The world's largest reviewer of books, multimedia, and technology for children and teens
Bookshare has announced that it is launching two new additions to its product line as part of its continuing effort to help kids with print disabilities connect with books. Bookshare Web Reader allows readers to directly open books with a browser without requiring them to download the book or utilize separate software, while Bookshelf allows readers (or their teachers) to organize selections by any system they choose.
The number of kids reading ebooks has nearly doubled since 2010, according to Scholastic’s Kids & Family Reading Report, which was released today. The national survey of kids age 6–17 and their parents also found that half of kids age 9–17 say they would read more books for fun if they had greater access to ebooks—although 80 percent of kids who read ebooks say they still read books for fun primarily in print.
RRKidz has announced that its flagship brand Reading Rainbow is partnering with publisher National Geographic Kids to expand its interactive reading subscription app, available exclusively on the iPad. The company is also expanding its library with a new branded island featuring dozens of books as well as videos hosted and narrated by RRKidz co-founder LeVar Burton.
The Lego Group has unveiled Lego Mindstorms EV3, a radically redesigned upgrade to its popular robotics platform that’s designed to introduce a new generation of tech-savvy kids to the world of robot building and programming. Lego announced the new platform earlier this week at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, timed to the 15th anniversary of the original Mindstorms debut.
A recent report conducted by MMS Education reveals that librarians use social networking more than other educators.
You can create infographics—visual representations of data—from scratch using free web tools. Library consultant and educator Linda W. Braun takes you step by step through making your own infographic using easel.ly and info.gram.
Due to their longstanding frustration with Amazon’s failure to make Kindle ereaders accessible to people who are blind, officials from the National Federation of the Blind will be protesting outside Amazon’s Seattle headquarters on December 12.
From MOOCs to open educational resources, Joyce Valenza examines the top trends of the year in technology. There are unique opportunities for librarians here and Valenza outlines specific actionables in this online version of School Library Journal’s feature story.
Though school librarians have often struggled with meeting the needs of students with disabilities, Project ENABLE is a new resource that will help them assist this underserved population.
Two School Library Journal articles took gold and silver prizes at the 2012 annual Eddie Awards, sponsored by FOLIO: magazine and recognizing editorial excellence in magazines and websites.
Mary Lee Schneider becomes president and chief executive officer of Follett Corporation. Schneider’s appointment has important implications for the elementary and high schools that rely on Follett for their print and digital learning materials.
A report issued by The Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop concluded that though children under 13 are involved in social media, there isn’t enough data on their social networking habits.
Looking for new, timely online resources for your K–12 students? Gary Price, an industry analyst librarian and editor of LJ’s INFOdocket, has selected the following recent posts for school librarians. Topics range from current and past presidential debates to German Jewish history. Price is also co-founder and editor of FullTextReports.com.
Ereaders and iPads are becoming integral parts of the school library because they foster creativity and encourage flexibility in learning. But are students using this technology effectively? Panelists from SLJ’s session, “Tablets in the Classroom: New Strategies, New Solutions,” discussed how to ensure that students are relying on these devices to truly make the most of their educational experiences.
Searching for some great ways to get kids hooked on creating digital content? Attendees at the October 17 Digital Shift event got some great tips from Wes Fryer, Melissa Techman, Liz Castro and Erin Daly, all participants in a panel on “Makers in the Library.”
Carolyn Foote brought six iPads into her school library in a modest pilot program that evolved into a school-wide 1:1 rollout. Librarians are well-positioned to play a critical role, says Carl Hooker, director of instructional technology for Eanes ISD, “They are the conduit to the ed-tech department as well as being a ‘just in time’ trainer.”
“A school year with a presidential election is like a perfect storm for a social studies teacher,” writes Eric Langhorst, an eighth-grade history teacher in Liberty, MO, and 2007 state Teacher of the Year. Here are his picks for the best online resources to engage kids in the political process.
Wikipedia users can now create ebooks using articles from the English edition of the crowd-sourced reference. Library consultant Linda Braun shows how it’s done.
Elementary school librarian Amy Blaine did a little online window-shopping and picked a few practical—and not so practical—items to take her throughout the day.
The post A Geek’s Back-to-School Wish List appeared first on The Digital Shift.
Apps involving monsters, both real and imagined, are among the digital publications examined in School Library Journal’s app review column Touch and Go.
