Kindles in Schools - Tech and Teaching

K2 - Edition

Kindle's Unique Selling Proposition:
Free Cellular Internet Connection

Reader Feature List:

• Does NOT require a computer
• Non backlit Display
• No support for video or flash
• Adjustable Font Sizes
• Multiple days of functionality without recharging (Long long battery life)
• Wall Charger and USB cable include with the device
• Ability to Work with a Computer for loading files (required for mp3 and pdf's)
• Can play mp3 Audio files - Audio Books Free Audio Books at http://librivox.org/
• Reads/Displays Mobi and PRC and TXT and AWZ files without conversion - also some PDF
• The New Oxford American Dictionary - built in
• Quick Searching of Wikipedia - it opens browser automatically
• Links in ebooks can automatically open up the web browser to the linked page

Browser Feature List:

• Free Access to the Web - with basic browser functionality (approx Netscape Navigator 3.0 Level Browser)
• Download from Link on a webpage for TXT, Mobi, PRC and AWZ files to your kindle

Software Versions

• Windows
• Mac
• Iphone/Ipad
• Black Berry

Tools to Create / Manage Ebooks

• Calibre - free and open source e-book library management application
  • Library Management
  • E-book conversion
  • Syncing to e-book reader devices
  • Downloading news from the web and converting it into e-book form
  • Comprehensive e-book viewer
  • Content server for online access to your book collection
• Mobipocket eBook Creator
  • Create your own ebooks
  • Create your personal databases and documents
  • Powerful and easy-to-use Graphical environment
  • Edit and Personalize your publication
  • Create ebooks from PDF, Word or Text files
  • Sell copyrighted content with DRM protection

Teaching Feature List:

• Free Access to the Web - with basic browser functionality (approx Netscape Navigator 3.0 Level Browser)
• Download from Link in an ebook TXT, Mobi, PRC and AWZ files to your kindle
• Download from Link on a webpage for TXT, Mobi, PRC and AWZ files to your kindle
• Millions of Free Ebooks - Top 100 - Project Gutenberg - Free Kindle Books
• Trivially Easy to Create Kindle Compatible flies
  • TXT files - with any text editor or word processor
  • Mobi files - Free Mobipocket eBook Creator or Calibre open source e-book library management application
• Inexpensive --- $259 is 35 cents a day if used for 2 years. -

Kindle Teaching Best Uses

1. The Kindle can replace, books, photocopies, notes etc - for a direct measurable cost and environmental savings
2. Allow students read a book using larger type size to reduce eyestrain
3. The Kindle allows wireless on demand distribution of content to wherever the student is. (homework assignments etc)
4. The Kindle allow on demand access to dictionary, wikipedia and other reference websites
5. Reduce the pounds of material (books/laptops) that students are required to carry.
6. The Kindle allows (slow) access to webmail, web class websites, and other web tools.
7. Accessing Custom Web Content/Tools Designed for the Kindle - other pda/mobile web browsers - example - Kwrite

Teaching Worst Uses

1. Having students take notes using the kindle of books on their kindle - inefficient compared to paper
2. Having students do online research - the wrong tool for the job
3. Having students submit large written assignments to the web (example blog posts) - the wrong tool for the job
4. Reading PDF Documents - wrong tool and requires attaching to a computer

Teaching Program Dependent Uses

Listening to Audio Books - Requires attaching to a computer

If the Kindles are owned by the school, then the teacher can set up each Kindle with the audio books they would like the student to listen too. If the students had to load mp3 on their on to their own kindle it would be much more effort than it is worth.

The Future

Kindle Development - Kindle Apps

Active content will be available to customers in the Kindle Store later this year. Your active content can be priced three ways:

• Free – Active content applications that are smaller than 1MB and use less than 100KB/user/month of wireless data may be offered at no charge to customers. Amazon will pay the wireless costs associated with delivery and maintenance.
• One-time Purchase - Customers will be charged once when purchasing active content. Content must have nominal (less than 100KB/user/month) ongoing wireless usage.
• Monthly Subscription - Customers will be charged once per month for active content.