Recent studies have shown that students’ reading comprehension when reading a digital text is lower than reading in print. However, e-books continue to proliferate along with online reading tools and transformative pedagogies. This panel explores the problems and pitfalls with digital reading, promising solutions, and how this (r)evolution will shape the future of reading. This interactive and diverse panel will provide insight into these challenges and ideas on what can be done about it.

1. Is this the inevitable progression of reading?!
Is the digital revolution a boon to literacy or its demise?
Vote for the SxSW EDU panel:!
CONFRONTING THE DIGITAL READING (R)EVOLUTION

3. Proponents of digital reading and
literacy claim many benefits:
• Increased access to huge digital
libraries
• New ways of interacting and
learning
• Deeper engagement
Proponents of digital reading and
literacy claim many benefits:
• Increased access to huge digital
libraries
• New ways of interacting and
learning
• Deeper engagement

4. HOWEVER, recent research
has shown students
demonstrate lower levels of
reading comprehension with
some digital reading tools.
One study found children spent
43% of their e-book
engagement time playing
games rather than reading the
text.

5. •Is digital reading doomed?
•What pitfalls should educators avoid
in digital reading and literacy
instruction?
•What can educators do to help
students?
•What tools are the best?
•How should educators select digital
reading and literacy tools?
•What new pedagogies and
techniques do educators need to
know?
Explore the answers to these questions and more at the SxSW
EDU Panel: “Confronting the Digital Reading (r)Evolution”

6. Jordan Schugar
Jordan Schugar is an Assistant Professor of English at the West Chester University of Pennsylvania. His research interests include mobile
pedagogies, eReading text comprehension, wearable technologies, and figurative language and he has published articles in such journals as
The Reading Teacher and The California Reader, and The Journal of Technology, and Teaching, and Learning and also edited Mobile
Pedagogy and Perspectives on Teaching and Learning (2014). Additionally, he has presented his work at local, state, and national
conferences and his research has also been featured in the New York Times, USA Today, Real Simple Magazine, and Education Week. Dr.
Schugar, who was named an Apple Distinguished Educator in 2013, earned his doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction from the University
of Maryland, College Park and is married to Heather R. Schugar, an Assistant Professor of Literacy at West Chester University.
Jason Singer - CEO of Curriculet - @curriculet
Jason Singer s the founder and CEO of Curriculet, a digital reading platform that allows teachers to embed a layer of question, quizzes, and
annotations into digital texts. Prior to Curriculet, Jason founded both KIPP Summit Academy and KIPP King Collegiate High School, two
extraordinarily high performing college preparatory charter schools. KIPP King Collegiate High School is considered a national model for
developing critical thinking skills among students. Jason is also a former English teacher, district-wide Teacher of the Year, and Fulbright
Scholar. In 2009, Jason received a Jefferson Award for Public Service for his work while leading KIPP Summit Academy and KIPP King
Collegiate High School. Before his time with KIPP, Singer co-founded FairAir, a market exchange for airline tickets and CHALK, a nationally
recognized youth employment and development nonprofit. Jason holds a B.A. in English and World History from Pitzer College and a M.A. in
Secondary Education from the University of Mississippi where he earned his Master’s degree as a member of the Mississippi Teacher Corps.
Benjamin Herold - Moderator - Education Week Reporter - @BenjaminBHerold
Benjamin Herold is a staff writer covering educational technology for Education Week, American education's newspaper of record. He
previously worked as a beat reporter covering Philadelphia public schools across multiple media and platforms for WHYY-FM and the
Philadelphia Public School Notebook.Herold's work covering Philadelphia's mass school closings in 2013 won first prize from the national
Education Writers Association, and Herold was named the nation's top education beat reporter for medium-sized newsrooms in 2012.
Herold has a Master's degree in Urban Education from Temple University and has also worked as a researcher, independent documentary
filmmaker, training specialist for a rape-crisis center, and waiter.
Confronting the Digital Reading (r)Evolution panelists
Kate Baker - High School English Teacher - @ktbkr4
Kate Baker is a 9th and 12th grade English teacher at Southern Regional High School in Manahawkin, NJ, and is a contributing author of
Flipping 2.0: Practical Strategies for Flipping Your Classroom. With 16 years teaching experience, Kate is adept at integrating technology
effectively in her classes using flipped and blended learning strategies and has been recognized as an Edmodo Certified Trainer and Support
Ambassador. Kate shares her expertise widely through Twitter chats, blogging, e-journals and presentations at regional and national
conferences such as EdmodoCon, Conference on English Leadership (CEL), FlipCon, TeachMeetNJ, EdcampPhilly, and the International
Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Conference. You can also connect with Kate on Twitter @KtBkr4 and read about her teaching
techniques on her blog, Baker's BYOD (kbakerbyodlit.blogspot.com).