - This is an excellent story that younger readers enjoy.
e) Image quality (4) - Simple illustrations and animation, yet appealing and appropriate.
I have reviewed another 'See Here' app in a previous post, 'The Wrong Side of the Bed' a 3D app, and I have just discovered 'Twinkle, Twinkle'. What I like about the work of this developer is the desire to put as much effort into the story and illustrations as the interactive elements. 'The Three Pandas' is based on the traditional story of 'The Three Bears' with an Asian twist. It will appeal to younger readers aged 3-7 years.
Reading 'The Wrong Side of the Bed' with 3D glasses
The story is set in a bamboo forest, where a little girl (Mei Mei) enters the house of three pandas. As you would predict, she eats their porridge, sits on their chairs, and sleeps in their beds. But unlike the traditional tale there is a slight twist at the end. The story has been developed in association with 'Pandas International' and so the app provides additional facts about pandas and an external link that enables you to learn more about the Giant Panda. A portion of all proceeds goes toward Panda conservation efforts. The animation is delightful. You can tickle the pandas on each screen shot and be surprised by their responses. As with most apps you have a choice of languages (English or Chinese).
The story is simple and delightfully understated. The illustrations would be a hit in any form of picture book. The animation of Mei Mei and the pandas is photographic in nature while the backgrounds are a mix of drawn and real objects. All in all, the images are wonderful.
a) Fun & Interactivity (4) -There is enough interest in the interactive elements with the 'tickle' function.
b) Useability (3) - This is a simple app but an easier way to be able to navigate back and forward would be helpful.
c) Benefits for Literacy & Learning (4) - While the story is a simple tale based on a well-known fairy tale, the Chinese setting, changes to the plot and additional background information means that there are additional learning experiences for the reader.
d) Story quality (4) - A well-written simple story that younger readers enjoy.
e) Image quality (5) -Beautifully illustrated.
f) Value (5) - Excellent value for money at $US 2.99
Total Score = 25/30 (The higher the better)
5. 'The Wonkey Donkey' by Craig Smith and illustrated by Katz Cowley (Scholastic)
This app is based on Craig Smith's wonderful book by the same name. The original picture book came with an audio recording of the song. This app can be read or followed as it is sung. It is a funny, predictable and cumulative song, that uses rhyme to great effect. Each page tells something new about the three-legged, one-eyed donkey, who walks down the road. He ends up being a lanky, honkey tonkey, winky, wonky, cranky, stinky dinky, spunky, hanky panky donkey. No child or adult can use this app without smiling! There is much fun to be had by listening to the song and trying to predict the new word for each clue given!
a) Fun & Interactivity (4) - There are a small number of interactive elements that children can activate by touching the illustrations. But the song itself is wonderful, who needs extra effects?
b) Useability (3) - Quite easy to use. The reader can also check their reading by touching the text but unfortunately is word-by-word only. There is a record function that is a lot of fun.
c) Benefits for Literacy & Learning (4) - The book is a great way to introduce young readers to rhyme, rhythm and word play. These are all very important with readers under six years.
d) Story quality (4) - This is a wonderful predictable book.
e) Image quality (4) - Simple, but excellent images.
f) Value (2) -At $8.49 this app is a bit expensive.
"What Was That Noise?" is a simple, original, illustrated, interactive children's storybook. It's a rhyming, noisy book (each page has a sound effect!) that kids will love to read and play with. You can read to your child, or use the "read-aloud" feature to let them read on their own. It has to be the simplest app on the market and is perfect for pre-school children. You can touch the text and it reads the complete phrase or touch the picture to hear the noise that the text describes. The illustrations are beautiful and yet very simple pen and wash. Young children will love this app; it is a good first app for 2-4 year olds.
a) Fun & Interactivity (4) - Perfect for the age group.
b) Useability (4) - Couldn't be easier.
c) Benefits for Literacy & Learning (3) - Uses rhythm, some rhyme and excellent illustrations to introduce children to concepts of print and story. It offers an enjoyable experience of books and language.
