iPad Literacy Program Increases Reading & Writing Ability

Footsteps2Brilliance (F2B) is an impressive educational game platform that supports students in prek - 3rd grade in learning to read and write. Their Academic Language Program for Students (ALPS) teaches young children the 1,000 key words they will need to develop a powerful reading and writing vocabulary through animated ebooks and games. There is a back end management system tracks mastery of each child's vocabulary and comprehension development as well as standards-based concepts.  The program was developed in response to the landmark Hart-Risley study on language development that shows that an underprivileged child enters school with 25% of the vocabulary they need to succeed academically.  This program helps to rectify this situation by creating a language rich environment for all children.  

There are several features that I particularly like. First, I love that the books are interactive. With F2B books literally come to life.  Each story page has animated characters that students can interact with to act out what is written on the page.  I also like that the child can have the choice of  reading the book or having the book read to him or her.  Additionally, a child can choose to read the book, and just have words they are unsure of read to them. Reading comprehension is assessed in a fun and natural way with interactive games that rewards children as they develop their comprehension skills.  Student's reading ability is tracked in a backend system that provides meaningful information to the child's teacher or parent.  With a tool like this assessing student progress, there should no longer be a need for outdated, standardized bubbletests.  Finally, I love that the program provides children with the ability to write and illustrate their own books.  

Research-based success
Reading comprehension of Calistoga preschoolers increased from 58.5 percent to 76.4 percent, with Footsteps 2 Brilliance. You can read more about what happened at the school here and in this newspaper article. Read the data behind the study here.


See for yourself
The three videos below provide great insight into how this program works. The first video shows a five-year-old girl using the program. The second brings us into it's use in the classroom and the last video is a story featured on NBC with the teacher and the parent of a student who used F2B for learning.

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A Dozen or So Reasons I Applaud Lamar High School for Ditching School Library Books

Librarians, educators, and parents are up in arms after Principal James McSwain of Lamar High School in Houston, Texas ditched many of the books in his library and re-opened the facility as a high-tech Reading / Research Center & Coffee Shop this year. To Principal McSwain, I say kudos for your foresight and bravery, though I know many of my paper-trained librarian friends and colleagues give this principal a big thumbs down.

The principal was awarded the “Rotten Apple in Education” award on the School’s Matter blog, and there were more than 100 mostly angry comments posted on the Hair Balls section of the Houston Press with this headline, Lamar High's Library Ousts Books, Re-Opens as Coffee Shop. It’s no surprise that the blog and newspaper enjoy the sensationalism of the story. The same thing happened last year in Boston when The Globe reported on the Cushing Academy library's radical and sudden decision to throw out their library books which also polarized school librarians on everything from their philosophy on reading, to student rights, to process, to the fundamental question of whether a space without books had the right to call itself a library.

In reporting about the latest library to give itself an update, the Houston rag indicates the Library is now a Coffee shop and there was this from the School’s Matter blog.
This month’s Rotten Apple in Education Award goes to Larmar High School principal, James McSwain, who has dumped, burned, who knows, most all the books and "repurposed" the school library into a coffee shop run by students. I guess you might say McSwain is really serious about preparing his high schoolers to compete for those 21st Century American jobs.

Similarly, The Houston & Texas News Chronicle had this to say, “Critics worry that students without Internet access at home will be at a disadvantage, and that all students will miss annotating texts or bringing a good book to bed.”

When I posted the story on my Facebook page High School librarian Barbara Mehlman said the following:

This librarian hates it. When I read a book, I often go back to reread certain passages. And when I return to a book, I frequently reread certain parts or skip back and forth, depending on the kind of book I'm reading. I find this very difficult with eBooks. I read 100 pages at a time and a computer screen is just too tiring for the lengthy bit of reading. In many of the books I read, I like to take notes, highlight, underline and that's too difficult with eBooks. It's also impossible to thumb through pages with an eBook. I realize you think that I feel that way because I'm "old," but there's a reason that books have survived so long, and they will continue to do so -- alongside eBooks. One doesn't supplant the other; they're complementary and anyone who throws out paper books is shortsighted and doesn't fully understand the joys of the reading experience.

Lynne a Library Coordinator in New York had this to say,

"Of course the kids love it. Who wouldn't rather hang out in a coffee shop than attend a class in the library? Where's the learning? Where's the differentiated instruction? This principal took an old concept of a library, added a coffee shop and plugged it in. Not well thought out at all. Limiting the collection to only what's available via e-books misses the mark for me. Oops! Just lost connectivity - wish I had a book! Why didn't they create a Learning Commons like Chelmsford (MA) High School?

Of course, these reactions don’t surprise me, first, because reading and writing digitally is something that is brand new and change is difficult, second, because it just makes such a dang good story to get up in arms about. Library becomes coffee shop. Burning books! Where have our values gone???

So why would an innovative educator and former librarian like me say kudos to this principal for dumping the books? Well for starters because every accusation above is untrue and also because behind all the hoopla, when we dig past the surface we find this new model for libraries in the digital age is a brave and smart decision that is gaining momentum and kudos for preparing 21st century learners. Here’s why.

