Reading more books in the golden age of content – Exploring ways for motivating children to read more books by investigating their reading practices

(1)

Reading more books in the golden

age of content

Exploring ways for motivating children to read more

books by investigating their reading practices

Anna Wahl

Interaction Design Bachelor

22.5HP

Spring semester/2020 Supervisor: Jens Pedersen

(2)

Abstract

Reading habits and attitudes have changed drastically during the past years, especially among children and teenagers. Previous studies and related work focus on academic achievement and the reading itself as ways to turn this development around. Making children more efficient readers does however not seem to influence their motivation to read during their free time. What does influence a child's reading attitude is their home environment, being able to find books they enjoy, practicing collective reading and more accessible book formats. Concepts developed during this project in order to facilitate some of these needs and contribute to motivating children to read more include a library service for helping children and their parents find books they enjoy, as well as book trailers to make plots easier to understand and awaken children’s desire to engage with books.

(3)

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank my supervisor Jens for being helpful and present throughout the process of this project. I would also like to thank all interviewees and survey answerers who took the time to help me with gathering insights contributing to this thesis. Lastly, I would like to thank friends and family for their support and encouragements.

(4)

1 Introduction

“The business does not make our lives meaningful; it is the interior life that makes the greatest difference to us in the end. If you enforce reading, you are likely to enforce time for reflection.” (Joseph, 2019, 31.59)

How am I supposed to find the time to pick up a book? We are not likely to admit that as a society we are addicted to our screens, but there is so much information to consume and for many, not enough time. This societal and widespread overstimulation may be one cause to why statistics show that reading books has come to a staggering drop during the last few years, especially among young people, and the percentage of teenagers who read books is at an all-time low (Statens Medieråd, 2019).

The question is, is this digital media presence the reason to children reading less? There is no denying that the world of books and literature has come to be affected by the widespread use of the internet, which has resulted in us reading less as well as having less understanding of what we read. A few years ago, there were concerns regarding if the traditional book format would survive the rapid development of technology, and whether children in the future would have to learn to read at all. However, it would seem that digitalization doesn’t necessarily have to be bad news for literature but rather the contrary. The digitalization widens the opportunities for texts and books. (Ohlsson, 2012) But if these opportunities for text and books exist, how come fewer children and teenagers are choosing to read during their free time and instead deciding to dedicate their time on digital mediums? What influences children’s and teenagers’ reading practices and attitudes?

Writing this thesis was sparked by a wild but ever-present idea of a so-called post-literature society. A society where reading is no longer required, studied, nor important or considered. It would seem that as time passes, more people worry about the future of literature. Years ago, being well-read was the mark of a well-educated person. Today however, it is seemingly considered non-essential as it is being replaced for workforce learning. Students are trading studying literature for something that may end up providing them with a better, more successful future. (Leo, 2019)

A fair question to ask is why we should read, if we even need to and why this topic is worth investigating. Considering the amount of research that exists in order to understand reading practices and habits, reading is widely considered vital for individuals not solely for success in school and adult life but for enriching our personal lives (Abdul Karim & Hasan, 2007). Reading

(7)

comprehension and linguistic abilities are fundamental parts of expressing oneself, understanding others and being able to reflect and argue (Ingvar, Koljonen, Lidman, & Rabe, 2012). Depending on who you ask why we should read, what it’s good for and so on, the answers will differ substantially. Most frequent answers tend to mention desire, identification and understanding. Arguments for reading more can be summed up as offering experiences and knowledge, being good for development of language, strengthening senses of personality and integrity, creating empathy and counteracting undemocratic values (Ohlsson, 2012). Furthermore, being able to read is important for citizens in order to part-take in a democratic society. Reading is also a prerequisite for children being successful in school (Ingvar, Koljonen, Lidman, & Rabe, 2012).

1.1 Purpose

As designers, we have the opportunity to make a difference, and I would argue that we should choose our areas for concept development carefully and with intent. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate children’s reading attitudes, practices and habits in order to get proper understanding of the current predicament for reading, with the aim to develop a concept for children to want to read more books. The hope for this thesis is to develop a concept that will contribute to motivating children to take the time to read more books for pleasure, by conducting design through different stages of research. The purpose of this thesis is not to force habit changes onto children and their parents, the purpose is to provide ways to motivate them.

1.2 Target group

The main target group for this thesis is children aged 9-11 years. These ages were chosen as these are the ages where reading habits are switched for spending more time on smartphones. The aim is therefore to tackle these ages and design for them, creating a positive reading attitude which aim to motivate reading habits that will carry on into young adulthood.

1.3 Research questions

• How come fewer children and teenagers are choosing to read during their free time? What influences children’s reading practices and attitudes?

• How might I by investigating children’s reading practices, explore those practices and general reading premises in order to make reading books more intriguing and desirable for children?

(8)

1.4 Ethical concerns

This thesis and the methods used when writing it follows ethical standards. Prior to interviews, all interviewees were informed about the project, its purposes and its topic. The interviews were all completely voluntary, and the interviewees could choose to stop the interview at any time or choose not to answer a particular question without having to give reason why. All interviewees names have been changed in respect for personal privacy purposes, any details given about them was written with their approval and in the way so they are unidentifiable. (Swedish Scientific Council, 2020). As the target group for this thesis is primarily young children, special consideration and sensitivity was practiced (Sanders & Stappers, 2012). The children interviewed were never pushed to go on with the interview if they grew tired. The parents of the children interviewed as well as the child themselves were given a consent form which was signed by the parent (appendix B). All material collected during interviews will be destroyed after this thesis is concluded. All gather data will be handled only by me.

