Weekly Reading #5

Quote:

“To complete the stimulated recall, we asked participants our research questions as they read through a website and audiotaped the dialogue” (Rowsell & Burke, 2009).

I was surprised that they used stimulated recall by asking questions while the students navigated the website. I’m not sure why they would do that. My impression was that they asked the survey questions, which were listed previously, during students interaction with the websites. I don’t know how those questions would last 40-minutes during an interview with the students. My brother gives very short answers whenever he’s online. However, I’m still unsure how this way of conducting the research would help in the study.

Resource:

By MermieOriginals at Youtube [CC (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9q69zFQ_8a0)]

I chose this resource, because it is a good example of digital text. It's a video made to teach kids the alphabet. The song, visual, and written texts are all incorporated to make learning the alphabet fun. This relates to the article because in the study the results showed the effects of how digital media improves reading skills in students, as well as engages and motivates them to learn. This video is a great way to show that in kids trying to learn their alphabet.

Questions:

1.       What did you learn about how reading of digital texts differs from the reading of print texts?

With digital texts, the reader has to construct meaning from visual and sound cues, as well as written text. With print texts, the reader just has to construct meaning from the written words. Digital texts have different representations of meaning, while print texts are only one dimensional in its ability to produce meaning.

2.      Do you agree the reading of digital texts are complex?

I do agree that digital texts are complex because they are multi-faceted. Readers need to use the majority of their senses to decipher all the possible meanings from the digital text. The combination of visual, sound, and written representation of meanings—when combined into one cohesive meaning—are what makes digital texts complex.

3.      Do you think that reading digital texts has value for reading in school?

I think that digital texts has value for reading in school. The complexity of various representations of meanings calls for a higher order of thinking than the traditional written texts. There are several meanings that they have to decipher in order to understand the digital text. This higher-order, critical thinking skills are what we strive for in education.

4.      How might a teacher connect Peter's online reading skills with academic reading? How might this improve Peter's academic reading?

Peter was able to articulate the plot and storyline of Naruto, which extended to his interest in the card game. This is important because students are often required in academia to produce the plot and meaning of written texts that are given to them in class. Also, his interest in the game extended to another media type to which the effect was the same. Being able to gather information from one source and use and transfer that knowledge to other forms is an important concept in mathematics. Therefore, this one study has produced skills in both English and Mathematics that teachers strive to instill in their students within the classroom.

This digital texts will improve Peter’s academic reading because it has different layers of reading involved. These skills would involve interpreting visual clues, mastering the nuances of subtext, following ideas in a non-linear way, and decoding simple reading. The multi-facets of digital texts are what improve thinking and learning. These skills aren’t covered with a single printed text like it is in digital texts. 

Rowsell, J., & Burke, A. (2009, October). Reading by Design: Two Case Studies of Digital Reading Practices. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 53(2), pp. 106-118. doi:10.1598/JAAL.53.2.2