Posted October 2007 Online Literature Festival 2007
		Students motivated and enthused about reading Curious questions leapt from keyboards as 84 Australian authors, illustrators, songwriters and playwrights participated in online chats with primary and secondary school students. More than 12,500 students were enthused and motivated about reading and writing after chatting online with authors during the 2007 Online Literature Festival. Coordinated by the Learning Place, the Festival ran for three weeks in September and was hailed a great success. Students from 475 schools logged into chats asking the authors carefully researched questions about their work and their career. Students also participated in online writing workshops and book raps and discovered the ‘story behind the pictures’ by exploring visual literacy. Supported this year by the Ipswich Festival of Children’s Literature, Brisbane Writers’ Festival, State Library of Queensland and National Literacy and Numeracy Week, the Online Literature Festival offered the opportunity for teachers and students across Australia to meet and work with their favourite authors and illustrators.

Melbourne author Hazel Edwards, best known for her ‘There’s a hippopotamus on our roof’ books, spoke to students online for two hours about her adventures in Antarctica and her role as an author.

Hazel was part of an Australian Antarctic Division expedition that became ice bound. She wrote her novel ‘Antarctica’s Frozen Chosen’ from her first hand experience.

Students from both primary and secondary schools learnt about Hazel’s real life experiences and her role as an author. Students, through their careful questioning, learnt about what she had eaten, how she survived the cold and discussed her view of the potential environmental impact of tourism within Antarctica. Hazel also shared some insights into the writing process and the inspirations for her book characters and plots.

Hazel believes students are more motivated to read after having direct interaction with authors.

“As a medium, the web chat has brilliant educational possibilities. It is accessible for schools in remote regions and also has economical benefits for the author, in terms of no travelling or accommodation costs. “The online chats definitely encourage more reading and the students do tend to follow up on recommended books.”

Intellectually rigorous online chats fit with the Department’s Smart Classroom’s strategy of making ICT integral to learning.