100 Adventures in Science and Life
USABILITY/STATUS: In Use
INNOVATOR: Asafeer Education Technologies
GEOGRAPHIC FOCUS: Global
SOLUTION TYPE: Digital Library
Summary
Asafeer Education Technologies created 100 Adventures in Science and Life—100 audible, leveled, and illustrated e-books that present engaging STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) topics in Arabic and English. The books are CC-BY licensed and available to read, use, translate, and adapt for free on the Global Digital Library and other digital libraries such as Let’s Read and Bloom.
- Bloom Library
- Asafeer Library: عصافير
- Android Apps by 3asafeer.com on Google Play
Usability/Features
- Operating system: Windows, Android
- Hardware: Computer, tablet, smartphone
- Connectivity: Online; offline if downloaded on other apps like Bloom Reader
- Accessibility features: Every story offers an audio feature, with the text read by carefully selected actors who get into character. Alternative text (or alt text) is another vital accessibility feature that enables screen-reading apps to describe each scene for children with sensory disabilities.
- Accessories needed for use: Charger/solar charger, HDMI connector cable, speakers, headphones
- How it supports learning: Books from the 100 Adventures in Science and Life Collection have been adapted for use in education programs around the world, including by other ACR GCD awardees. SIL created an entire bookshelf on its Bloom platform for 90 of these books, which have been accessed in 51 countries and read 800+ times.
- Costs: Free to use, download, and adapt on various platforms
- Other Cost Considerations: Devices to access the app; Internet to download, but no Internet required to use after download; advertising to target populations
Setting/Context
- Settings: School, Home, Informal Learning Spaces, Community
- Target Populations: Teachers, Parents, Children; Nongovernmental organizations
- Current Language(s): 10+
- Geography (locations): Global
Use Case
- Through its Begin with Books project, eKitabu adapted 30+ of the Asafeer stories for its Tumbuka and Malawian Sign Language collection in Malawi. World Vision Malawi printed thousands of copies of these books and distributed them to area programs to support children’s reading through book borrowing in reading clubs. The digital books are also shown on projectors during story time at the reading clubs.
Related Training Materials, Toolkits, and Resources
Blogs and Reviews
- “A New Model for Solving the Book Gap in Underserved Languages”
- “ACR GCD Prize Winner Asafeer Scales Author Training Model to Create Pipeline of Quality Children’s Books in Arabic”
Training
Guides and Toolkits
- كتابة القصة المصورة | إدراك (Edraak Writing Modules)