1.5 Delimitations and definitions

Before getting started, there is a need for clarification and definition, as well as delimitation. Firstly, this thesis aims to focus on increasing children’s desire to read for pleasure. Reading for pleasure can be defined as the reading we do voluntarily during our free time with the goal of gaining certain satisfaction we get from the act of reading. This tends to be related to reading motivation and reading choice (Kucirkova, 2016). Reading for pleasure is therefore participating and engaging with stories, both written and heard. This in other words include reading printed books, reading books on screens through for example Kindle, as well as audiobooks. Reading in this thesis is therefore referred to as the said definition, and not necessarily the reading modern people do almost constantly in their everyday life, such as reading the date on a carton of milk, the names of bus stops or text messages. Reading practices means that reading is something that can be practiced in many different ways, as well as having a practice means doing something with regularity. Furthermore, literature is defined as anything that has to do with letters, which includes the alphabet, grammar, philosophy and so on. More commonly though and as it will be used in this thesis, literature is defined as written texts that fill some aesthetic criteria. (Ohlsson, 2012)

(9)

2 Methodology

As this thesis was written during the spring of 2020 the methods used were heavily influenced by the looming pandemic outbreak and the restrictions following the Covid-19 virus. Due to these restrictions, there had to be some re-planning of research and design work. These restrictions did, despite being challenging, highlight the fact that whilst interaction design seems dependent on interacting with people when doing research, which is at times expensive and time consuming, there are ways to get around it. One might argue that insights gained through video chat and not face to face interaction does not weigh as heavy. However, it is possible to conduct design research during a global pandemic and still gain a substantial amount of insights.

2.1 Double diamond

This thesis followed the double diamond framework, which is a design method used for diving deep into a presumably known problem by going through four steps. The first two steps, discover and define, loosely represent the research phase of the project whilst the latter two, develop and deliver, represent the design phase (Design Council, 2020). This method was used for this thesis as it facilitates for the timeline of a research driven design project. Starting at discover, unpacking the problem and aiming to understand underlying issues by doing research and talking to target groups. Following these understandings, defining the challenges and the real problem. The defined problem was used for developing a wide range of ideas, which conclusively delivered two concepts. This method put emphasis on communication and collaboration as well as putting the users and their needs first.

(10)

2.2 Literature studies

For my empirical research, data was collected through reports and scientific articles. These reports were gathered through Google Scholar and Malmö University’s online library search. They were properly accessed and critically approached before being used as sources. I used governmental surveys from The Swedish Governmental Media Council in order to gather statistics. In addition to reports and scientific articles I gathered data from books which were borrowed at Malmö University. These books were used for understanding the history of reading as well as getting proper understanding of the current predicament of reading in Sweden. The theory brought up in this thesis is shaped around the idea of situating the current predicament of reading, such as statistics and general attitudes, in relation to a historical aspect of reading and how people viewed reading in the past. In order to understand where we are, I would argue we should know where we have been. Furthermore, a part of describing the current climate for reading is shedding light on studies that have been conducted and concepts that have been developed in relation to this topic. Therefore, the thesis is shaped by starting with the history of reading which moves into the current predicament of reading which includes statistics, general attitudes, previous studies and related work.

2.3 Semi-structured interviews

For my ethnographic research I chose to conduct qualitative interviews. I conducted interviews with a total of twelve people: six children aged 9-13, as well as parents of both young and older children. I also interviewed one preschool teacher. My ethnographic research was the part of writing this thesis that was especially influenced by the restrictions following the Covid-19 outbreak. Initially, I planned to conduct my ethnographic research solely with children. The plan was to visit preschools and interact with the children to gain proper understanding of their reading practices. However, due to restrictions I decided to interview both children and parents. I spoke to parents in order to get another perspective both on children’s as well as the parents own reading, since I would argue that attentive parents have some insight on their children’s habits, attitudes and motivations.

All interviewees were sent consent forms and were informed of the project and its purposes beforehand. The interviews were all conducted through Skype, Zoom and FaceTime. Prior to the interviews I had formulated guideline questions and talking points I aimed to talk about during the interviews. In order to give space for conversation the interviews were conducted in a semi-structured manner since the role of the designer is arguably to open up for all possible answers, not solely those which may generate the most promising design concepts. Depending on the conversation and the age of the interviewee the interviews lasted from about 20 to 60 minutes. Working with children required sensitivity and patience, and all

(11)

children were informed that they could stop the interview at any time or choose not to answer a certain question. Interviews were influenced by empirical research and formulated to answer questions that had arisen as well as areas of interest for the research question and purpose of this thesis. Interview questions were open and simple. The interviews were followed by a debriefing, such as if the interviewee had any additional thoughts as well as asking how they experienced the interview itself. (Kvale, 2011)

2.4 User-centred design

This thesis follows so called user-centred design. User-centred design include three main things which are human factors, ethnography and usability testing (Sanders & Stappers, 2012). The aim was to, based on findings discovered during the research phase, design to facilitate the target group’s needs. This involved the users throughout the entire process, both during research and design. The design spaces and design opportunities are therefore heavily influenced by the users’ needs, which were discovered during the research phase.

2.5 Brainstorming

Brainstorming is used in order to quickly generate a stream of ideas (Sanders & Stappers, 2012). Brainstorming was used throughout the entire design process of this thesis, both initially in order to formulate insights gained from interviews and later to formulate design opportunities, as well as for coming up with concept ideas and how to iterate them.

2.5.1 Affinity diagram

I used affinity diagrams in the design making of this thesis. Affinity diagrams are used for clustering together and making sense of data (Sanders & Stappers, 2012). The affinity diagrams were used to get an overview of findings by using post-its of different colours to see patterns and contradictions.

2.6 Prototyping

Prototyping as a design method is a relatively broad term, commonly though prototyping is used in order to give life to ideas (Houde & Hill, 1997). Prototyping in this project was used to formulate and clarify ideas by the use of sketches, wireframes and storyboards. There were several stages of prototyping, and ideas with more potential were developed further. In order to develop a well-grounded and user-centred design concept, the prototyping phase was used to alter and refine the final design concepts. This means that the prototypes that were sketched were altered during the design process, going back and forth making iterations and adjustments.

(12)

2.6.1 User involvement

The initial plan before the Covid-19 outbreak was to set up a focus group for this stage in the design process. Instead, I conducted user-engaged interviews with four children to iterate the prototypes and concepts. I also set up a survey with questions about the concepts. The insights gained were used to make alterations and final decisions. The role of a designer in this case was to involve users in the making of a design, both as a way of ensuring its relevance and to avoid any ethical issues or intrusion (Sanders & Stappers, 2012).

