A comparison of human-authored and AI-generated picturebooks in readalongs with Young Learners

master's thesis

• Title (croatian): Usporedba slikovnica koje je napisao čovjek i AI u čitanju mladim čitateljima
• Author: Damjana Kolednjak
• Mentor: Nikola Novaković (mentor)
• Committee member: Ivana Milković (predsjednik povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Nikola Novaković (član povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Ivana Cindrić (član povjerenstva)
• Granter: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Teacher Education; Zagreb
• Defense date and country: 2024-09-04, Croatia
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: HUMANISTIC SCIENCES; Philology; Comparative Literature

Abstract

Picturebooks blend visual and textual elements to engage and educate young readers, which Nikolajeva and Scott describe as their dual quality: “The unique character of picturebooks as an art form is based on a combination of two levels of communication, the visual and the verbal” (Nikolajeva & Scott, 2006, p. 1). This means that picturebooks engage the reader both intellectually and emotionally to understand and appreciate the visual/verbal art form.
But a new trend is evolving: an ever-growing presence of AI generated content. Algorithms used by AI are trained on extensive datasets and have the ability to produce coherent and contextually appropriate content. AI-generated content is now widely used across diverse industries, such as marketing, journalism, and academic writing (Gison, 2024b). In order to contribute to the discourse surrounding the role of picturebooks in the environment of increasing influence of artificial intelligence, this thesis aims to explore how Ammar Reshi’s AI-generated picturebook Alice and Sparkle functions as a picturebook, if at all, by comparing it to the picturebook Boy + Bot, written by Ame Dyckman and illustrated by Dan Yaccarino, in a small-group read-aloud with young learners. The thesis aims to observe and analyze the reactions of young learners during and after the read-aloud session, as well as to examine their interpretations of the two picturebooks. Using the interview method, and by discussing both picturebooks, it can be concluded that young learners engage and connect more with the human-authored picturebook Boy + Bot, rather than the AIgenerated one, Alice and Sparkle.

Abstract (croatian)

Narativne slikovnice spajaju vizualne i tekstualne elemente kako bi angažirale i obrazovale mlade čitatelje, što Nikolajeva i Scott opisuju kao njihovu dvostruku kvalitetu: „Jedinstveni karakter slikovnica kao umjetničkog oblika temelji se na kombinaciji dviju razina komunikacije, vizualne i verbalne“ (Nikolajeva & Scott, 2006, str. 1). To znači da slikovnice angažiraju čitatelja intelektualno i emocionalno kako bi razumio i cijenio njihov vizualno/verbalni umjetnički oblik. No, u tijeku je razvoj jednog novog trenda: sve veće prisutnosti sadržaja generiranog umjetnom inteligencijom. Algoritmi kojima se umjetna inteligencija služi trenirani su na opsežnim bazama podataka i imaju sposobnost stvaranja koherentnog i kontekstualno prikladnog sadržaja. Sadržaj generiran umjetnom inteligencijom sada se široko koristi u raznim industrijama, kao što su marketing, novinarstvo i akademsko pisanje (Gison, 2024b). Kako bi doprinijeli raspravi o ulozi slikovnica u okruženju sve većeg utjecaja umjetne inteligencije, cilj ovog rada je istražiti funkcionira li slikovnica Alice and Sparkle Ammara Reshija, generirana umjetnom inteligencijom, kao slikovnica tako što će je se usporediti sa slikovnicom Boy + Bot koju je napisala Ame Dyckman, a ilustrirao Dan Yaccarino, u čitanju naglas u maloj skupini mladih učenika. Rad također ima za cilj promatrati i analizirati reakcije mladih učenika tijekom i nakon čitanja naglas, kao i ispitati njihove interpretacije dviju slikovnica. Istraživanje je pokazalo da se mladi učenici više povezuju sa slikovnicom koju je napisao čovjek nego sa slikovnicom koju je generirala umjetna inteligencija.

• Keywords: artificial intelligence; picturebooks; text-image dynamics
• Keywords (croatian): umjetna inteligencija; slikovnice; dinamika između slike i teksta
• Language: english
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:147:726909
• Study programme: Title: Integrated undergraduated university study with english language and german language; specializations in: English language, Deutsche sprache; Course: English language; Study programme type: university; Study level: integrated undergraduate and graduate; Academic / professional title: magistar/magistra primarnog obrazovanja (magistar/magistra primarnog obrazovanja)
• Type of resource: Text
• File origin: Born digital
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2024-11-14 08:59:11