Reasons to Ditch Library Books

1. Up-to-date information
   For non fiction resources, a computer beats paper hands down. There is just no way encyclopedias and reference materials can keep up with information that can be accessed online. Rather than replacing sets of encyclopedias, reference books, etc, the school has accessed repositories of free and purchased materials.
2. More access to periodicals
   Let’s face it the newspapers and periodical industries are a dying bread. These subscriptions are all available digitally and with services like Flipboard and Paper.li digital reading enables us to Provide Students with a Personalized Newspaper Everyday for Free!
3. No internet required for eBooks
   The criticism that eBooks require students to have the internet is wrong, wrong, wrong. The book is downloaded and accessible on the device. No internet required. They can read the book at home or anywhere regardless of whether they have internet.
4. Battery Life
   Some say they prefer pBooks (paper) to eBooks because the battery might run out. With most eBooks having a battery life of 9000 pages and rechargeable anytime, this isn't of much concern for digital readers. And, for the adults or students who share a room with siblings if the lights go out, with an eBook, you can still read.
5. Books can be borrowed from outside the school
   Digital books can be borrowed from the local public libraries. When the school library makes a connection with the local libraries, there’s even more resources available to students.
6. eBooks can be EZ on the Eyes
   eBooks and digital devices have special readers that are developed to make reading as pleasing and easy to the eye as paper. Software like Microsoft eReader provides a free eReader for laptops and computers that don’t have one installed. Research on the topic indicates that reports of digital eye strain often stem from the early computers and televisions that used an outdated technology. The students who are reading more on screens then on paper, seem to be voting with their eyes and it seems strain hasn't been much of a factor.
7. Adaptive technology comes with the territory
   Digital books allow for really cool adaptations like these below.
1. Hear the author read “Where is the Love?”
2. Read and Personalize Books for Free with MeeGenius
8. Access to primary sources
   Primary sources don’t need to be housed in a library. They can be found on the web.
9. Digital reading assists readers
   While some adults believe there’s nothing like the experience of a book, paper, and turning the page, those fluent in reading digital texts can make a great case for the benefits of reading digitally. For instance:
1. I can click on an unknown word to learn the definition and pronunciation. This allows for a smooth flow of reading and comprehension.
2. I can easily and quickly search for a passage I want to reference.
3. I can instantly go to a page and never have to worry about losing my bookmark.
4. I can have a word, passage or the whole book read to me.
5. No paper cuts!
10. Superior annotation capability
    Paper annotations are no match for digital annotations. With an eBook I can annotate my heart away...taking notes, highlighting, underling, bookmarking to my little hearts desire. I never need to worry about damaging the book and it’s searchable too.
11. Collaboration
    Collaboration could very well be the number one reason digital books are superior to paper tombs. In fact, it is exactly what led to The End of Books? (For Me, At Least?) for Will Richardson. Read his post to find out amazing ways that reading digitally provides unparralled collaboration and my post about why I love that Social Books Unlock Reader’s Voice and Provide Opportunity for Conversation.
12. Anytime/anywhere access
    Students have anytime/anywhere access to thousands of nonfiction books, research texts, and fictions books. Every student is given an ID and remote access code for logging into the system from any device (laptop, eBook, even their phone!) whether it’s their own or the school’s.

Freeing up all this space from books means more space for students to come, read, write, receive tutoring, and learn in a hip, stimulating environment that is inviting to teens.Hurst, who has been the librarian at Lamar for 13 years, said she ditched books that had not been checked out in more than a decade, those in poor condition and those that were easily available electronically resulting in more reading opportunity for students at the school. There is more thinking and learning going on in the library now then in the past. In fact, since the library has opened this fall the number of books being checked out at Lamar has more than doubled according to data from the librarian. The number of students visiting the center this years has already increased threefold. "We've never had this kind of traffic in here," McSwain said.

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Reading 2.0: Where is the Love?

My cousin Laura Nadler Scott just published her first book, Where is the Love?

As described by award-winning journalist and writer Mikey Rox, the "story of little Leni Lovebird reminds us that it's all too easy to take what we have for granted and that often it's what's in front of our eyes that we fail to see. In the end though, we always end up back where we belong: Home. Fitting, too: that is where the heart is, after all."

As I went to the publisher site to check out the book preview, what struck me was that the entire book is available in a beautiful digital format using ISSUU. Which you can view here.



I continued through the publisher site and saw that there were several other books available like this one:



Then I went to the ISSUU site and there are so many free digital publications available there that will become a powerful resource for any innovative educator and their students. What is even most powerful is that with a site like this every student and teacher has the ability to become a published author for free by publishing works such as this one from nine-year-old Dylan Matthew Winger a student who has moved from 20th century "Hand-it-in Writing" to 21st century "Publish-it Writing."



However, just like with Tweeting, perhaps the most powerful transformation in 21st century reading, writing, and publishing is the power of the conversation which is not possible with paper books and rarely occurs with hand-it-in writing. You see books published on ISSUU provide book and magazine authors and their readers the unique ability to have a conversation by providing commenting and rating functionality.