d) Story quality (4) - Excellent for its type
e) Image quality (5) - Beautiful.
f) Value (5) -At $0.99 it is incredible value
Total Score = 25/30 (The higher the better)
My previous posts on story apps
'Alice', the iPad and new ways to read picture books (HERE)
'Literacy and the iPad: A review of some popular apps' (HERE)
'Literacy and the iPad: A second review of children's apps' (HERE)
'eBooks, not what they're cracked up to be?' (HERE)
I wrote on Digital Storytelling a year ago, but thought I'd do a similar post as I see great opportunities with this approach. Digital Storytelling is a relatively new term that has varied meanings. It began as a way for people to tell their personal stories and family histories. They combine relatively simple texts with images and sometimes videos that the author has often created along with the texts. Their purpose was initially to inform, as therapy, as creative expression, as part of local histories, and so on.
They are usually short, taking just 2-5 minutes to view, read and listen to. They are real stories told in your words and usually using your own voice. Here is just one example (there are others at the end of the post).
Above: The story of 'Intelligence and Luck' is an excellent example of how well written text supported by the most simple of sketches can be very meaningful.
But as the idea has been embraced it has been adapted to suit varied purposes and creators. The common elements are:
It is a form of storytelling
They are authentic creations
They use images in association with print and sound
They are published digitally
Just like the illustrations in a good picture book or graphic novel, the digital resources used in association with words are very important in a digital story and include:
Still photos
Scanned images and documents
Short videos
Music
Sound effects
How are they made?
Essentially, digital stories are short movies produced on inexpensive and readily available equipment:
Home computer
Computer video programs like iMovie (Macintosh) or MovieMaker (Windows)
Digital recorder
Hand held video camera or phone with built-in video
Digital camera
Digital scanner
Of course, you don't need all of the above, you could get started with a digital camera or video and a computer.
Once completed the digital stories can be uploaded to websites, blogs, burned onto DVDs and shared with others, projected onto a television screen, or viewed on your computer, viewed in a school hall by large audiences, presented on a Smart Board for the class to share, or given to parents and other interested audiences.
What are the advantages of Digital Storytelling?
There are many good things about digital storytelling that relate to the creators and the community of interest in which they are shared. Creators are able to:
Use word, image and sound to communicate powerful and effective stories.
Publish their digital stories to wider audiences that can have access anywhere around the world.
Extend their network of relationships as they share their work with others and cooperate with others on joint projects.
Learn to comprehend and use images as well as words to communicate.
Learns new things whether the creators, collaborators or the audiences for the digital stories.
Nine Simple Ideas for Digital Storytelling
You might try one of the following ideas for digital storytelling:
a) Have students choose a person and simply tell their story in 10 pictures and with 10 associate text segments. This can be a famous person, or someone known to them.
b) Interview someone about something and take photos to support the story.
c) Have the students choose three people to talk about the same incident or experience, for example, a recent climatic event like a storm or fire, a sporting event, or the childhood memories of play for a sibling or fellow student, their mother or father and a grandparent.
d) Create a series of drawings, pictures or collages and use these as the visuals for a story that they tell in spoken and/or written word.
e) Do a web search and capture images that relate to a significant event (e.g. an environmental disaster or an historical event) then retell the event in words and images.
f) Have children collect a sample of photographs that sample their life span and tell their own story.
g) Retell a well-known picture book with a twist in the plot, a change in characters, a shift in time or setting and their own illustrations to support their text.
Above:These storyboards were created by individual students then put together by the teacher into a digital story
h) Use modelling clay, play dough or even Lego or other construction toys to create a series of characters to support a story - use and manipulate the 3D models and photograph them or video them to help tell the story.
i) Create a group or class digital story that is based on a common narrative storyline that is then told using story boards that different children make. These are photographed or used with video technology to present the story in image, word & sound.
j) As well the above story-based ideas some teachers have been using the same concept of the storyboard for science, social science, history, in fact any school subject, as a tool for learning and communication.
