Elementary school has changed a lot since we teachers were kids. We’re living in a digital age, and technology has become an integral part of our daily lives, even in the classroom. Computer literacy is a must—for both students and teachers alike—and digital solutions are more and more frequently found to be the best answers to even the most common questions.
Even in the literary world, computers have become commonplace. One great way to build up your students’ computer skills while teaching them a little something about the writing and publishing process is to publish a classbook using technology like Scripsi, Studentreasures’ online platform.
Why Go Digital?
When it comes to publishing student writing, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to the question, “Paper or digital?” For some classrooms and projects, paper kits will be preferable for a number of reasons. But for many, a digital platform offers extra benefits and even more opportunities to get creative and create something truly unique:
- Digital publishing is perfect for creating kindergarten picture books. For younger students who may not yet be adept at writing clearly and have not yet honed their typing skills, digital platforms give them an opportunity to still be involved in the publishing process by simply uploading their drawings using easy-to-use tools to create a picture book. Or, you can let them create their book digitally from the very beginning by using simple clipart and drawing functions.
- Using technology to publish your classbook makes formatting—and editing—larger projects a breeze. Working on a computer gives students with a little more tech experience the freedom to type up their assignments themselves and experiment with fonts and page layouts. You can also take advantage of editing functions to review student work online and have them revise their work without having to write up an entire new draft. This is especially convenient for longer pieces of writing that would take extra time to rewrite by hand.
- Online publishing technology offers highly interactive schools a chance to strengthen the home-school connection. Because their project is stored online, students using a digital platform can access the project anywhere at school as well as outside of it.
#Proudauthors in Mrs. Wright’s class work hard on both their handwriting and their typing skills.
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Why Use Scripsi?
To really make your students’ work shine, you need to use technology that will enable them (and you) to polish your classbook project to perfection. Personally, my favorite publishing platform for classbook projects has always been Scripsi. Why?
- It was specifically created for use in an educational setting. Scripsi is designed to be as intuitive and convenient to use as possible, both for teachers and students. It makes writing and editing easier, and allows teachers to make notes and give feedback directly in the program.
- It offers a wide range of fonts, page templates and other formatting tools to give you and your students the freedom to get as creative as you like—while keeping the publishing process itself streamlined and frustration-free.
- The platform is hosted in a secure, password-protected online environment. No downloading is necessary—everything is stored online—and your students’ personal information is kept private.
- Submitting your project for publishing is easy! While you will need to return parent order forms and other paperwork -all of your classbook pages can be submitted online—no muss, no fuss.
- There is no additional cost to use Scripsi for your classbook project. It doesn’t matter where in the country you are or how big (or how small) your classroom budget may be. If your classroom has access to a computer, you can access Scripsi.
Mrs. Gault’s #proudauthors excitedly show off their recently published books.
Creativity, Publishing and Technology
The most important thing to keep in mind when using technology to publish your students’ writing is to always make sure the spotlight’s on the real star of the show: your students! By guiding your students through the process of publishing using a digital platform, you’ll be opening their minds to a world of possibilities. Enabling them to learn about modern technology and taking an active role in how their work will ultimately be showcased builds up their confidence and teaches them valuable skills that will serve them well even beyond the four walls of your classroom.
For more writing and publishing resources for your classroom, be sure to visit our online teacher’s lounge, and sign up for your free publishing kit today!
Image sources: Lead image via Shutterstock user jamesteohart; Images 1, 2 via Twitter