(13)

3 Background

3.1 History of literature

Considering the practicalities of reading, most people in modern society read all the time. Not in the sense of sitting down and reading a novel, but in reading food packaging, road signs, a timetable or a text message. The reading we remember, though, is something rather different. We remember books and stories; they have the power to change our minds and force us to see things in a different light. (Towheed & Owens, 2011) Historically, books and the access to them have been characterized by prevailing political and religious powers, and oppressive leaders have during their ruling time attempted to control and limit the publication of books in order to further supervise the population. Still today there are societies in which censorship occurs in order to control its citizens. (Ohlsson, 2012)

In the past, reading and writing was a privilege and restricted to a minority of people. In early Europe books were rare, and workers could generally not afford them. From what we know, there is little evidence of peasants reading and writing since few left proof they engaged with these activities. Being able to read and write was also a time-consuming process, and something the working class didn’t have time for. The differences of reading and writing competency between socio-economic groups was massive. (Lyons, 2010) However, reading and writing slowly became more widespread and is seen as an essential historical aspect of moving into modern time. Mass culture is said to have started in the late nineteenth century with the mass production, circulation and spread of cheap popular fiction. During these times there were complaints of people reading too much, whilst we today complain about people reading too little (Lyons, 2010). As a result of the industrialization and developments during the nineteenth century there was a massive increase in the availability of books. (Towheed & Owens, 2011)

There are certain limitations to what historians know about the history of reading and it is mostly based on records of what has survived (Towheed & Owens, 2011). What they do know is that before the printing press and the mass production of books, the relationship between reading and listening was much more closely related than it is today. The printing revolution started in the late fifteenth century but some patterns in the consumption of text continued for a long time after Gutenberg. Evidence shows that pre-print practices continued after the printing revolution. These practices mainly refer to the fact that texts were originally meant to be heard, which means some differences in structures. These structures were for example repetition, rather than innovation which was the mark of literature that was written for the sake of being read rather than heard. Until about the middle ages, writers wrote with the perception that their written words would be heard rather than read.

(14)

Reading at this point was not a common skill, and few acquired it. Public readings were common, resulting in the written word rather being spoken aloud than read quietly. Due to these circumstances, text was formatted very differently as opposed to the way text presents itself today in the western world. Depending on places and ages, texts in practicality were read differently. Sometimes they would be read from right to left, in varied formats of columns, sentences going back and forth or in opposite directions. Neither was there a distinction between lower and upper-case letters, nor was punctuation commonly used. Julius Caesar was said to be the first to fold text into pages. Prior to this text was formatted in an endless roll of paper. This method was found practical and meant the pages could be numbered and was adopted in time. Early scholars believed that reading would come to be a way of conversing through time and space, which we now know it is. (Manguel, 1997)

Johann Gutenberg produced what came to be completely revolutionary for the printing of books, which up until his invention was a long and laborious process. His invention meant a more time efficient process, as well as it being cheaper and more reliable in uniformity. Gutenberg’s printing presses were quickly adapted all over Europe during the late 1400. This cheap and quick printing process led to large groups of people getting a hold on literature, something that up until then had been too expensive. (Manguel, 1997) Having highlighted the history of reading, the role of the printing revolution and how reading was seen as a privilege only the very fortunate was entitled to and had time for, I will now give account for reading today in terms of statistics, attitudes and related work.

3.2 The current reading predicament

Reading habits have changed in Sweden, especially among young people. Sweden has since the seventies been a part of International Studies with The International Association for the Evaluation of Education Achievement, which shows that the reading comprehension in Sweden for 9 and 10-year-olds has been at a continuous decrease since these evaluations started. The amount of weak readers has increased, which researchers think influences their motivation to read in their free time. The presence of digital media is one cause to this change in reading habits, and in countries where the amount of people who read regularly has decreased the use of computers have increased. Developing reading comprehension is therefore influenced, not necessarily as a result of interacting with computers but rather as a consequence to less time being spent on reading. (Ingvar, Koljonen, Lidman, & Rabe, 2012).

People tend to read less but at the same time there are more books than ever being published, which is a result of the well-developed book making process. Meaning that it is fairly simple to publish a book. This transition that is currently ongoing is considered to influence the market of books and

(15)

literature, both meaning the closing of book shops but also the development of new business models. Some new media include audiobooks and eBooks, which have resulted in Kindles, storybook apps and membership services. (Ingvar, Koljonen, Lidman, & Rabe, 2012)

The Swedish government decided in 2011 to appoint a committee whose main task would be to analyse the position of literature today and identify potential development which could be expected to influence the area of literature in the future. There were three main goals with the project ”A Reading Lift for Sweden”: the literacy and motivation to read among children and young adults should be vastly bettered, more children and young adults should regularly part-take in the use of literature and the knowledge of the benefits of reading should be widely spread among all age groups. To reach these goals, it was established that there was a need to prioritize learning, promote reading and increase the possibilities of accessing literature. Furthermore, it was established that there was a need to educate teachers and library personnel, additional economical support for events in book shops, better access to eBooks and so on. (Ingvar, Koljonen, Lidman, & Rabe, 2012)

3.2.1 Statistics

Media accessibility and owning a smartphone is high for all ages between 10 and 18. Although some media formats such as computers, touch pads and gaming consoles seem to be decreasing in usage, this may be the result of an increasingly converging function. Smartphones can be used for playing games, watching films and staying connected which may be the explanation to the slight decrease for said media formats. (Statens Medieråd, 2019) Among young children the daily mobile usage has continued to steadily increase and is now as high for 12-year-olds as it was for 18-year-olds two years ago, at 89 percent. Some media habits such as using social media start at younger ages the more years pass by. Statistics on the use of social media has recently seem to slow down, at least in the older age groups. This is a result of the numbers being so high they simply can’t get any higher, 95 percent for 13 to 16-year olds and 97 percent for 17 to 18-year olds. Having older siblings seem to affect the use of media, especially for younger children. Older siblings introduce their younger sibling to media, as well as media usage making a way of socializing for siblings. (Statens Medieråd, 2019) Statistics also show an apparent decrease in the daily reading of magazines and books, since the gathering of data started in 2012. Generally, the daily reading decreases the older the children get. In relation to this, a fourth of children aged 9-12 reported they think they spend too much time on the platform YouTube. That children think they spend too much time on media formats similar to YouTube only increases as they get older. Smartphones and social media are the most time-consuming for teenagers, which takes time away from doing sports and reading which many claim they spend too little time on. (Statens Medieråd, 2019)