Further Examples of Digital Storytelling
Because Digital Storytelling is a relatively new activity, there are few good examples available with younger children because the earliest work in this genre has been with adults and high school children. However, the following additional examples should give some sense of the possibilities.
Above: 'Mongolia for Mongolians' is an excellent example from senior High School students of an account of their experience of Mongolia
Above: This is an excellent video that tells how one 3rd Grade teacher taught her children to make digital stories
Hopefully, some of these examples will get you started if you haven't already attempted digital storytelling. Have a look at the resources below. There are a couple of good kids examples on the site promoting Lisa Miller's new book (link below).
Useful Resources
The 'Center for Digital Storytelling' has been a key resource for ideas on digital storytelling (HERE)
Lisa Miller has written a very practical book that has just been released 'Make Me a Story' (HERE)
Edutopia has a helpful online piece- 'How to use Digital Storytelling in the Classroom' (HERE)
The 'Digitales' site offers a lot of good technical advice (HERE)
In my last post I reviewed 5 popular ePicture book apps for the iPad and iPhone (here). While not everyone has an iPad or iPhone I intend to keep reviewing a sample of these apps as they become available, as this market will expand quickly. I will use the same framework as in my last post to review another 5 apps. I will give ratings for each app from 1 (Poor) to 5 (Excellent) in terms of a) Fun & interactivity, b) Useability, c) Benefit for learning, d) Benefit for language and literacy, e) Value for money. I will also calculate the total score for each.
There are a number of Dr Seuss books that have been turned into ePicture books by Oceanhouse Media. These include 'Dr Seuss's ABC' (also available in a free LITE edition), 'Green Eggs and Ham', 'One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish', 'The Lorax' and 'The Sneetches'. I could have chosen any title because they are essentially all the same in design and format. It's hard to go wrong with Dr Seuss books but I have to say that this is a case where the ePicture version does little more than the paper book version. Why? Because the only interactive element in these books is the ability to click on pictures which then leads to an appropriate word appearing. While this focus on individual words might be good for some young children to learn sight words, there is the potential to turn every reading of these books into a lesson, rather than the enjoyment of the book, the fun of the language, meaning, the rhyme and rhythm and so on. The text is also highlighted word by word in the 'Read to me' function as it is read. This could be helpful for some beginning readers, but distracting for others. You can try out the LITE version for free.
a) Fun & interactivity (3) - there is always fun in a Dr Seuss book, but the iPad versions don't add much to the paper version of the experience.
b) Useability (4) - very easy to use with read yourself and listen to options.
c) Benefit for learning (3) - while these books might reinforce single word by word reading, they could detract from the essential joy of Dr Seuss books, not to mention the wonderful rhyme and rhythm.
d) Benefit for language and literacy (4) - As long as the click on picture option doesn't disrupt the stories there will be obvious benefit due to the natural qualities of the Seuss books.
e) Value for money (4) - at $4.99 US they are good value.
This is a very amusing little app from Ayars Animation. While it is a well-known version of the traditional fairy tale, the animations have a sense of fun and add to the experience of the story rather than simply trivialising it (like some apps). It can be read in readalong mode or can be read yourself. It has a number of hidden features on each page and has a summary menu that can be accessed showing what features are on each page. The varied forms of interactivity include a variety of elements in the illustrations that speak, move or do funny things. There is also a hidden egg, characters that can be moved, a sun that you can set, a page that you can 'paint' and so on. While some forms of interaction on ePicture books can distract from the story some of these quirky animations add value to the reading experience.
a) Fun & interactivity (5) - this is an excellent version of a traditional tale that is a lot of fun and has varied forms of animation and interactivity.
b) Useability (4) - very easy to use although I took a while to realise that you had to tap 4 times to stop the automatic play.
c) Benefit for learning (3) - this book offers a traditional tale that will help children's language development and sense of story.
d) Benefit for language and literacy (4) - there are a number of pluses for literacy with this app. Whereas the Dr Seuss books reviewed above highlight each word as the child reads along, this app uses phrase highlighting that tends to encourage reading for meaning.
e) Value for money (5) - at $3.99 US this app is excellent value.
