In an earlier blog post I discussed children’s publisher Nosy Crow and the book-apps they are producing for young children. However, interactive digital reading platforms such as these are drawing criticism and raising concerns regarding their effects on the development of children’s literacy skills.
Best-selling children’s author Julia Donaldson has openly criticised interactive, digital books for children and refused to allow her most famous book, The Gruffalo, to be reproduced as an ebook. She argues that interactivity distracts children and has a detrimental impact on the value bestowed upon books [Rustin, 2011].
According to researchers at the Joan Ganz Cooney Center her concerns may not be unfounded. Their report found that the interactivity of book-apps and ebooks distracted children from the story and prevented them ‘from remembering as many narrative details’ [Flood, 2012]. An article in the Early Childhood Education Journal appears to directly contradict this line of opinion however, claiming that well-designed interactive digital books actually improve children’s engagement with stories and their comprehension of narrative [Morgan, 2013].
However, both reports highlighted the value of interactivity in encouraging reluctant and less-competent readers to ‘engage with stories’ they may otherwise have avoided, and Nosy Crow (NC) m.d. Kate Wilson cites this as a key benefit of the book-apps they produce [Flood, 2012; Morgan, 2013; Wilson, 2014].
In a blog post responding to criticisms similar to those outlined above, Wilson defends NC’s book-apps claiming they add value to the story instead of distracting from it. She cites storytelling as the main purpose of their book-apps, with the interactivity only becoming available once the narrative has been delivered [Wilson, 2014].
With the use of mobile devices amongst children increasing, Wilson claims that publishers have a responsibility to make reading an activity of choice for youngsters by producing compelling stories on these devices [Wilson, cited by Rustin, 2011]. 71% of 5-15 year olds now have access to a tablet computer at home [Ofcom, 2014] and children aged 0-17 predominantly use tablets for gaming [Nielsen, 2014], perpetuating concerns that children are abandoning reading in favour of games [Dredge, 2014; National Literacy Trust, 2012]. Wilson claims that if publishers don’t deliver content that competes with gaming, others less experienced will fill the gap with poorly designed interactive books that are in-fact detrimental to reading and storytelling by disrupting narrative with gimmicks [Wilson, 2014; Rustin, 2011].
Tablet penetration is also increasing in UK schools and there are claims that well-designed interactive ebooks and book-apps, such as those produced by NC, are helping develop comprehension and literacy skills amongst children [BESA, 2014; Cahill & McGill, 2013; Morgan, 2013]. This is particularly valuable for young boys whose literacy skills are suffering as a result of a general reluctance to read books [National Literacy Trust, 2012].
So what does this mean for publishers? With researchers and schools recognising the potential of tablets to enhance learning, there is an opportunity for publishers to carefully develop digital reading material, particularly book-apps, that is both educational and entertaining; material that can be tailored to a child’s ability and help develop comprehension with reinforced learning. Earlier this year, Profile Books released Incredible Numbers, an app to help guide adults through comprehensive mathematical theories [Bhaskar, 201] and there is potential for publishers to use gamification and book-apps to do this for children too.
Word count: 549
References:
BESA. (2013). Tablets and apps in schools 2013. [pdf]. May 2013. BESA. Available at: http://www.besa.org.uk/sites/default/files/tab2013_0.pdf [accessed: 29/10/2014].
Bhaskar, M. (2014). Becoming the new publisher: What do digital publishers do? [podcast] 22/10/14. Available at: http://publishing.brookes.ac.uk/podcasts/item/becoming_the_new_publisher/. [accessed: 29/10/14].
Cahill, M & McGill- Franzen, A. (2013). Selecting ‘app’ealing and ‘app’ropriate book apps for beginning readers. [pdf] 6(1). The Reading Teacher. Available at: http://web.b.ebscohost.com. [accessed: 29/10/14]. Pp. 30-39.
Cocozza, P. (2014). Are iPads and tablets bad for young children? The Guardian. [online]. 08/01/14. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/jan/08/are-tablet-computers-bad-young-children [accessed: 29/10/14].
