by Erinne Paisley
Orca Book Publishers, 2017
ISBN 9781459813038
$14.95, 144 pp, ages 11 – 16
orcabook.com
As smartphones and technology become more prevalent in classrooms, educators are looking for ways to use these tools with their students. Can Your Smartphone Change the World? provides stories and suggestions on how to start movements, inform others, and start conversations about positive actions. Paisley, a Victoria, B.C. student, explains how through social media she was able to share her story about wearing her paper dress to graduation. This exposure helped bring attention to the Malala Fund and the organization’s goal to ensure that girls all around the world attend school. The author shares many stories of others who have used social media to help create positive change in the world.
Classroom Connections: As an educator, it was interesting to learn about all the different social media outlets available. This book is presented in a way that allows the reader an understanding of how media can be used positively to create change and is laid out in a format that is visually appealing to readers. The Pop Quiz questions written throughout the book provides readers an opportunity to think about the impact they can make locally and globally. The questions could be a good starting point for encouraging school leadership group activities. Can Your Smartphone Change the World? is a wonderful resource to use with upper intermediate and high school grades to promote leadership skills. For students who have had the opportunity to attend a “We Day,” this book would be a great way to continue to build on interests of students trying to find ways to make changes and to fundraise for global organizations. Many great conversations can be started after reading this book.
Review by Cindy Haack.
This review is from Canadian Teacher Magazine’s Winter 2018 issue.