eBooks DO work

Before reading about eBooks, I never really thought about the way it can impact learning for students.  I feel that eBooks can impact the writing process by helping to engage students because of how interactive and personal it is.  Through eBooks, students are able to explore and make stories their own which should excite them and help them to want to further their writing processes. However, from a teachers point of view, I feel that it might be difficult to have them reading from a hard cover book and writing with pencil and paper rather than through technology.  This could become extremely frustrating for the fact that there is not much for you to teach if the iPad or other technological object is teaching the students through their instructions.  

In my classroom, especially since I will be working with special needs children, I feel that creating books will benefit my students greatly.  It was amazing to read about how Jon was able to work with autistic children who did not want to learn but by the end they couldn't get enough.  For most children with special needs, it is hard for them to concentrate and stay focused unless they find something they are interested in.  With eBooks, I feel that my students would be completely engaged because they are able to make something their own and have many different options of topics, texts, photos, music, etc.  It can also accommodate with my students by having audio and multiple other options to help them through the process of creating an eBooks.

The most striking or best thing that I took away from Jon's presentation was when he described how he had his special ed students all write up the same parts of the book.  He had them start off with the introduction, chapter one, chapter two, etc.  When the students were done writing their parts, he had the students read them, pick them apart, and then say what was good and what was bad about them.  In the end, they choose what all went best together and add it to their book.  I thought that gave the students a sense of teamwork and it also helps with their social skills.