(16)

Statistics show a clear direction for internet use among young children, and between the years 2010 and 2018 the number of children who use the internet a few times a week went from 8 percent to 66 percent for 2-year olds, and from 29 percent to 96 percent for 8-year olds. Additionally, that internet use is the most common media activity among children, as opposed to it being watching tv and reading in 2016. Among the youngest, ages 2 to 4, reading is the most common media activity. However, as children grow older the time spent on reading books and magazines steadily decreases. (Statens Medieråd, 2019)

When children are young, the second main thing children speak to their parents about after how their day has been, is books they have read. Parents in the survey were asked what they think their child spends too much and too little time doing. It seems they are generally of the opinion that their children spend too little time on reading, spending time with friends and doing sports and too much time on playing digital games, the internet and their phones. Finally, the survey shows that the number of children who say they never read is increasing for all ages. (Statens Medieråd, 2019)

3.2.2 Reading attitudes

Research done on reading practices and habits touch upon the changes seen due to the use of internet and media. This research confirms the idea that digital media has caused a shift in the way we read and write, and our attitudes toward it. However, readers’ attitudes and motivations for reading may not solely be due to digitalization. For example, a study looking at Malaysian university students’ reading habits clearly shows learners approach reading situations differently depending on their individual feeling about the act, in other words their personal motivation for reading. Having a positive reading attitude is understood to have a direct correlation to being a successful reader. (Abdul Karim & Hasan, 2007)

Reading attitudes boil down to a variety of factors: having confidence in yourself as a reader, enjoying reading, believing that it is important to read and coming from a home environment where reading is encouraged. Turns out, that students who prohibit a generally positive attitude towards reading were often read to as a child and came from a family where reading was encouraged, concluding that a child’s home environment plays an extensive role in their future reading attitude. Other factors contributing to a child’s reading practice include owning a library card, having books around and having friends who read. (Abdul Karim & Hasan, 2007)

Reading abilities are closely linked to reading habits and reading motivation, since those who enjoy reading get better at it which leads to them reading more thus getting even better and so on. This means that those who do not reach a certain level of reading are more likely to end up in a downward spiral. The foundation for children’s reading abilities are developed early, meaning there is a considerable amount of pressure on schools and curriculums. In

(17)

preschools, reading is largely about introducing children to books and stories. This is done through reading aloud, jingles, rhymes and games. Research has shown that children enter preschool with different levels of knowledge, for example word knowledge, which has large effects on their abilities to reach the schools requirements and goals. These levels of knowledge are somewhat a reflection of their home environments. (Ingvar, Koljonen, Lidman, & Rabe, 2012)

In the light of history in relation to our current predicament for reading, the climate for reading and books is changing. Perhaps, if we stop clinging to the traditional idea of reading and go along with this change, we can instead aim to meet the needs of today. Perhaps this change is allowing us to explore new premises as ways to gain the benefits we get from reading, but by pushing the boundaries of how to get those benefits from practices that have adapted to modern society.

(18)

4 Previous studies

As previously stated, studies show that children who struggle with reading in early elementary school continue to struggle as students, as they grow older. Many agree on the importance of reading at young ages, especially in regard to developing literacy and comprehension. Therefore, many studies are based around the goal of increasing children’s reading comprehension and word knowledge. These studies focus on the educational aspects of children reading and propose ways of using new tools or programs in schools. Attention, memory, motivation and reasoning, as well as understanding language structure and vocabulary are aspects that reading with understanding depends on, which many of these studies focus on. (Fuchs, Kearns, Fuchs, Elleman, Gilbert, Patton, & Compton, 2019)

4.1 Print vs electronic

The combination of hardware and software used to display digital text as well as interact with it is how eBooks tends to be defined (Biancarosa & Griffiths, 2012). Technology changes the way we read, and studies show we are not reading as thoroughly when reading an eBook as we do a printed book. Screens take up more mental resources compared to paper, which affects our memory. Additionally, computers and tablets tend to be approached in a less serious manner which may influence our ability to process information. (Jabr, 2013) When comparing eBooks to traditional print books, eBooks tend to be cheaper to maintain. Furthermore, eBooks can be used by several people at once if accessed on a platform, whilst print books can be read by only one person at a time. These factors make eBooks a cost effective and accessible alternative to print books. (Bunkell & Dyas-Correia, 2009)

4.1.1 Motivating children’s reading with eBooks

Electronic book reading formats have become a way of dealing with children’s decrease in reading motivation. The idea is to attract children to the activity of reading by making it more desirable which is done by adding animations, sound effects and narration. Furthermore, feedback offered through electronic formats has a way of motivating students whilst at the same time letting them know how to improve their learning. (Ciampa, 2012)

Studies highlight the important aspect of motivation in relation to children learning to read and deciding to dedicate their time to do so. They go on to say how children’s motivation to read tracks back to how they view themselves as readers. It is understood that learning how to read properly in early ages and developing literacy skills causes better reading confidence, which increases children’s motivation to read thus creating a positive reading attitude. Studies show evidence that electronic storybooks awakens the interest in children which contribute to their reading development. However,

(19)

these findings may be influenced by children’s curiosity towards new mediums and may wear off as they grow familiar with it. Despite these implications, there are still positive conclusions for the results of computer-assisted reading and especially for children who struggle with reading. The positive reinforcements possible with electronic storybooks have a positive influence on the way in which those children who usually struggle with reading, perceive themselves as readers which in turn increases their motivation. Animated images and highlighted text help keep children’s interest, involvement and attention. (Ciampa, 2012)

