Bookflix – An overview
Klaasje Prins
("Bookflix,"
2010).
Introduction
Software
Information
·
Software
Name: Bookflix
·
Publisher:
Scholastic
Inc
Bookflix is an online resource of Scholastic Big Day for PreK that allows
children to view animated storybooks by Weston Woods paired with nonfiction
eBooks from Scholastic. There are eight
themes of BookFlix and the titles in each have been chosen to accompany the
theme. The themes are: animals and
nature, earth and sky, people and places, music and rhyme, family and
community, ABCs and 123s, adventure, imagination, and celebrations. There are also games with each theme to help
children master the ideas they have learned.
BookFlix recommends that the operating systems be either Windows:
Windows 7, Vista®, XP, 2000 or 98 or Macintosh: OS X 10.x. Since BookFlix is an online resource, it
needs to be accessed via the Internet. The recommended browsers are Internet
Explorer® 6.x or higher, Firefox® 2.x or higher, Safari® 2.0 or higher, Firefox
2.x or higher (Firefox 3 requires OS X 10.4 or higher). BookFlix requires a computer, laptop, or
tablet with sound.
Plus/Minus/Interesting Chart
|
PLUS
|
MINUS
|
INTERESTING
|
|
·
Can
be used by family at home; the teacher can post notes, resources, and reading
material that may be helpful for the student
·
Reinforces
early reading skills
·
Anywhere
there is an internet connection, BookFlix can be accessed
·
The
themes assist with enforcing content learning
·
The
Spanish part allows for English speaking learners a chance to learn some
basic Spanish and for Spanish speaking people to strengthen reading skills
·
Resources
for educators are available
·
Definitions
are available for words new readers may not be familiar with
·
Book
is read aloud; may help children become more familiar with reading or for
reluctant readers
|
·
Only
for grades pre-K to 3; would be neat if they could provide materials that are
at the interest level for kids that are older that may be struggling to read
·
There
is a cost with the program if your child’s teacher or library does not have a
subscription
|
·
Engaging
way to look at both fact and fiction books and how they relate to each other
·
Educational
games may be helpful for a more hands-on approach to learning
·
Biographies
of the authors are really quite stimulating – may help children
|
Classroom
Connections
BookFlix is best suited for early readers from kindergarten to Grade 3
because both the animated storybooks and non-fiction books that are used are
Primary-level books. BookFlix could
actually be used for any curriculum strand.
In both the animated storybooks and the nonfiction book paired with it,
there are ABC books for learning language skills, counting books for math,
rhyming books like “Chicka Chicka Boom Boom” that can be used in music, books
about different countries and political figures for history and social studies,
and finally earth and sky stories for science topics. Having all these options in one resource is
convenient for a teacher to give families access to all these great sources for
different curriculum topics.
Children can independently use BookFlix, whether they are reading all
the words by themselves or need to use computer to have it read to them. It is an engaging independent reading tool
that will help foster a love of reading and books for many topics at an early
age. Children can also play the
learning games on Book Flix to reinforce literacy and comprehension
skills.
Reflection
Using Bookflix for the purpose of this assignment did not come without
challenges. BookFlix requires a paid subscription
and I unfortunately did not have one. I
requested a free trial, but because I was not an Ontario certified teacher, I
was declined. This meant I had to work
off the basic website which explains what BookFlix is, and the user guide. It was difficult to comprehend the full use
of BookFlix without access to the actual program and I feel if access were
granted, filling out the Plus/Minus/Interesting chart would have been an easier
task.
With regards to teaching and learning, I learned that reading could be
strengthened online. I was previously
skeptical to using technology for teaching; I thought it was a distraction, not
a tool that could further learning.
After exploring BookFlix, I see many ways that using this tool could
help further learning and education. I
think BookFlix would appeal to visual learners who like animated learning. BookFlix has many appeals and I feel it would
also work well for children that are homeschooled.
After using BookFlix for this assignment, I will keep an open mind to
the idea of teaching resources online. I
am an outdoor-enthusiast and my frame of mind previous to this project was
promoting an outdoor-based learning style, with running, playing, and little to
none indoor school time. I would have
never promoted a tool that encourages children to sit at a computer, but I do
feel that BookFlix has many properties that actual books cannot. For readers that struggle or readers that
find books non-interactive, BookFlix solves that problem. I had to change my schema with regards to
online tools for learning and accommodate for different teaching
approaches. I will continue to attempt
exploring different online tools for the purpose of evaluating what may be
beneficial to the classroom. I want to
be a teacher that develops and promotes different and innovating ways children
can learn, and tools like BookFlix can help do so.
References
BookFlix. (n.d.).
Retrieved October 26, 2015, from http://teacher.scholastic.com/products/bookflixfreetrial/index.htm
[Bookflix]. (2010). Retrieved from
http://edproductsupport.scholastic.com/
content/techsupport/bigday/manuals/BookFlix_BD_Users_Guide.pdf
content/techsupport/bigday/manuals/BookFlix_BD_Users_Guide.pdf
BookFlix user’s guide. (2010). Retrieved October 26, 2015, from
http://edproductsupport.scholastic.com/content/techsupport/bigday/manuals/BookFlix_BD_Users_Guide.pdf
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