Doctoral candidates in Curriculum and Instruction share their experience of strategic integration and implementation of free digital resources, specifically eBooks, to cultivate interest in reading among pre-K to grade 8 students.
Joshua Barnes, a doctoral candidate in the Curriculum and Instruction program, published a review of Erec Smith’s book, A Critique of Anti-Racism in Rhetoric and Composition, in the May 2023 edition of Literacy in Composition Studies. This book review is available in the .
Farheen Mahmood and Lizoon Nahar, Curriculum and Instruction doctoral candidates in the Department of Professional Studies, presented a poster titled "Open Access Resources (e-Books) to Develop Students' Interest in Digital Reading" at the International Society for Technology in Education on June 27, 2023.
Abstract
The presenters shared their experience of strategic integration and implementation of free digital resources, specifically eBooks from Oxford Owl to cultivate interest in reading among pre-K to grade 8 students during the pandemic in a Pakistani school situated in the United Arab Emirates. In a unique approach of Cultivate, Nurture & Grow, the school harnessed social media and online platforms to promote reading engagement and mitigate the limitations posed by restricted outdoor activities. Through the lens of the CAFE model—focusing on comprehension, accuracy, fluency, and expanding vocabulary—the teachers explored and experienced the potential of ebooks to enhance reading skills, particularly in multilingual settings.
Based on the experience gained, the presenters also shed light on ways digital tools can adapt to the evolving educational landscape and effectively foster reading habits, even in the face of unprecedented disruptions like the pandemic.