4.2 Interactive reading activities

As opposed to children’s eBooks, which are books with added animations, sounds and narration, interactive reading activities is a method in which children are asked questions in order to engage them with what they are reading. Interactive book reading is a technique used to help children develop their literacy and linguistic skills. The technique includes adults, usually teachers, asking children open-ended questions, repeating their answers and reinforcing their interests (Özen Altınkaynak, 2019). Findings show that interactive book reading activities significantly influences students reading in regard to fluency and comprehension. These activities expose children to richer language and help develop spelling, as well as promote comprehension through mental imagination. Interactive book activities also show positive effects on the interaction between the child and the adult though encouraging conversation. (Çetinkaya, Ateş, & Yıldırım, 2019) Through studies made for investigating the effects of interactive book reading in comparison to traditional reading, the results pointed towards a considerable increase in the vocabulary of the children using interactive book reading whilst no change was seen for those using traditional reading activities. (Özen Altınkaynak, 2019)

4.3 Personalization

A study done on children’s personalized books brings up user involvement as a result of the customization and individualization it takes to engage with a personalized book. Personalized books are available both in print book format and digital book format. In regard to personalizing print books, the opportunities usually present themselves as cut-out pieces such as photographs or stickers. Digital books offer more personalization opportunities in the sense that children can add sound, texts or pictures. The digital format also makes it possible for the children to easily update or change their story. (Kucirkova, 2016)

This study highlights the personalization of books as a way of utilizing the children instincts, expressivity and aesthetics. They state that making personalization possible for books may also contribute to a wider diversity in children’s storybooks. Digital personalization of books can encourage

(20)

collaborative book making which may help foster community and help children find places in social constructs. (Kucirkova, 2016)

4.4 Play libraries

This particular study examined how a play library affected the lives of children and their families in Istanbul. Aspects that were considered were literacy skills, socialization and understanding of other cultures. The library was opened as a way of encouraging families and children to book reading, developing artistic traits and probe imagination. A play library is, as opposed to a regular library, a place that offers activities. As a part of the play library, parents are also encouraged to participate. This may be by reading a book or playing with their child. The play library offers ways to experience books through singing, art, drama and other activities. This study shed light on the fact that reading with a parent can help better the child-parent relationship, as well as saying that reading aloud to children when they are very young could result in them developing a larger vocabulary and being more successful in school later on. The study determined that the play library allowed children to interact with books in new ways as well as talk more about stories, which resulted in the children developing an interest in sharing books and having more positive attitudes toward reading since it was perceived as fun and exciting. (Edizer & Akçay-Duff, 2019)

4.5 Reading with a companion

Studies have been conducted with kids on how their reading abilities are affected by the presence of a dog. These studies have shown positive effects, such as lowered stress levels for the children. It was concluded by the researchers that the presence of a dog means an uncritical listener which had especially positive effects on the concentration for children who usually struggle with just that. Furthermore, it was concluded that the presence of a dog helped the children’s confidence in situations in which reading was required as well as motivated them to read more. (Hedemark & Karlsson, 2017)

4.6 Related work

From my findings, concepts that have been developed in relation to children and reading are applications for tablets and smart phones such as digital libraries (Epic Creations Inc, 2019), interactive learning content (Lazel Inc, 2019) and audiobook apps for children (Originator Inc, 2013).

Digital libraries include for example one app called ‘Epic!’ where children can access eBooks, audiobooks and learning videos as well as quizzes (Epic Creations Inc, 2019). Other digital libraries which provide eBooks alongside innovative learning methods such as word recognition (Originator Inc, 2013) and read-aloud options (Smart Kidz Club Inc, 2020). Furthermore, an

(21)

example of so-called interactive learning content also includes eBooks and quizzes as well as personalized learning for reading and comprehension, this app also offers to send work and progress made with the app to the child’s teacher (Lazel Inc, 2019).

Based on this chapter, we can conclude that reading predicaments have changed quite drastically. In order to facilitate this climate and the digital media presence, concepts have been developed. These concepts aim to better word knowledge, literacy and grammar due to the correlation of efficient reading and academic success.

I will now bring this knowledge into my ethnographic research phase and interviews will be influenced by the findings discovered when gathering theory. Questions for interviews will hence be based around reading attitudes and motivations, academic success, free time interests and home environments.

(22)

5 Field studies

5.1 Presenting interviewees

My ethnographic research was conducted through qualitative interviews which were done though Skype, Zoom and FaceTime. All names have been changed for protecting personal privacy and all descriptions have been approved by interviewees.

Petra, 54 years old, mother of four children aged 13, 16, 20 and 25. Katarina, 42 years old, mother of two children aged 17 and 10. Peter, 55 years old, parent of two children aged 23 and 20. Lotta, 50 years old, mother of two children both aged 10. Mathias, 43 years old, father of one child aged 10. Thomas, 13 years old.

Julie, 9 years old. Molly, 10 years old. Alex, 10 years old. Carl, 10 years old. Adam, 9 years old.

Kristen, 53 years old, mother of one child aged 20 and teacher at a preschool.

5.2 Findings

This following chapter is divided by insights and each subheading contain quotes, patterns, discussion and interpretation of insights. The headings represent the main talking points throughout the interviews and the findings are written in this way to aid the reader in understanding. As insights go, these are interpretations of the answers and conversations collected through interviews.

5.2.1 Reading attitudes

Reading practices are a direct result of a person’s attitude and motivation to read. The two most frequent answers to why some of the interviewees don’t read is that reading is considered boring or they lack time, which are reflections of their attitudes and motivation. ”I don’t have time to read” was mentioned by Katarina and Peter said during his interview that ”I’m a really

bad reader, I never read. I know it’s bad and I want to read more but when it comes down to it, I can’t focus, the books just don’t catch my attention”.

(23)

“Reading is boring”, said Thomas when asked why he doesn’t like to read. That reading is boring was also mentioned by the children Alex and Adam. Children interviewed were blunter in their answers and less speculative in why they don’t read, when that was the case. Furthermore, it seemed young readers who struggle with the act of reading were more likely to describe it as boring, than those children who don’t struggle to the same extent. Julie, Molly and Carl claim they are good at reading and prohibited a positive attitude toward it. They were also inclined to talk about books they have read. Julie said during her interview that ”I like ’Molly Moon’, because it’s thrilling

and really good once you get into it”, and Carl mentioned during his

interview that ”I love the Harry Potter books; they are my favourite. I like

that it’s about magic, and it’s really exciting”.

