Student reading app Sora enjoyed a record-breaking year in 2019. Developed by OneDrive Education, the tool for K12 students achieved highs in both school adoptions and student reading levels last year.
The app is now available in 23,000 globally – a 28% increase on 2018. On top of this, schools using Sora saw student reading time almost double throughout the 2018-19 academic year. The app’s incredible impact on student reading plus its innovative original design were among the reasons Sora was named one of TIME’s 100 Best Inventions of 2019. Equipped with this app, students have 24/7 access to ebooks and audiobooks not just from their school’s digital collection, but also from their local public library.
At this week’s Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC), sessions will showcase how Sora and digital books can boost student reading by providing the flexibility needed to meet the fast-evolving needs of the 21st century classroom. OneDrive Education, the pioneering ebook and audiobook service for schools, will also share best practices and highlights at FETC Booth #2213 in the Miami Beach Convention Center.
Based on data from the 23,000 schools that are currently using Sora, the following lists represent the most popular book titles of the 2018-19 academic year:
The top five ebooks for K12 students in 2019
Wonder by R. J. Palacio
Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
Big Nate Makes a Splash by Lincoln Peirce
Pray for a Fire Drill by Lincoln Peirce
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
The top five audiobooks for K12 students in 2019
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J. K. Rowling
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’engle
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling
The Wild Robot by Peter Brown
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
Comparing numbers from the start of the 2018-19 school year through to the end, educators found that monthly reading time almost doubled among students using Sora.
The app’s ease-of-use and gamification aspects inspires and empowers students by making reading more accessible, engaging and interactive. Another key factor is Sora’s unique innovation: the option for students to add access to their local public library’s digital collection, expanding their selection of age- and grade-appropriate ebooks and audiobooks. Students who added public library access in Sora increased the number of books read by almost 50%.
The app, which is now Google Classroom-compatible, is also able to show educators a variety of insights, such as an aggregate view by school of the number of books students have opened daily, plus the average reading time per session.
For more information about OverDrive’s service for schools, visit company.overdrive.com/education/k-12-schools/, or Booth #2213 at FETC