Wesley Fryer is the author of "Playing with Media: simple ideas for powerful sharing" (July 2011) and a contributing author of "What School Leaders Need to Know About Digital Technologies and Social Media" (September 2011). Wesley co-authored Chapter 3 of the book, "Podcasts and Webinars," with Steve Dembo. Have a discount/download code or need help with your eReader? A "Help with eBooks" page is available. "Playing with Media: simple ideas for powerful sharing" is available in  3 eBook formats and as a paperback! Additional resources are on playingwithmedia.com. See and contribute student media examples on share.playingwithmedia.com. Learn about workshop and videoconference opportunities on learn.playingwithmedia.com.

Book Description

We need to play with media to become more effective communicators. This book was written to inspire and empower you, as a creative person, to expand your personal senses of digital literacy and digital agency as a multimedia communicator. As you learn to play with digital text, images, audio and video, you will communicate more creatively and flexibly with a wider variety of options. Although written primarily for educators, anyone who is interested in learning more about digital communication will learn something new from this book. As children, we learn to progressively make sense of our confusing world through play. The same dynamics apply to us as adults communicating with new and different media forms.

For iPad Users: The Enhanced / Multimedia eBook - $14.99

If you have an iPad (or another iOS device, like an iPhone or iPod Touch) this is the version for you! The enhanced/multimedia eBook version includes seventeen different videos and screencasts which are embedded in the book and can be viewed using the free iBooks application. This means you do NOT need a "live" Internet connection to view these videos. This version is not yet available in the iTunes iBookstore, but IS directly available online from Speed of Creativity Learning LLC. Purchase this eBook EITHER directly on your iPad (and open directly in iBooks) or download on your laptop or desktop computer, then sync to your iOS device using these instructions from Apple. ISBN-13: 9780983104810.

 

For Amazon Kindle Users: The "mobi" Kindle eBook - $9.99

Kindle eReaders and Amazon's Kindle reader software (available for Windows and Mac users) use a proprietary eBook format. Embedded videos/screencasts are linked in this version, but NOT embedded. (Kindle eBooks don't currently support embedded videos.) This version is available in the US Kindle Store, UK Kindle Store, the German Kindle Store, and directly online from Speed of Creativity Learning LLC. ISBN-13: 9780983104827.

 

For all eReaders supporting EPUB format: The "standard" EPUB eBook - $9.99

Like the enhanced/multimedia and Kindle version, the "standard EPUB" version includes a multitude of hyperlinks and images. Embedded videos/screencasts are linked in this version, but NOT embedded. This version is available for Barnes & Noble Nook eReader users(from the official B&N eBookstore) and directly online from Speed of Creativity Learning LLC. If your eReader or eReader software supports EPUB (and most do, except Kindle) this version will work for you. This version (along with the enhanced/multimedia version) is compatible with the iPad / iPhone / iPod Touch. To view videos linked in this version, your eReader or eReader software must support hyperlinks. You'll also need to be connected "live" to the Internet to view external links and videos. ISBN-13: 9780983104810.

For printed book lovers: The paperback version - $19.99

While everyone is encouraged to read, experience, and enjoy the features the digital eBook version of "Playing with Media" offers, many people still prefer a printed book. A paperback version of "Playing with Media" is available (as of Sept 1, 2011) for ordering directly from CreateSpace. The paperback version is also available via Amazon.com. ISBN-13: 9780983104834.

eBook Description:

We need to play with media to become more effective communicators. This book was written to inspire and empower you, as a creative person, to expand your personal senses of digital literacy and digital agency as a multimedia communicator. As you learn to play with digital text, images, audio and video, you will communicate more creatively and flexibly with a wider variety of options. Although written primarily for educators, anyone who is interested in learning more about digital communication will learn something new from this book. As children, we learn to progressively make sense of our confusing world through play. The same dynamics apply to us as adults communicating with new and different media forms.

Related FREE Resources:

• playingwithmedia.com includes resources aligned to each chapter (digital text, images, audio and video) as well as the complete chapter on Copyright and Fair Use (free)
• share.playingwithmedia.com includes links to student media project examples using digital text, images, audio and video. Submit your own examples to enter monthly drawings for digital goodies!

 

Praise for "Playing with Media"

 

There are plenty of books out there that are tapping into the tools of the 21st Century, and Fryer's ebook should join the mix of some of the more useful and interesting out there right now. His engaging writing style, inclusion of very useful resources and tutorials, sharing of authentic examples and explanations of the pedagogy behind the technology make for an enjoyable and productive read. I highly recommend Playing with Media: Simple Tools for Powerful Sharing for any Kindle, Nook, iPad or whatever your device might be.

- Kevin Hodgson, Sixth grade teacher in Southampton, Massachusetts, and the technology liaison with the Western Massachusetts Writing Project.

I like how Wes has examples to illustrate his ideas, which leads the reader, inter-actor, teammate, actor, playmate, viewer, listener, and creator to engage with this ebook. Wes gives all of us permission to play in the sandbox. He gives us strategies to try as we move along in the book. He gives us enough history so we are grounded and understand that "We learn deeper when we actively DO rather than passively watch.”

- Cheryl Oakes, High School Resource Teacher, Wells, Maine

I am a homeschool mom to three little girls and I recently began searching for ways to use technology in our classroom. I'm not talking about internet searches for curriculum reviews or "educational" games to occupy the kids while I get a grasp on my sanity; I'm talking about learning to create digital "artifacts" and portfolios and learning to connect with other educators beyond my current homeschool forum. I'm NOT tech savvy and I was struggling to find someone to explain the wild, wooly world of creating blogs, wikis, audio and video stories, etc. I was following Mr. Fryer on Twitter when I heard about his book. I downloaded the sample and was hooked after reading just the table of contents (which is linked). This was exactly what I needed. I went on to read the acknowledgements and was introduced to several fascinating people via Twitter. I downloaded the entire book and stayed up till 3 am reading. Mr. Fryer uses many, many links on nearly every page. He links to definitions to explain new terminology to newbies, like me. He links to examples of programs, movies, apps, and more. Everything was very well explained. If you don't own a Kindle, don't despair! I read through it the first time on my Kindle