It would appear that struggling with language also affects reading motivation. Katarina said she struggled with language because she grew up in Spain which influenced her motivation to read even as she grew older, due to its negative connotation. In relation to this, Kristen said ”reading is important

because it develops language, here at school we read quietly at least two times per day”.

Parents' attitudes toward their children’s reading differed, but all parents besides Mathias claimed they think reading is important and that they wish their children would read more. Petra spoke about when her oldest son was in the ninth grade, he had a Swedish teacher who made her students read one book per week, which they would then write a review on. She explained how it was time consuming and a terrible pain the first few months, but that after a while it became easier and both the parents and students enjoyed it. Petra claimed that ”I think children should be forced to read more in schools and

schools should prioritize reading ahead of other things”.

Adults who read and enjoy reading spoke about it very enthusiastically. Petra, Katarina, Kristen and Lotta said they read before bed. All besides Katarina said they read even more during vacations and holidays. The chosen format seemed to be print books, but audiobooks and eBooks were mentioned by Katarina, Kristen and Petra. Katarina said she enjoys listening to audiobooks before bed because she needs reading glasses, which gets in her way. Furthermore, she said she always listens to books when she’s driving. Petra said she likes to listen to audiobooks when working in the garden, she explained; ”my husband always says I’m hard to get in contact with because

I’m always wearing my headphones”. She went on to say that when she can’t

seem to get into a book, she tries listening to it instead. When asked why she does that she said she is too stubborn to give up. Motivation in these cases are both a result of thoroughly enjoying engaging with a story, but it is also a matter of habit as well as perhaps the underlying gratification of being a

person who reads. Children may be oblivious of this underlying notion and

perhaps that is why they are so blunt in their answers, and quick to call reading boring. However, among adults there is seemingly an idea that

(24)

reading and being well read is a status symbol and contain some level of prestige. Meaning, those who do read enjoy talking about it and those who don’t read to the same extent either write it off as something unimportant or explain all the reasons why they can’t or don’t have time.

5.2.2 The home environment

When asked whether or not his parents read, Thomas answered that “mom

reads, but I don’t think my dad does. He likes to watch TV.” Whether you

were read to as a child, have or had parents who read and if you had books around during childhood would appear to be of vital importance for developing an interest in literature and a reading habit. Molly, Carl and Julie said during their interviews their parents read a lot both by themselves and to them. These children were more eager to speak about the subject of reading and keen to answer questions, as opposed to Thomas and Alex who got bored quickly during their interview. I found this was also the case for parents who don’t read to the same extent, tended to be less engaged during the interview and less likely to provide profound answers. Mathias went as far as to say he didn’t think reading for fun is that important.

Having older siblings who are learning to read may influence the younger siblings’ learning and reading capacities as they are introduced early, I found during an interview with Katarina. She spoke about her own mother and how she learned to read very early, as a result of her older sister sitting at the dining room table trying to learn to read, which resulted in the younger sister learning as well. ”My mom used to read a lot; she still does. She would enter

a different world; I couldn’t get in touch with her when she was reading”,

said Katarina when discussing the home environment she grew up in.

Petra sees big differences between two of her children in regard to their reading practices. When her oldest son was young, she would bring him along to book fairs and author seminars. She said he developed an interest in books and has since childhood read a lot. Petra went on to say that her youngest son didn’t get that experience, being the youngest of four siblings and the family having a tight schedule. ”We do a lot of sports and stuff, the whole family has

a tight schedule. Before we were so many in the family, we had more time and that time was calmer. It’s just too stressful to focus on anything besides getting things done”, Petra explained.

Seemingly the home environment, besides set a child up for different reading attitudes, also present a reading environment in itself. Magnus explained that

”every time I think I should sit down and read I just don't, I keep asking my wife if she can read at the same time, you know to make it easier, but she isn’t a big reader either so instead we do something else, something we can do together”.

(25)

5.2.3 A collective or solitary activity?

At some point, which is seemingly hard to define, parents stop reading with their children and reading goes from being a collective activity to becoming a solitary one. Peter said ”when the kids were young I read to them all the time.

Before bed, mostly. They loved it and so did I. I can’t remember when we stopped, but as they grow older, I think they just grow out of it”.

Kristen explained that when children are young, they read together in the classroom. She explained how children engage with books before they can read, they sit together and flip through pages and make up stories from their imagination and the pictures in the books. She went on to say that reading aloud is a big part of introducing the children to reading and that most children enjoy listening to stories. However, she said children are reluctant to read aloud themselves, out of fear of being laughed at; ”the children

generally do not want to read aloud and prefer to sit by themselves. Some think it’s okay to read aloud but often it’s the children that are high on the food chain, so to speak, and don’t risk anyone laughing at them.”

During childhood, reading is something that is done with a parent or in the classroom with a teacher. Reading is at that time a collective activity that children do with other people. However, when the child starts being able to read by themselves, they usually stop reading with others. Arguably, reading aloud with a parent or a teacher is somewhat different to reading quietly by yourself. When you read together, the story of the book becomes a way of bonding and a subject available for discussion. Meaning, children are taught to read by reading with others and aloud, so they can read quietly, by themselves. As Petra said during her interview; ”the worst thing is finishing

a book and then not being able to talk about it because none of my friends have read it.”

The fact that reading in itself, as an activity, is a solitary activity can be put against the fact that the widespread use of mobile devices among children is an unconscious way for them to stay connected with their friends and the outside world. Children today spend a considerable amount on what we call

social media, which is in fact a way for them to socialize. When asked what

children do on their phones, the answer is sending clips, images and messages to their friends or responding to something they received from a friend. The underlying issue with reading may very well be that reading makes some children feel lonely, which is something they are not used to.