Dredge, S. (2014). Nosy Crow talks fairytales, reluctant readers and game-like apps for kids. The Guardian. [online]. 30/01/2014. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/jan/30/nosy-crow-fairytale-apps-kids#start-of-comments [accessed: 29/10/2014].
Education Business. (2013). A snapshot of tablet use in British schools. Education Business. [online] Available at: http://www.educationbusinessuk.net/index.php/features/5-/4189-a-snapshot-of-tablet-use-in-british-schools [accessed: 29/10/14].
Flood, A. (2012). Enhanced ebooks are bad for children finds American study. The Guardian. [online]. 07/06/2012. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/books/2012/jun/07/enhanced-ebooks-bad-for-children [accessed: 29/10/14].
Morgan, H. (2013). Mulitmodal Children’s E-Books Help Young Learners in Reading. Early Childhood Education Journal. [PDF]. 41(6). New York: Springer Science + Business. Available at: http://phdtree.org/pdf/31861384-multimodal-childrens-e-books-help-young-learners-in-reading/ [accessed: 29/10/14]. Pp. 477-483.
Ofcom. (2014). Children and Parents: Media Use and Attitudes Report. [pdf] October 2014. Ofcom. Available at: http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/research/media-literacy/media-use-attitudes-14/Childrens_2014_Report.pdf [accessed: 29/10/14].
Rustin, S. (2011). Gruffalo author Julia Donaldson tells why she vetoed ebooks. The Guardian. [online]. 25/03/2011. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/mar/25/gruffalo-author-julia-donaldson-ebook [accessed: 29/10/2014].
The National Literacy Trust. (2012). Boys’ Reading Commission. The National Literacy Trust. [PDF]. Available at: http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/assets/0001/4056/Boys_Commission_Report.pdf [accessed: 29/10/14].
Wilson, K. (2014). A defence of story apps after a speaker at the bookseller children’s book conference said that apps interfered with the story. Nosy Crow Blog. [blog]. 26/09/2014. Available at: http://nosycrow.com/blog/not-so-appily-ever-after-disagreeing-with-a-point-of-view-expressed-at-the-bookseller-children-s-conference [accessed: 29/10/14].
Nielsen. (2014). Understanding the children’s book consumer. [PDF]. Available at: https://moodle.brookes.ac.uk/ [accessed: 29/10/14].
Best-selling children’s author Julia Donaldson has openly criticised interactive, digital books for children and refused to allow her most famous book, The Gruffalo, to be reproduced as an ebook. She argues that interactivity distracts children and has a detrimental impact on the value bestowed upon books [Rustin, 2011].
According to researchers at the Joan Ganz Cooney Center her concerns may not be unfounded. Their report found that the interactivity of book-apps and ebooks distracted children from the story and prevented them ‘from remembering as many narrative details’ [Flood, 2012]. An article in the Early Childhood Education Journal appears to directly contradict this line of opinion however, claiming that well-designed interactive digital books actually improve children’s engagement with stories and their comprehension of narrative [Morgan, 2013].
However, both reports highlighted the value of interactivity in encouraging reluctant and less-competent readers to ‘engage with stories’ they may otherwise have avoided, and Nosy Crow (NC) m.d. Kate Wilson cites this as a key benefit of the book-apps they produce [Flood, 2012; Morgan, 2013; Wilson, 2014].
In a blog post responding to criticisms similar to those outlined above, Wilson defends NC’s book-apps claiming they add value to the story instead of distracting from it. She cites storytelling as the main purpose of their book-apps, with the interactivity only becoming available once the narrative has been delivered [Wilson, 2014].
With the use of mobile devices amongst children increasing, Wilson claims that publishers have a responsibility to make reading an activity of choice for youngsters by producing compelling stories on these devices [Wilson, cited by Rustin, 2011]. 71% of 5-15 year olds now have access to a tablet computer at home [Ofcom, 2014] and children aged 0-17 predominantly use tablets for gaming [Nielsen, 2014], perpetuating concerns that children are abandoning reading in favour of games [Dredge, 2014; National Literacy Trust, 2012]. Wilson claims that if publishers don’t deliver content that competes with gaming, others less experienced will fill the gap with poorly designed interactive books that are in-fact detrimental to reading and storytelling by disrupting narrative with gimmicks [Wilson, 2014; Rustin, 2011].