This 3D story has been produced by Seehere Studios. I haven't been able to view the 3D version that uses the typical paper glasses that you can purchase for about $1, but the 2D version works well. It is a delightful story suitable for 3-6 year-olds and tells the story of a little boy who wakes up one day to find everything is upside down. The book has simple and effective cartoon style pastel illustrations. The level of interactivity is limited except for the ability to zoom in on the images and move the image around a little. Younger readers will enjoy it, but this app does little for me and wasn't that exciting for child readers tested.
a) Fun & interactivity (2) - pretty limited interactivity so the ePicture book has to appeal based on the story and illustrations plus the novelty of the cheap 3D glasses if you can get them.
b) Useability (4) - simple and easy to use.
c) Benefit for learning (3) - beyond the benefits for knowledge and language that you gain reading any book, there is the added benefit of the potential discussion of gravity and other scientific concepts. Not much more here that you couldn't get from a traditional book.
d) Benefit for language and literacy (2) - not much benefit beyond a traditional book except for the potential for some reluctant readers to be motivated to read by the technology.
e) Value for money (4) - at $2.99 US this is good value, there are few book apps as cheap as this.
While you can buy the more recently released 'Toy Story 2' and 'Toy Story 3' based on Disney and PIXAR movies, I thought I'd review the earlier 'Toy Story' app because it is free!! It is essentially based on Toy Story 1 and includes clips from the movie and some of the songs, pages that can be painted at the touch of the screen and some simple games. It has read to and read alone options as well as an option to record your own version. There is also a fantastic find a page option that allows you to bring up thumbnails of all pages and simply flick from one page to another - brilliant! My only beef with the app is that in the readalong version the text highlighting is word by word. I'd prefer a phrase-by-phrase option for many readers, and would suggest that developers try to incorporate both options.
a) Fun & interactivity (5) - lots of interactivity and clever design in this app. Top rate.
b) Useability (5) - very easy to use, no criticisms from me.
c) Benefit for learning (4) - lots of learning from this story app, including benefits for reading, creativity and language development.
d) Benefit for language and literacy (4) - lots to offer in this app.
e) Value for money (5) - as it's FREE the value is indisputable.
It's hard to go wrong with a Hans Christian Andersen story and Game Collage has done a great job with this app. They also offer a free LITE version that allows you to try it out before spending $11.99 US to buy it. The app includes three H.C. Andersen stories, 'The Little Mermaid', 'The Emperor's New Clothes' and 'The Happy Family'. This app does what the developers of 'Alice for the iPad' wanted to do but didn't quite achieve. Unlike 'Alice' this app manages to add a wide rang of interactive elements that use colour, movement, sound and image to engage the reader, complement the story and even, in places, add value to the experience of the book.
Like 'Alice', at times the interactive elements seem a little contrived, but they work. They have used an ornate style for the print and design (in keeping with the age of Andersen's stories) and have added a mass of varied interactive features. These include swimming through the ocean with the Little Mermaid, travelling to different kingdoms in the 'Emperor's new Clothes', shooting fireworks from a ship, watching ants and snails crawl across the screen, being able to rock and switch on lanterns and many more. Unlike 'Alice' the elements are on virtually every page.
The 'Little Mermaid' is a longish story, with the 'Emperor's New Clothes' medium in length and 'The Happy Family' much shorter. There is no readalong option for any of the stories which some will see as a weakness.
a) Fun & interactivity (4) - the developers have given us the benchmark for interactive elements in an ePicture book. Lack of a readalong option is the only negative.
b) Useability (4) - works well and easy to follow. A simple drop-down menu that allowed specific pages to be chosen would be helpful rather than returning each time to the contents to find the beginning of each story.
c) Benefit for learning (4) - plenty to learn from any H.C. Andersen book, the language alone will stretch children.
d) Benefit for language and literacy (5) - this app has three great stories with interactive elements that will help to engage the readers.
e) Value for money (4) - at $11.99 US it isn't a cheap element but given the sophistication of the app elements and the fact that there are three stories it's reasonable value.
