Student Created eBooks

This post is, in a way, the direct result of my last two posts: Adobe InDesign for Classroom Publishing and eReaders in the Classroom.
  
When researching InDesign, I learned that it is possible to use the program to create eBooks.  Students could create eBooks (or more likely the teacher using student work to create eBooks) resulting in many compelling, and novel, products:

• You could create individual student eBooks that could live in the classroom eReaders.  
• At the end of the year you could create a classroom collection in eBook format, much like a collection of essays or short stories (this could also be done as a physical book).  You could even write a forward/introduction as the editor.  
• In eBook format it would be easy to provide copies of student work to parents.  Many adults have some sort of reader (most computers can read the file as well).  

Over the years one would have a large archive of student work.  This work could serve to simply be reading fare for future students, or used to model student work during future lessons.  I have found that students respond well to seeing actual examples of end products.  Knowing from experience, seeing an example is more effective for some students than simply being given instructions.  It shifts the product from the abstract to the more readily realized.

[Note: One should not solely rely on digital production and distribution of student work.  Making the assumption that all families are able to utilize digital formats is not an equitable practice.  It is always important to make your instruction inclusive to all people.  Know your families and always take their needs into account.]

Adobe InDesign for Classroom Publishing

 While working with students to publish a piece of writing for the year (type it up, add some illustrations, laminate cover and comb bind it) I had an idea.  I recently got the Adobe Creative Suite and had been trying to figure out ways to utilize these tools in the classroom.  I have a friend in my graduate program (who is the most phenomenal teacher) that recommend using Adobe InDesign to make printed material.  After teaching myself the basics, I was amazed at how many different ways you could use it in the classroom.  From pamphlet design to developing a template for a classroom newspaper, there really are limitless ways to integrate.


My idea was more specific though.  I saw myself creating a publishing company for my classroom (with the requisite clever name and logo).  Using InDesign, I could take the time to professionally layout and design student writing to be book-level quality.  The tools are there, and the time required decreases as one learns the program.  There are even a myriad of simple binding techniques one could use so the the actual book is on par with the layout.  I believe that upgrading the quality (publishing wise) of student work showcases that the work students do is valuable and just as worthy to have the time spent to make it look that way.

InDesign in action

I do enjoy lists, so I will shed my verbose prose to sum up my idea:

• Create a classroom publishing company (be sure to design a logo and make a poster or two).  This company is one that stays with the classroom, allowing students to feel that their work is part of a legacy.
• Have students type up their work (the ability to type and publish work digitally is in the Common Core State Standards).  I believe that it is important to publish all sizes and levels of work.  Just because a student is a struggling writer does not mean that their work has any less reason to be published than another students series of chapter books.
• Use InDesign to create a template for book layouts (you could create one standard template to save time, or have a few to choose from).
• After formatting the student work, print it.
• Now it is time to bind the book.  There are many different ways to bind and create books.  A great resource is Paula Beardell Krieg's Book Arts blog: Playful Bookbinding and Paper Works (located at http://bookzoompa.wordpress.com/).  This blog is worth checking out just for the how-tos and picture guides on classroom bookmaking.
• Have some sort of celebration when a book is published, and maybe at the end of the year have a large publishing party/gallery walk to honor all student work.

eReaders in the Classroom

eReaders and their place in the classroom seems to be a topic that is coming to the forefront of the education debate.  At times it seems like there is a dichotomy between the proponents of physical books and eReaders, a rift that cannot be gapped.  

I have a fondness for the physical book, and do not believe it will ever be truly phased out, but I also see great potential in the use of eReaders in the classroom.  The fact that a low end e-reader ($69 Kindle) can weigh less than 6 ounces and hold over 1,000 books is astounding.  With just a few of these in the classroom supplementing your physical library, you can open up so many more options to your students.  

Here is a simple list as to why I believe E-readers should have a place in the classroom:

• Physical books take up space, and with increasing class sizes space is something that is becoming more precious and hard to find.
• E-books can often be authorized on multiple machines, which means that one can easily obtain enough books to use in reading groups.  Often it is hard to have enough books to fill a reading group, forcing teachers to simple work with whats available (instead of what would benefit students the most).
• There are multiple places online that offer free e-books (a post for another day).  
• With the ease of acquiring books, teachers can get books for higher (and lower) readers that they may not have put in their normal classroom library.

These are just some of the benefits of integrating eReaders into the classroom.  Physical books will always have a place in my heart, and classroom, but the benefits of having multiple classroom libraries through eReaders will push me to obtain these for my classroom.

Authentic Assessment Using Technology (Dragon Speak)

Using Dragon Speak as an alternate form of assessment.

"Dragon speech recognition software makes it easier for anyone to use a computer. You talk, and it types. Use your voice to create and edit documents"

Authentic assessment can sometimes prove challenging.  Much like scientific experiments and data gathering for statistics, it is important to isolate and remove any confounding variables.  One such confounding variable I have seen crop up is where the assessment tool is dependent upon a skill that is not being assessed.  This isn't always a problem, but in some cases it can skew the assessment results. 

Setting up an assessment station that has Dragon Speak (either on a computer or ipod touch) would help teachers assess students who have dificulty writing.  If you are assessing for content knowledge (not ability to write), then Dragon Speak enables a teacher to assess the knowledge gained as opposed to writing ability.  The program can email a transcript to the teacher, which in turn can produce a hard copy of that student's assessment.

I could see Dragon Speak (or similar programs) being integrated into the classroom to help various students, not only for assessment.  One could have a student speak their first draft, get a print out, and edit it.  To provide the student with the practice of writing, a teacher could print out the draft and have the student transcribe their words.  This practice will help build the fine motor skills and muscle memory that speaking lacks.