I have a Cruz Reader and love downloading books onto it, especially the free ones. I have just recently purchased an ASUS tablet and have not yet downloaded any e-books onto the system, so I decided I would use this assignment to check out the device. I used the Laurel Public School from the MontanaLibrary2Go list. The steps were fairly easy to follow; just a few adjustments needed to be made since I didn't have a Kindle or a Nook.
At this time, I teach middle school math, so I always find my way to our middle school librarian for advice. After some discussion, because e-books have just arrived at this site, one advantage will be the readability levels for special needs students. They will be able to adjust the font and lighting for easier reading, and they will also have the opportunity to download as an audio book. As a whole, students will have the opportunity to check out a variety of books that are leveled; increasing their interests. Another advantage is that students can check out more books without the extra cost of personally downloading them. I also believe that this new technology will increase the number of students reading in the building.
Our LMS library just received our first e-books; The Hunger Games Series and an Astronomy book. These will be picked up immediately and I foresee a long waiting list (one downfall). I do hope in the near future we will also be purchasing some Kindles or Nooks for student checkout.
As with any new technology advances, policies will have to be put into place. At this time, we do not allow phones in the classrooms, but we do allow e-readers and tablets. This however, brings one question to mind, "Doesn't the e-readers and tablets have the capability to access the Internet?". With this in mind, policies will have to be put in place and classrooms will have to be closely monitored. I am all for these advances--getting kids interested in reading again, is a "must".
Yes -- many tablets and e-readers can also be used to browse the Internet. I haven't seen a Cruz reader. Each reader has a slightly different interface, so it can be difficult to know exactly how to get started, but I'm glad you didn't have too much trouble. Waiting lines for titles are a draw-back for the hottest titles because there's only a couple copies for all of the subscribers, but it's not that different from print. With the hunger games and other insanely popular titles, they don't stay on the real shelves either, although in print it's a couple of copies for just one library. Last week I tried to check out "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" and 52 people are in line. They won't all really wait for it, but if they did, with the 2-week check out, that is a 2-year waiting list!
ReplyDeleteIt seems like the process of incorporating e-readers into the schools will take some time in order to work out all of the details. I agree with the idea of using e-readers for special needs students. E-readers provide great opportunities for these students. They already use e-readers for the special needs students at the middle schools in Bozeman. It is a useful tool for them and I know the students really like using them.
ReplyDeleteI'm struck by how motivating technology is to students. We have great opportunities in this time of innovation to spark reading in a big way. This reason alone is enough to justify an array of reader devices in our libraries. I have an emotionally disturbed student who didn't read until about two years ago when I got a PlayAway (audio book) of "The 39 Clues". His para checked it out along with the print copy and Joe got completely hooked. He has spent his time since reading every single 39 Clues book in the series and recently advised me there is an entirely new series out, still 39 Clues but with a different twist! I don't know that we would have gotten buy-in with Joe had the first book not been in a cool, electronic form.
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