Additionally, the site also provides analytics which give writers insight into their popularity by number of views and also indicates any sites that link to them. This is truly authentic publication that connects students to their audience in a real way. You can see what this looks like in this publication of The Paw Print, a student newspaper from Lonoke, Arkansas.


Here are the comments and analytics showing number of views and who links to the newspaper.


















What a terrific way for innovative educators to provide their students with authentic opportunities to engage with a book author and other readers around the world. You can try it yourself by visiting this book on the ISSUU site at this link. After logging on to ISSUU you will be able to rate and comment on any book.

Innovative educators can easily reach out to their personal learning network and find other teachers who might want to share the book with their students. Classes reading the book can contribute to the rating of the book and they can comment and converse with each other, and ideally with the author as well! Innovative educators interested in conversing with this author can friend Laura Nadler Scott on Facebook with a "personal message" indicating that your class is reading the book, will be commenting, and that you'd love for her to respond to some of their questions and comments. I'm sure she'll be happy to do so.

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Finally, A True Reading, Writing, Publishing Machine - XO 2010

Unlike some other laptops, you certainly could not accuse the new OLPC XO of being a business device thrown into a school. With its new open book design comprised of two touch-enabled screens that can transform into a keyboard when placed on its side, this is a true reading/writing/publishing machine. Placed face open not only does the XO offer two usable screens, but it also becomes a device where two people can work collaboratively-one on each screen.

When I saw the new XO and read the reviews I reflected on a conversation I had years back with Teachers College Reading and Writing Project Director Lucy Calkins as I attempted to convince her of the importance of laptops in the classroom. She said, "Why on earth would I buy laptops for each student? If I was going to spend $1500 per child, I'd rather purchase a library of books for each of them." I retorted saying a laptop is like providing every student with a vast library of books. I think I may have moved her thinking a bit, but while she agreed she could see how laptops could be a valuable coaching tool for her staff (topic for another post), there was still a leap to be made in convincing her of their usefulness as a student learning tool.

Like many literacy experts Lucy thinks of paper bound books when she thinks of reading, and paper notebooks when thinking of writing. At the same time numerous studies indicate that today’s digital native students, when given the choice, spend a great deal more time using computers to read and write than they do using traditional paper books and notebooks. The new XO laptop appears to be uniquely designed to bridge this gap between paper-trained adults and today’s millennial students by offering a device that looks and feels like it is designed for digital native reading, writing and publishing in a way digital immigrants can appreciate. It’s finally a device that brings to life the concept that this really is a tool positioned to bring an infinite amount of books and other reading materials right into the hands of students. In his, "Can the $100 Laptop Change the World?" interview with Laptop magazine, OLPC's Nicholas Negroponte shares that with this device, suddenly, a child has access to millions of books. Even more important, children can collaborate, can make things and can learn by doing.” As a former literacy coach and library media specialist I can tell you the countless hours I spent helping teachers acquire classroom libraries for general reading, for reading in the content areas, for reading by interest, etc. We would write grants, go to book fairs, beg, steal, borrow, type books in word processors, etc. etc. This was a lot of work and at the end we still struggled to have enough books to meet the needs of a class. It was a turn off for many in moving away from easy to acquire basal reading programs.

To date digital reading and writing is often neglected in literacy education, but it is where the Millennial generation chooses to spend the majority of its reading and writing time. A recent survey conducted by the Pew Internet and American Life Project revealed that student Bloggers, in addition to doing more types of writing and writing more frequently, are also among the strongest proponents of the importance of writing. This is correlated to another finding from the report stating that writing for an authentic audience motivates students to write and write well.

Since we know that many students use various technologies to communicate, a shift in the mediums we use with kids to communicate in education should follow. While I’ve already seen how XO’s can make a positive difference in the classroom, the new design appears to be even better situated to help make that shift by offering a tool that looks and feels like it’s been designed to harness the educational power of the device. What's great about the XO is it really simulates the look and experience of a book, but with a whole lot more functionality such as speaking text, instantly defining unknown words, translating text, highlighting, voice commenting, interactivity, dictionary, encyclopedia, video, and so much more.

With the new design and a targeted $75 targeted price point for 2010, the XO is sure to get hugs and kisses from even the most skeptical. This is a device that will literally push the transformation of education because with these specs and price point even the most reluctant will have to think twice. The future is now and the world of education needs to step up and start teaching to it. Now it looks like there's a device that will be a great partner in helping to make this happen. As the educational technology professional development manager for the largest school district in the U.S. you better believe that the new XO along with other low-cost laptops will transform how I work with our vendors and partners. If it is not on their radar to test out how their product or service can be implemented in schools using sub laptops, conversations will cease until they agree to explore this option. It is the responsibility of people like me to push and drive our digital immigrant educational partners to start working and thinking in 21^st Century ways that will appeal to our students. Even if these partners are not comfortable doing so…our students deserve it!

More Information

First Look: OLPC XO-2 - May 2008 review from Laptop magazine featuring pictures and video.

Watch Nicholas Negroponte, founder of the MIT Media Laboratory, describe how the One Laptop Per Child project will build and distribute the "$100 laptop.

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