5.2.4 Do book formats matter?

When some chose books to read, they to some extent pick books based on covers. “I choose books by its cover, which I know you´re not supposed to

do. But I do it anyways! How else do you chose? You pick up the book that catches your eye“, Petra said when asked how she chooses books. Kristen,

(26)

the outside. Additionally, the number of pages and width of the book is a considerable factor when choosing to read or not read. Kristen explained how children choose; ”books are chosen by the cover but the size of the text is

crucial, especially for the weaker readers”. She went on to say that ”the subject of the book is important if the book is long, otherwise they can’t be bothered to read it”. This relates to the fact that children today are used to

media such as YouTube clips where information is quick and accessible. A long book is therefore a bigger leap and can seem staggering to them, as opposed to a shorter story. However, not wanting to read books due to the length was not the case for all children. Carl mentioned how the Harry Potter book-series are his favourite books, which is a book-series notorious for its length. Petra also spoke about the Harry Potter-series as the catalyst for her oldest son’s great book interest. In this case, it seems the story in itself was enough for the children to engage with the books no matter the format. Katarina spoke about how when her child was younger, she had tiny children’s books. She said they used to have them everywhere and her daughter would always carry them around. “We had them everywhere and

she would always carry them around and go ”mommy, mommy, read!” wanting me to read to her”, she explained. The book format did in this case

encourage the child to read in its sheer appearance, as the size made it accessible and easy to carry.

In regard to electronic books and online reading, Kristen said this is common at preschools. Petra and Lotta claimed their children do everything on iPads. A few of the parents mentioned the presence of iPads and learning games, and whilst some were positive toward the new mediums it seems they according to the parents don’t have overwhelming influence on their children’s reading practices. Kristen however, claimed ”I always read on my

phone. My friends think I’m crazy, to read on a phone I mean. But I can never remember to bring a book. I’m on the train and then I realize I forgot the book, but my phone I always have with me”.

5.2.5 Finding, or not finding, books you like

There is no lack in books available, rather there are more books than ever being published. Perhaps some get overwhelmed by choice, resulting in them not choosing anything. Petra, who’s youngest son struggles with reading, mentioned how she keeps buying books, hoping that something will interest him. She said she buys books based on his free-time interests, such as sports and games. Petra said ”I keep buying books I hope he will enjoy” continuing with ”I think you just need to find what you like, it’s never too late to start

reading.”

All parents interviewed expressed difficulties in finding books for their children, especially when they get too old for children’s books, as well as them having difficulties finding books for themselves. When asked how they get books many go by recommendations or award-winning literature. Difficulties

(27)

when finding books were mainly expressed by Magnus and Peter who seemingly read less frequently, whilst those who read more, or a lot said they have a good idea of what they like in regard to specific authors or genres. Lotta said she usually chooses books by recommendations from friends or goes by authors she’s liked in the past. If you don’t read on a regular basis it may be difficult to know what your reading preferences are.

Reasons adult interviewees used for not reading is lack of time, and whilst this is a fair answer it seems that there are other aspects to it. Mathias who claimed he doesn’t have time to read, also describes how he can’t seem to focus when he does; ”when I sit down to read, I can’t focus, my mind is just

someplace else”. This may be due to the fact that he actually doesn’t have time

and feel stressed, but perhaps getting bored is due to the fact that he isn’t enjoying the book. ”I really enjoy reading when I find something I actually

like, but often times I lose interest. A book has to get my attention immediately otherwise I don’t continue. How do you find those books? I usually go by authors, I loved Stieg Larsson’s trilogy but when I started his other books it’s just not the same” said Peter ”I often don’t see the point in engaging with a book, I don´t stick to it, I just get bored and want to do something else”.

5.2.6 Digital media presence

During my interviews with children I asked them what they like to do in their free time and what their interests are. Answers included interests such as playing sports, spending time with friends, watching movies and playing games. They admittedly spend time on their phones. In relation to this, I asked parents what their children like to spend their time on and according to the parents their children spend a lot of time on their phones where they watch and talk about clips they have seen and picked up from social media.

”There is a lot going on, on that phone, when I ask him what he is watching he doesn’t always tell me” said Mathias about his son’s digital medial habits.

Lotta said in relation to her talking about her sons’ internet habits that ”they

are very up to date with things going on, they don’t only watch silly clips but they watch all kinds of things on YouTube. I think they like that the clips are short, they don’t have a wide attention span”. YouTube and similar kinds of

media gets popular because it requires very little and is easy to move on from. It is also easy for children to keep up with and speak to their friends about.

”Children enjoy reading but it has to be something they can recognize, for example something from tv or a game. Preferably short books if it’s not like Harry Potter, because they can recognize the books from the movies”, said

Kristen and explained how children are likely to choose books based on what they recognize, such as movies they have seen or games they have played. This because they understand the general plot and what the book is about.

(28)

5.2.7 Consequences

Petra explained how her son’s lacking reading capacities is influencing other subjects such as math, and that despite him knowing math he takes too long to read and understand the questions properly which results in him not having enough time to finish. Reading is required for all subjects, which means if children struggle with reading it is likely they will struggle throughout all subjects. She said “he struggles with reading, which makes

him struggle with math. Or, all subjects. He doesn’t have time to read questions, so he doesn’t finish the tests in time. We have had many talks with the teachers, but nothing seems to work”. Petra explained how she has tried

to bribe her son with gifts and money in order to motivate him to read more. Lotta explained how she has developed methods for dealing with one of her children’s lack of interest in reading books. The family has established a type of rewards system for her children, so that when they finish reading a book the whole family does something together that they all enjoy. She claimed this is motivating for the children and results in them reading more. Katarina said she uses a method from school in order to get her children to concentrate, which means they need to focus for 25 minutes and then they get a break. She said it makes them stay concentrated because they know they will get a break soon. It is seemingly important for some parents to encourage children to read for them to take such measures, and these rewards systems are a consequence of that.

