http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/09/can-students-go-deep-with-digital-reading/
In Holly Korbey's article, "Can Student's 'Go Deep' with Digital Reading?", the issue is how students are able to interact and comprehend reading material using digital media versus using printed text. According to Mark Pennington, a reading specialist at the middle school level, using digital text and having the ability for certain functions with digital text can help students become engaged in what they are reading. Pennington feels that "the trick to being a good reader, no matter the medium, is being an engaged reader." Students are able to use digital functions, such as highlighting text or creating electronic annotations while they are reading, encouraging students to develop critical thinking skills while they are actively reading.
Instead of receiving a textbook that had to be kept spotless for return to the next student, digital texts allow students to personalize their reading process, making notes as they read, thinking about the text during their reading, and identifying what information is essential for them to gain from the text. Pennington doesn't deny that this can be done with printed text using note taking procedures and sticky notes for annotations. Pennington also said that the applications that have digital tools for creating annotations can be challenging for students to learn how to use. If students don't know how to use these tools, then using digital text does not have advantages.
Also in Korbey's article, a current study, conducted by Heather Ruetschlin Schugar and Jordan T. Schugar, hypothesized about the effectiveness on using digital text with students. It was discovered that e-books, with all the bells and whistles, could be overwhelming to young children and disrupt the ability to process the reading. Instead, these very tools could become a distraction.
It was also found that older students prefered printed text and using note-taking strategies rather than using an e-book with the annotation tools. The cause could be due to lack of training and practice for students on how to use digital text with these tools. If teachers want to use digital texts in their classrooms, they need to model for the students how to use these tools so that students can see how to create annotations.
As my current school has adopted a 1:1 initiative, we are encouraged to use digital texts and resources in addition to or instead of textbooks. Apps like PDF Notes and Subtext are making it easier for my classes to work with digital text and use tools to "dirty up" the reading and personalize it for students. I feel that I need to model how to use this technology at first with my students in class before I require them to use it on their own. If I make it look easy, their attitudes about using it for class are more positive.
I love the idea of digital texts. You and the article bring up positive points. A concern I have is the same as expressed in the article Marisa summarized about the digital divide. Will students have equitable access to the online text? Will their devices support online texts? Do the screen sizes allow for easy viewing? Will tech support be able to support the devices and the online content? Sorry...just considering possible issues.
ReplyDeleteJodie, I think you make some good points here. Bill does as well. Are there any free tools out there that all students can have access to that will help?
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DeleteI have used the program Subtext that will allow access to all students if they have a device. This would be a good program to allow students to interact and annotate on the text. Another app is PDF notes, that allows students to annotate on a static .pdf file.
DeleteGreat article! In Social Studies, with the literacy standards out from common core, engaging readers has been a struggle in my classroom. A lot of students disengage with informational texts, at least from my experience. I have had complaints from students, as well as other teachers that a lot of my reading was done off of computer screens. That is why I like the quote you had the trick to being a good reader, no matter the medium, is being an engaged reader". I also like the fact that students can personalize their texts by commenting, highlighting, and more. My first class at ICC was a reading class that also taught study skills. Without learning and practicing those tools, I doubt I would have finished college, or at least with any respectable academic standing. That is why I try to teach those skills to my students.
ReplyDeleteJodie, I love digital texts...now. I hated them and fought against them for years. I NEEDED to hold a book. I needed to highlight and write in academic texts. Otherwise how would I learn? There are so many tools available now that can help alleviate my personal fears, but even more that help my students learn better using digital text. Now, saying that, I also agree that digital texts are too much for young readers. My 8 year old is able to 'read' an entire book in 5 minutes on a digital text, because she just swipes and swipes, but has absolutely no comprehension. However, give her a real book, and she comprehends like a maniac. Teens, however, especially those with learning disabilities, really can shine with e-readers, the auto highlighting, the text to speech, and all the bells and whistles that teachers used to have to do for them, they now can do independently.
ReplyDeleteGreat article.