Is it still King Lear? English teachers and the e-reader phenomenon

Goodwyn, A. (2015) Is it still King Lear? English teachers and the e-reader phenomenon. In: Lin, T.-B., Chen, D. T. V. and Chai, C. S. (eds.) New media and learning in the 21st century: a Socio-Cultural Perspective. Springer, London, pp. 145-160. ISBN 9789812873255 doi: 10.1007/978-981-287-326-2

Abstract/Summary

E-reading devices such as the Kindle have rapidly secured a significant place in a number of societies as at least one major platform for reading.To some extent they are part of the overarching move towards a fully digitised world, but they have a distinctiveness in being deliberately‘book-like’. Teachers generally have some suspicion towards ‘New Media’, especially when it challenges their established practice. This chapter reports on a survey of English teachers in England to gauge their reactions to e-readers, both personally and professionally, and describes their speculations about the place of e-readers in schools in the future. There is a mixed reaction with some teachers concerned about the demise of the book and the potential negative impact on reading. However, the majority welcome e-readers as a dynamic element within the reading environment with particular potential to enthuse reluctant readers and those with special or linguistic needs. They also, some grudgingly, view the fact that reading using this form of technology appeals to the ‘egeneration’ and may succeed in making reading ‘cool’. This form of technology is, ironically [given that it appears to threaten traditional books], likely to be rapidly adopted in classrooms.