Total = 21/25 - a brilliant app, test the LITE version first with your child to see if they will like the stories, I have no doubt that they will like the interactive elements.
Some final general points
There are some exciting attempts to create electronic picture books that are more than simply read along versions for the iPad. Overall, many of the early attempts so far need further work. I would encourage parents and teachers to keep the following in mind:
The books need to be more than just fun play with the iPad; they must enhance the reading experience.
We need to remember that research shows us that the volume of reading is one of the keys to reading improvement for children.
When choosing apps, avoid those with add-ons that have little to add to the story.
Look for apps with quality literature and illustrations and rich language.
Choose books at your child's reading level.
Avoid apps that turn every reading into either a play activity or a reading lesson.
Some other resources and links
Literacy & the iPad: A review of some popular apps (HERE)
My post on 'Alice', the iPad and new ways to read picture books (HERE)
It remains to be seen if developers can create interactive picture books that are more than just novelties. If they do, I'm sure that they will help to get some children more excited about reading and literature.
Since that post I've begun looking for good new apps for the iPad and iPhone and I've been testing them myself and with some children aged 3-8 years. The iPad offers the potential to bring new forms of interactivity to the experience of reading. But while many new applications are great fun, many parents will want the iPad to be a tool for learning, not just a very expensive toy. While I'm keen to embrace new electronic forms of literacy, I maintain a level of scepticism and want to see if they have usefulness for actually developing children's literacy.
In this post I review some interesting attempts to produce new forms of the picture book for various e-readers and phones. I review 5 apps that many people are buying. I will write a series of posts on the topic over the next few months that will cover other language and literacy apps as well as e-picture books. For each app I will give ratings from 1 (Poor) to 5 (Excellent) in terms of a) Fun & interactivity, b) Useability, c) Benefit for learning, d) Benefit for language and literacy, e) Value for money. I will also calculate the total score for each. I should stress once again that my assessments are about more than just whether children find them fun to use. 5 popular apps that I've reviewed
a) Fun & Interactivity (4) - Kids love this but to be honest the app doesn't have sound so there's no option to hear the story and the interactive elements, while excellent, are not on every page. In the short 52-page version this means that about 45% of the pages have some interactive element (most require you to jiggle the iPad). The 249-page version has the same interactive elements so do the maths, that's a lot of pages that are simply read.
b) Useability (3) - it's easy enough but I can't see an option to go back to the start without using the arrow and clicking back through each page, this is annoying.
c) Literacy benefits (2) - I've rated this as 'poor' because frankly it's just reading on an iPad with some fun elements that add nothing to the story. The children I've observed don't even read the text; they just play with the interactive elements. Get your children the book if you want them to focus on the text.
d) Benefits for Learning (3) - I can't see any benefits beyond that which a book can offer other than learning how to use an iPad, which is something that most kids will master in 10 minutes.
e) Value (3) - at $11.99 US it's not cheap and frankly there are better apps around in terms of the potential for language and literacy learning.
a) Fun & Interactivity (4) -This interesting app is once again a picture book for iPad and iPhone. It has sound and a read along option as well as the ability to increase the size of the text (it's too small to read otherwise). It also allows the reader to discover lots of hidden interactivity and some images that illuminate when touched; this actually adds something to the story. It also has a memory game and jigsaw puzzle based on the images associated with the story.
b) Useability (4) - it's very easy to use, but like the above it doesn't seem to have a way to return to the first page without clicking back through all the pages.
c) Literacy benefits (4) - This is actually a reasonable story (unlike some written for iPad) with wonderful illustrations. It is engaging mystery for children aged 7-10 years. It uses sound and image to complement the story.
d) Benefits for Learning (4) - I think this app offers features that most books can't. While there are better stories in book form, 'Mika' might just encourage some children to read the story who might not pick up the book. The related memory game and puzzle obviously have their own benefits for memory and visualisation, but while useful, they have little relationship to the story and could be seen as a distraction. I'd encourage developers to avoid these types of trivial and contrived add-ons to a story.
