My name is Kristin and I love learning.

I want students to love learning, too. 

Humanity > technology

Our society is flooded with technology. It enables people to connect, it amplifies voices, and it has the power to enrich lives. Yet our society can be so distracted by the possibilities of technology that we can forget it is our humanity—and the stories we share—that make it meaningful.

We recognize that literacy is a living and evolving practice. How we capture and communicate ideas, information, stories, and important events has changed and will continue to change. Throughout history, literacy practices have evolved as people gained skills, had a need to share with new audiences, and as new tools of technology became available. Today, with the rapid acceleration of technology and seemingly unlimited access to information, we continue to adapt and adopt a new understanding of literacy.

Today, as our world expands, so must our definition of literacy.

This book champions a YES, AND approach: YES to the power of print books, interactive read-alouds, and time-honored literacy practices, AND yes to digital texts, multimodal storytelling, and open-ended creative tools that amplify thinking and understanding. When students have access to both traditional and digital resources, we expand their agency, increase engagement, and empower them to develop a rich, adaptable literacy skillset. With twenty-one stories from the classroom, you’ll discover how to create a balanced, student-centered literacy environment where traditional texts and digital tools work together to enhance comprehension, communication, and critical thinking.

Praise for Text and Tech

  • What stands out most is how the book centers students by showcasing the stories of reflective practitioners, offering invaluable insights, reflections, and modifications that encourage educators to prioritize the humanity of every student.

    Dr. Towanda Harris, Professor, Consultant, Author

  • In Text and Tech: Reading All Ways, Kristin reminds us that teachers are learners first and foremost who learn every day from watching their kids.

    Stephanie Harvey, Educator and Best-Selling Author of Strategies That Work

  • This book is the perfect addition to any collection that seeks to examine literacy and reading in the digital age.

    Bill Bass, Innovation Coordinator, Parkway School District

  • This book is a must read, both for the practical tools and ideas that educators will be able to implement right away and for the inspiration provided by Ziemke, whose wisdom and expertise reminds us all why this work matters now more than ever.

    Jennifer LaGarde, Digital Teaching and Learning Specialist and Library-Literacy Mentor; Coauthor of Developing Digital Detectives

Publications

  • Text and Tech: Reading All Ways

  • Read the World: Rethinking Literacy for Empathy and Action

  • Amplify: Digital Teaching and Learning in the K-6 Classroom

  • Connecting Comprehension and Technology

Professional Learning

  • Keynote Speaker

  • Full Day Workshops

  • Consulting

  • Multiday Residencies

Learn More

Let’s work together.

I don’t just ask you to read the world, I work all over it. With insight from schools, conference organizations, and research institutions, I bring a multilateral approach to learning.

Literacy is a living and evolving practice.

It is text and tech. It is print and digital.

It can be personal and collaborative.

It is embedded in all we do.

Text and Tech: Reading All Ways