5.3 Discussion

As I interpret these findings in relation to theory brought up earlier, it became apparent to me during interviews that the issue is not solely how to properly educate children in reading and making them literate. Rather it is in evoking their interest in learning to read in the first place. Being an efficient reader is not a waterproof way of getting children to read for pleasure, it simply means that you are an efficient reader. The issue it seems, is how to make reading and stories interesting and desirable for children as well as making it easy for them to access these stories. If that interest and desire is created, learning will most probably be easier as the motivation for learning is clear. For example, the home environment influences the child’s desire to want to learn to read, because they see a value in having reading capacities which would allow them to engage with stories. The home environment also sets children up for certain habits, as they take after those around them. Moreover, perhaps new concepts such as eBooks and online learning games, work better if the child sees the point in learning. Meaning, if the child sees the point in learning to read in order to engage with stories, they will approach learning concepts more efficiently, hence have better results.

Based on my findings it seems that reading motivation is awakened by being around other people who read, such as parents and friends, and that the home

(29)

environment and the early years of childhood is what perhaps should be the focus point for concept development. It would seem that what really awakens a child’s interest in reading is finding books you enjoy, and - reading. The first step is not necessarily training children to become good readers, but rather to motivate them to become good readers. The challenge is to awaken their interest and help them discover the world of books, stories and imagination. Based on these findings and moving into ideation, eight opportunity statements were formulated;

• How might we explore book formats to make reading less staggering for children who are learning to read?

• How might we make stories easier to ”get into”? • How might we awaken children’s desire for stories?

• How might we make it easier for children to discover books/types of books they like?

• How might we make it easier for parents to find books suitable for their children?

• How might we explore ways to make reading a collective activity? • How might we encourage parents to read more with their children? • How might we make it easier for parents to read more with their

(30)

6 Ideation

6.1 Brainstorming

After writing up my research I concluded all insights by using post-its (figure 2). In order to substantiate the formulated design opportunities, I used yellow post-its for insights found during empirical research and orange post-its for insights I found during interviews. The aim was for the design phase to be a result of findings from the entire research phase. These findings were a mix of thoughts, facts found during my theoretical research or specific quotes said by interviewees. Seeing insights lined up as well as the process of writing them down was a productive way of clustering and organizing findings. After writing down findings, I created an affinity diagram (figure 3) and divided the insights by categories. The idea with this affinity diagram was to see patterns and to get an idea of which areas and design opportunities are most promising and contain most interesting insights. Setting up this affinity diagram also helped in formulating and establishing ideas.

(31)

Figure 4: some of the ideas found during brainstorming

I brainstormed a stream of ideas based around the design opportunities. One example, as seen above, was for how we might make it easier for children to discover books or types of books they like, which relates back to the findings found during interviews showing that some experience difficulties in finding books they enjoy. Ideas generated was a library day for authors to visit and talk about books and a library service for discovering books. The design opportunity how we might explore ways to make reading a collective activity was inspired by the findings found during interviews, as well as by theory presented with the history of reading where reading was a collective activity, and something done together. Ideas generated for this opportunity include designing a way for creating book clubs and reading groups for children, as well as a social app for audiobooks where children can interact and send tips. As research showed, weaker readers are more likely to give up on reading if they don’t reach a certain level. By presenting them with the option of an audiobook app where they can talk to friends, perhaps the threshold for reading would be lowered and reading made more accessible for readers of all levels. How we might awaken children’s desire for stories generated ideas such as trailers for books and a dedicated YouTube channel for these trailers. This idea is based on what Kristen mentioned about children choosing books based on things they recognize. All ideas generated though this brainstorming session can be seen below (figure 5).

(32)

(33)

After initial brainstorming, I decided to narrow down what seemingly had the most potential and would be possible to execute within a reasonable time frame. As the design opportunities varied, so did the ideas that followed. However, they were all inspired by the idea of motivating children to read more. Moving forward with the ideas generated through the affinity diagram, I chose some of those ideas and developed them further. The diagram below is divided by the main ideas, brainstormed through the previous affinity diagram. Descriptions of the ideas as well as different directions for the ideas to go in are written below.

Figure 6: diagram of concept developments

Above shows the ideas generated through brainstorming. One of the ideas is a webpage where the user signs up and sets up a personal account, then receives suggestions based on a personalized algorithm. The algorithm is based on level of reading, interests and books the user has enjoyed in the past. The user later reviews books and gets more suggestions. This idea is based around ways to make it easier for parents to find books suitable for their children, as well as encouraging parents to read more with their children. The design space also includes making it easier for parents to read with their children. This facilitates the findings found on the importance of a home environment which encourages reading, as well as the theory found which show that children’s reading attitudes are influenced by having books around.

(34)

A second idea is trailers for books and stories, similar to the trailers we watch prior to watching a movie which help us choose whether or not to watch it. Ideas for the trailers include the author reading pages from their book, an illustrated animation or a narrated intro. This idea aims to answer to the opportunity statement of awakening children’s desire for stories as well as making stories easier to get into. The aim is to provide a trailer which gives children an idea of the plot, making it easier for them to decide whether they want to read the book or not, as well as awakening their motivation for engaging with the book. This also relates back to lowering the threshold for weaker readers and provides them an opportunity to get into a book easier, since they would have a sense of what the book is about. This idea can also be explained as a way of pushing the boundaries for reading and books. As time passes, we are reinventing the circumstances of the way reading has been practiced in the past and instead adjusting it to society. Examples of this being audiobooks, Kindles and eBooks. Book trailers aim to be a part of this change.

7 Concept development

After rounds of brainstorming design ideas and ways to develop them I chose two main concepts to continue working with. I will present arguments for design choices as well as explain how these concepts may add value for the target group. These concepts combine some of the initial ideas that were presented, which track back to the theoretical and ethnographic research.

7.1 Service for finding and accessing books

Opportunity statement: how might we make it easier for parents to find books suitable for their children?

There is a considerable number of books being published, hence more books to choose from. This for some is resulting in difficulties to choose, since there is so much to choose from. Several of my interviewees mentioned difficulties for finding books they enjoy. This was expressed by parents in relation to finding books for themselves, but primarily for finding books for their children. This issue was particularly apparent for parents who want their children to read more but have difficulty in motivating them since they can’t seem to find books their children want to read. Interviewees who said they don’t have time to read, also mentioned that they cannot seem to choose which books to get. This was not necessarily the case for those interviewees who reported they enjoy reading. It seems that if you read on a regular basis, you have a clearer idea of what kinds of books you enjoy and can choose