There are a number of e-books in this series; I have reviewed 'Violet and the Mysterious Black Dog' which I think is one of the best stories. The books use sound, image, words and a variety of interactive elements to gain the reader's participation in the story.
Screen shot from Violet & the Mysterious Black Dog
a) Fun & Interactivity (5) - I've given this app the highest rating because it uses every sense except smell to engage the reader. One of the best features of the book is that it invites the reader to help 'Violet' (alias 'Phantom Girl') to help find clues and solve the mystery. While the dotted lines around the various pieces of interactive illustrations are a bit intrusive, they work well. My only gripe is that I found the background music a bit boring.
b) Useability (4) -This is a very useable app. Instructions are clear, there is a 'home' button to take you back to the beginning and no instructions are needed to use it.
c) Literacy benefits (5) - The story is simple but engaging. While it isn't a great literature it is a good early reader. I can see young readers (6-8 years) loving these books. It will be useful for developing comprehension.
d) Benefits for Learning (3) -There isn't a lot of challenge with the Violet books so there won't be a lot of new vocabulary or new knowledge gained.
This is based on the picture book of the same name. It is a delightful story of a spider in rhyming verse. It offers a variety of ways to experience the book, including reading it, hearing it, painting some of the pages, playing match games and puzzles based on the illustrations.
Screen shot from 'Miss Spider's Tea Party'
a) Fun & Interactivity (4) - Young children love the story and the illustrations, and have fun exploring the illustrations by touching them to see what they do and to hear special effects.
b) Useablity (5) - This is a very easy app to use.
c) Literacy benefits (3) - There isn't a great deal of benefit beyond that which a reader would gain from a book. But once again, some children might read the iPad version before the book.
d) Benefits for Learning (3) - The book has rich language so there will be benefit in expanded vocabulary. The painting, matching game and puzzles also have value for learning, but they don't add anything to the reading experience of the story itself.
e) Value (4) - at $7.99 US I think this is app is good value.
This is an iPad version of the well-known song. It was winner of the "Best Children's App” KAPi Award at the 2010 International Consumer Electronics Show.
A screen shot from 'The Wheels on the Bus'
a) Fun & Interactivity (5) - Young children just love this app. Even two year-olds will enjoy turning the page, listening to the words, singing along and moving the various illustration features. They can open and shut the doors, move the bus, operate the wipers etc.
b) Useability (5) - This is a very easy app to use.
c) Literacy benefits (4) - For the preschool child there is benefit in reading this type of repetitive book to develop concepts of print and an understanding of 'books'.
d) Benefits for Learning (4) - The book doesn't offer much more than a book except that for the very young it is an easy introduction to digital reading. There is the added benefit that all senses except smell are used. Great for hand-eye coordination, memory, language learning etc.
e) Value (5) - at $1.19 US there is no better value in a children's app.
Total Score = 23/25
Some final general points
There are some exciting attempts to create electronic picture books that are more than simply read along versions for the iPad. However, overall many of the attempts so far need further work. I would encourage developers to keep the following in mind:
The books need to be more than just fun play with the iPad; they must enhance the reading experience.
They should avoid trivialising the text with add-ons that have little to add to the story.
We need quality language, stories and illustrations.
The books must be easy to use and have many of the same qualities of real book (e.g. the ability to flip forward and backwards easily).
They need to use as many of the senses as possible.
Digital Storytelling is a relatively new term that has varied meanings. It began as a way for people to tell their personal stories and family histories. They combine relatively simple texts with images and sometimes videos that the author has often created along with the texts. Their purpose was initially to inform, as therapy, as creative expression, as part of local histories, and so on.
