Why Teach Digital Reading Comprehension?
While we debate the sanctity of the printed word versus the technological advances of electronic reading, our students are busy scrolling through pages of digital text. We assume that our rich repertoire of comprehension strategies, originally designed for print, will sufficiently prepare our students to read both print and digital formats deeply and thoroughly. The truth is, in order into read digital text deeply, students need assistance developing new metacognitive learning strategies. Digital reading is different and our students are negotiating conflicting reading experiences with little guidance.
In 2005, Dr. Ziming Liu, recognized a “screen-based reading behavior” emerging. “This screen-based reading behavior is characterized by spending more time on browsing and scanning, keyword spotting, one-time reading, nonlinear reading, and reading more selectively, while less time is spent on in-depth reading, concentrated reading, and decreasing sustained attention.”
This finding is especially concerning when you consider the volume of complex electronic text our students encounter as their academic career progresses. Beginning in secondary school, the most complex text students confront is found inside digital reading environments. Electronic textbooks are oriented differently and often embed Learning Management Systems with social networking features. Complex text is also found while searching articles online and within academic databases. We need to prepare our students for digital reading experiences.
My goal is to investigate learning strategies that promote in-depth reading of digital text, assist with the building self-regulation skills to monitor digital distractions and provide opportunities to practice navigation of e-books. I will also emphasize the importance of media comprehension and visual literacy. We must help our students develop the critical thinking skills necessary for connecting and synthesizing the meaning of all the divergent features inherent to digital text.
Intended Outcomes
Writing About Reading: Students will learn to actively think while reading digital texts and develop annotation skills and improve interpretive writing about reading, through the use of timely and continuous teacher feedback and student discussion boards.
Comprehension & Discussion: Students will have ample time to practice and develop reading comprehension skills unique to the digital learning environment. Digital discussion boards will both engage students in dialogue with each other and provide an authentic purpose for annotating texts.
Professional Collaboration: Digital platform will provide data from shared school library that will drive professional collaboration and inspire discussion about student learning aligned with the Teachers College Reading Units of Study.
Active Thinking: Comprehension of texts will be improved because embedded prompts and supports within the digital texts scaffold deep reading of rich texts, and promote active thinking while reading. Students will pause, reflect, and consider other ideas while reading.
Media Integration: Instructional media embedded in the digital texts will provide background knowledge and support student understanding, while also building student facility in integrating multiple sources when reading.
In 2005, Dr. Ziming Liu, recognized a “screen-based reading behavior” emerging. “This screen-based reading behavior is characterized by spending more time on browsing and scanning, keyword spotting, one-time reading, nonlinear reading, and reading more selectively, while less time is spent on in-depth reading, concentrated reading, and decreasing sustained attention.”
This finding is especially concerning when you consider the volume of complex electronic text our students encounter as their academic career progresses. Beginning in secondary school, the most complex text students confront is found inside digital reading environments. Electronic textbooks are oriented differently and often embed Learning Management Systems with social networking features. Complex text is also found while searching articles online and within academic databases. We need to prepare our students for digital reading experiences.
My goal is to investigate learning strategies that promote in-depth reading of digital text, assist with the building self-regulation skills to monitor digital distractions and provide opportunities to practice navigation of e-books. I will also emphasize the importance of media comprehension and visual literacy. We must help our students develop the critical thinking skills necessary for connecting and synthesizing the meaning of all the divergent features inherent to digital text.
Intended Outcomes
Writing About Reading: Students will learn to actively think while reading digital texts and develop annotation skills and improve interpretive writing about reading, through the use of timely and continuous teacher feedback and student discussion boards.
Comprehension & Discussion: Students will have ample time to practice and develop reading comprehension skills unique to the digital learning environment. Digital discussion boards will both engage students in dialogue with each other and provide an authentic purpose for annotating texts.
Professional Collaboration: Digital platform will provide data from shared school library that will drive professional collaboration and inspire discussion about student learning aligned with the Teachers College Reading Units of Study.
Active Thinking: Comprehension of texts will be improved because embedded prompts and supports within the digital texts scaffold deep reading of rich texts, and promote active thinking while reading. Students will pause, reflect, and consider other ideas while reading.
Media Integration: Instructional media embedded in the digital texts will provide background knowledge and support student understanding, while also building student facility in integrating multiple sources when reading.
Actively Learn
I will use Actively Learn to incorporate digital reading with our current TCRWP curriculum, examine how scaffolded text and digital reading aids help support diverse learning needs, analyze user data to gain a better understanding of reading comprehension and collaborate virtually with PAUSD educators.