Tablet penetration is also increasing in UK schools and there are claims that well-designed interactive ebooks and book-apps, such as those produced by NC, are helping develop comprehension and literacy skills amongst children [BESA, 2014; Cahill & McGill, 2013; Morgan, 2013]. This is particularly valuable for young boys whose literacy skills are suffering as a result of a general reluctance to read books [National Literacy Trust, 2012].
So what does this mean for publishers? With researchers and schools recognising the potential of tablets to enhance learning, there is an opportunity for publishers to carefully develop digital reading material, particularly book-apps, that is both educational and entertaining; material that can be tailored to a child’s ability and help develop comprehension with reinforced learning. Earlier this year, Profile Books released Incredible Numbers, an app to help guide adults through comprehensive mathematical theories [Bhaskar, 201] and there is potential for publishers to use gamification and book-apps to do this for children too.
Word count: 549
References:
BESA. (2013). Tablets and apps in schools 2013. [pdf]. May 2013. BESA. Available at: http://www.besa.org.uk/sites/default/files/tab2013_0.pdf [accessed: 29/10/2014].
Bhaskar, M. (2014). Becoming the new publisher: What do digital publishers do? [podcast] 22/10/14. Available at: http://publishing.brookes.ac.uk/podcasts/item/becoming_the_new_publisher/. [accessed: 29/10/14].
Cahill, M & McGill- Franzen, A. (2013). Selecting ‘app’ealing and ‘app’ropriate book apps for beginning readers. [pdf] 6(1). The Reading Teacher. Available at: http://web.b.ebscohost.com. [accessed: 29/10/14]. Pp. 30-39.
Cocozza, P. (2014). Are iPads and tablets bad for young children? The Guardian. [online]. 08/01/14. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/jan/08/are-tablet-computers-bad-young-children [accessed: 29/10/14].
Dredge, S. (2014). Nosy Crow talks fairytales, reluctant readers and game-like apps for kids. The Guardian. [online]. 30/01/2014. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/jan/30/nosy-crow-fairytale-apps-kids#start-of-comments [accessed: 29/10/2014].
Education Business. (2013). A snapshot of tablet use in British schools. Education Business. [online] Available at: http://www.educationbusinessuk.net/index.php/features/5-/4189-a-snapshot-of-tablet-use-in-british-schools [accessed: 29/10/14].
Flood, A. (2012). Enhanced ebooks are bad for children finds American study. The Guardian. [online]. 07/06/2012. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/books/2012/jun/07/enhanced-ebooks-bad-for-children [accessed: 29/10/14].
Morgan, H. (2013). Mulitmodal Children’s E-Books Help Young Learners in Reading. Early Childhood Education Journal. [PDF]. 41(6). New York: Springer Science + Business. Available at: http://phdtree.org/pdf/31861384-multimodal-childrens-e-books-help-young-learners-in-reading/ [accessed: 29/10/14]. Pp. 477-483.
Ofcom. (2014). Children and Parents: Media Use and Attitudes Report. [pdf] October 2014. Ofcom. Available at: http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/research/media-literacy/media-use-attitudes-14/Childrens_2014_Report.pdf [accessed: 29/10/14].
Rustin, S. (2011). Gruffalo author Julia Donaldson tells why she vetoed ebooks. The Guardian. [online]. 25/03/2011. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/mar/25/gruffalo-author-julia-donaldson-ebook [accessed: 29/10/2014].
The National Literacy Trust. (2012). Boys’ Reading Commission. The National Literacy Trust. [PDF]. Available at: http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/assets/0001/4056/Boys_Commission_Report.pdf [accessed: 29/10/14].
Wilson, K. (2014). A defence of story apps after a speaker at the bookseller children’s book conference said that apps interfered with the story. Nosy Crow Blog. [blog]. 26/09/2014. Available at: http://nosycrow.com/blog/not-so-appily-ever-after-disagreeing-with-a-point-of-view-expressed-at-the-bookseller-children-s-conference [accessed: 29/10/14].
Nielsen. (2014). Understanding the children’s book consumer. [PDF]. Available at: https://moodle.brookes.ac.uk/ [accessed: 29/10/14].