They are usually short, taking just 2-5 minutes to view, read and listen to. They are real stories told in your words and usually using your own voice.
But as the idea has been embraced it has been adapted to suits varied purposes and creators. In spite of this, the common elements are:
It is a form of storytelling
They are authentic creations
They use images in association with print and sound
They are published digitally
Just like the illustrations in a good picture book or graphic novel, the digital resources used in association with words are very important in a digital story and include:
Still photos
Scanned images and documents
Short videos
Music
Sound effects
How are they made?
Essentially, digital stories are short movies produced on inexpensive and readily available equipment:
Home computer
Computer video programs like iMovie (Macintosh) or MovieMaker (Windows)
Digital recorder
Hand held video camera or phone with built-in video
Digital camera
Digital scanner
Of course, you don't need all of the above, you could get started with a digital camera or video and a computer.
Once completed the digital stories can be uploaded to websites, blogs, burned onto DVDs and shared with others, projected onto a television screen, or viewed on your computer, viewed in a school hall by large audiences, or given to parents and other interested audiences.
What are the advantages of Digital Storytelling?
There are many good things about digital storytelling that relate to the creators and the community of interest in which they are shared. Creators are able to:
Use word, image and sound to communicate powerful and effective stories.
Publish their digital stories to wider audiences that can have access anywhere around the world.
Extend their network of relationships as they share their work with others and cooperate with others on joint projects.
Learn to comprehend and use images as well as words to communicate.
Learns new things whether the creators, collaborators or the audiences for the digital stories.
Ideas for Digital Storytelling
You might try one of the following ideas for digital storytelling:
Have students choose a person and simply tell their story in 10 pictures and with 10 associate text segments. This can be a famous person, or someone known to them.
Interview someone about something and take photos to support the story.
Have the students choose three people to talk about the same incident or experience, for example, a recent climatic event like a storm or fire, a sporting event, or the childhood memories of play for a sibling or fellow student, their mother or father and a grandparent.
Create a series of drawings, pictures or collages and use these as the visuals for a story that they tell in spoken and/or written word.
Do a web search and capture images that relate to a significant event (e.g. an environmental disaster or an historical event) then retell the event in words and images.
Have children collect a sample of photographs that sample their life span and tell their own story.
Retell a well-known picture book with a twist in the plot, a change in characters, a shift in time or setting and their own illustrations to support their text.
Use modelling clay, play dough or even Lego or other construction toys to create a series of characters to support a story - use and manipulate the 3D models and photograph them or video them to help tell the story.
Above: These storyboards were created by individual students then put together by the teacher into a digital story
Create a group or class digital story that is based on a common narrative storyline that is then told using story boards that different children make and are then photographed or used with video technology to present the story in image, word and sound.
As well the above story-based ideas some teachers have been using the same concept of the storyboard for science, social science, history, in fact any school subject, as a tool for learning and communication.
Examples of Digital Storytelling
Because Digital Storytelling is a relatively new activity, there are few good examples available with younger children because the earliest work in this genre has been with adults and high school children. However, the following examples should give some sense of the possibilities.
Above: The story of 'Intelligence and Luck' is an excellent example of how well written text supported by the most simple of sketches can be very meaningful
Above: 'Mongolia for Mongolians' is an excellent example from senior High School students of an account of their experience of Mongolia
Above: This is an excellent video that tells how one 3rd Grade teacher taught her children to make digital stories
Hopefully, some of these examples will get you started if you haven't already attempted digital storytelling. Have a look at the resources below. There are a couple of good kids examples on the site promoting Lisa Miller's new book (link below).
Useful Resources
The 'Center for Digital Storytelling' has been a key resource for ideas on digital storytelling (HERE)
Lisa Miller has written a very practical book that has just been released 'Make Me a Story' (HERE)
Edutopia has a helpful online piece- 'How to use Digital Storytelling in the Classroom' (HERE)
The 'Digitales' site offers a lot of good technical advice (HERE)
