Support for schools affected by Coronavirus

Dan KempBlog, News

A number of schools around the world have temporarily closed because of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and will need to rely on remote technology to continue learning.

Luckily, there are lots of edtech tools out there to help with that, and with Book Creator online you can bring creativity to your homes (not just your classrooms!).

So, we’re supporting you in numerous ways.

Firstly, we’d like to offer everyone the ability to collaborate together on books in real-time. This is a premium feature that is usually only available with a paid subscription, but we’re offering 90 days free use of this tool, to help keep students and teachers connected.

Book Creator is offering a special upgrade to any schools affected by #coronavirus.Click To Tweet

Free collaboration upgrade

To claim your free collaboration upgrade, you’ll need to:

  1. Sign into your Book Creator account. If you don’t have an account yet, create one and we’ll give you 1 library and 40 books for free.
  2. Start your collaboration trial on your account – you’ll automatically get 90 days free.

How Book Creator can help with remote learning

Read this Guidance for home learning – how teachers can help parents to get their children signed into Book Creator at home.

Read the guidance

Daily webinars – join Jon Smith for daily webinars on using Book Creator for home learning, and simple getting started with Book Creator sessions. These are informal – drop in and ask Jon anything.

Use the calendar below to find a time that suits you. Make sure to register using the link for each event.

If you’re unable to make any of the dates above, you can view a recording of the Home Learning with Book Creator webinar from 26th March.

Book Creator can be used in any subject, with any grade level. So you should focus on assignments that allow the student to get creative and demonstrate their understanding. This could literally be anything you’ve been working on in class!

If you’re looking for a range of lesson ideas – start with our Resources hub:

Students holding up their iPads

You may also want to look at example books that other students have made:

Focus on taking current projects that students have been working on and getting them to create a book – a digital version of what they may have done in an exercise book had they been in school! This could be a journal, a report, a story retell, poetry – you name it. Have students write but also record their voice, add video and images to their books and be as creative as possible.

Work collaboratively

Take advantage of your free real-time collaboration upgrade by setting tasks that involve students working on the same book at the same time. This could be a class book that you’ve been working on already, or if you’re looking for ideas, why not compose a daily journal so students can keep tabs on what everyone else has been doing each day? Or you could take part in the latest #TWIMA (The World is My Audience) project with Jon Smith. The current project is ‘Traditions’, and details can be found in this Google Doc.

Keep good communication

Student books will appear directly on your bookshelf, so there’s no need for students to go through a complicated turn-in procedure. (Tip: you can decide whether or not students can see each other’s books).

Communicate with your students by recording audio hotspots with feedback on their work to correct and guide them.

Boost motivation by sharing work

As kids work on their books from the comfort of their home, help them feel even more motivated and engaged by sharing their books beyond your library. You can publish individual books (or even a whole library) online with ease – showcase great work on your class blog or school website, on social media and beyond. Students will be even more engaged if they know the books they are creating will be seen by a wide audience. Everyone loves to be a published author!

Share your ideas

Do you have any other ideas for activities or lesson plans that work well for remote learners? Please share your ideas in the comments below so the whole community can benefit. Thanks!

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20 Comments on “Support for schools affected by Coronavirus”

  1. Reply

    such a pity that all the local schools and international schools in China cannot access Book Creator without a vpn, since it is hosted by Google. I can only create a book with the vpn on, but then students in China cannot view the book without a vpn, which means they can”t create as well.
    Very disappointed 😔

  2. Reply

    Just wanted to send an enormous thank you for this generous move. We anticipate long school closures here in Seattle, and online learning will not be offered by the district. So a big thanks for this show of support and solidarity as we all get through this together.

  3. Reply

    Super excited to check these resources out during this time! FYI the science resources link takes you to the mathematics page.

  4. Reply

    I teach an ed technology course to pre-service teachers at the University of Portland. Will your generous “Free collaboration upgrade” apply to higher ed?

  6. Reply

    Our school is already using Book Creator and we love it! Thank you so much for the access to this premium feature! However, we have already maxed the number of books in our class library (limited to 40 books) in order to create more. Is there a way that extra books can be added to the library especially during this time?

  7. Reply

    Is a credit card needed for the free trial? We are sharing with our school families, many don’t have the ability to add a card.

    1. Reply

      Hi Nicola – no credit card needed. You can just sign in and then start the free collaboration trial using the guidance above.

  8. Reply

    My son is trying to sign up but it says he needs a teacher code to join. Is there a code we should use for access? Thanks!

  9. Reply

    This is awesome! How do you do it if you have to create an account? It asks for a code from your teacher.

  10. Reply

    Hi Dan
    Last week I already wrote to you about the 3 file templates, in terms of format. Got a clear answer there. I have purchased the BookCreator app and have read a lot on your site.
    Lots of info. Also read the Rosey McQuillian ebook and put it on my iPad via embedding.
    I also wrote to her and compliments about this clear book.
    My question. I have now written and illustrated a children’s book. It is available via publish on MY library.
    I am very proud of that. I want to offer it for free on the net. Because here in the Netherlands all schools are also closed. Children work at home.
    My 7-year-old grandson would also like to read this booklet.
    Tried how that goes with the Google Drive video, but it doesn’t work. Also very different for me. Dan, can you help me what I can do.
    I am on Facebook, have a weekly blog http://www.friendsonwings.nl
    Unfortunately a very old Mac G5 where I don’t have access to login to iTunes. I do everything on my iPad Air, version 12.5.3
    If you can help me very much. Because I would like to continue with this.
    With best regards
    Volkert Waalkens

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