My proposal, along with Phoebe Acheson, is to take a look at how e-readers like Kindle change (or do not change) the writing classroom. We are currently performing a study in an English Lit classroom where we have replaced the students’ print texts with Kindles (kind of like the Folger’s switch!). A few questions we have been discussing:
- How does mediating text using this particular device change reading, comprehension, in-class discussion, and writing?
- What kinds of pedagogical applications may there be for e-readers in the classroom?
- What should libraries be thinking about in providing access to electronic texts using these devices (there is a lot of talk about “on demand” collection development).
I think this discussion could be related to Brian Campbell’s “What are the spiritual impacts of technology” session idea. Is there something lost or gained in the use of the e-reader in the writing classroom and in the library?
#1 by Pete on February 24, 2011 - 9:52 pm
I am contemplating teaching an English class next year focused on observing the cognitive impact of digital technologies in the classroom, experimenting with face-to-face meetings vs. virtual office hours, presentations vs. site creation, and text vs. screen digestion. I would be interested in this session.
#2 by Richard Manly Adams, Jr on February 24, 2011 - 11:08 pm
I agree we need to look at how digital technologies change the reading process. I would like to see us move beyond the basic text-in-digital-form paradigm, and start asking how the technology actually allows us to change the reading process. Increasingly applications are allowing users to share notes/comments based on reading (see the Kindle’s public highlights; iPhone apps like Inkling). One particular group that is doing some really exciting work is the RethinkBooks people (check out www.getsocialbooks.com). I’m trying to integrate some social reading technologies into the classroom, so I would like to have a discussion about whether people have done this and what best practices may be.
#3 by Brian Croxall on March 1, 2011 - 9:17 pm
I’m certainly interested to hear what you’re learning from this experiment. I had students using Kindles in my classes last year, and it was difficult. In large part it was because there was generally only one per class. But the lack of consistent page numbers, to say nothing of their having different editions, made it all but impossible for me to help them identify where we were in the text.