Weekly Reading 5: Reading by Design

Introduction

“What is different now . . . is that spending time on the Web whether it is looking up something on Google or brittneyspears.org, entails engagement with text” (Rowsell & Burke, 2009, pg. 1).  This is so true!  I think about this quote in terms of video games.  While there were some text-based computer video games in the late 1980’s, most games (Pac-man, River Raid, Space Invaders, etc.) had no text.  Today’s video games are so much different.  They involve complex characters and plot lines.  I personally like survival horror games and get so frustrated if I get stuck on the gaming aspect because I get so involved with the storyline.  In today’s world, if a student signs onto the internet or plays a video game, they have to be able to comprehend text, as well as images and audio.

The following is a link that will take you to a blog posting  on Psychology Today’s website:

The Many Benefits, for Kids, of Playing Video Games

In his posting, Peter Gray describes how video games allow children to experiment with personalities, as well as develop career readiness skills such as filling out applications, working as a team, experimenting with leadership roles, and communicating through online text in chat rooms, instant messages, or email.

 

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

Print text is linear and mostly focuses on comprehending words on a page with possibly a few illustrations thrown into the mix.  On the other hand, digital text is an ever changing format that involves text, images, audio, and layouts, all of which work together without dominance (Rowsell & Burke, 2009, pg. 1).  Digital text easily lends itself to social learning and revision because it can literally be in anyone’s hands in an instant.  It has no foreseeable end and may literarily continue until the reader chooses to stop the task.

 

Do you agree that the reading of digital texts is complex? 

Digital text is complex because it requires the reader to comprehend so much more than simply the words on a page.  To truly understand the author’s digital message, the reader must evaluate not only the text, but the images, audio, and layout that are associated with the words.  This requires the blending of several reading strategies making digital reading very complex indeed.

 

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

I believe digital texts have value in reading instruction.  The goal of teaching reading is for students to become efficient at reading and comprehending complex reading texts.  Printed word is only one piece of a comprehension task.  We all know that the meaning of words changes with connotation.   Digital reading engages more pieces of the comprehension puzzle.  If a student is able to deifier multiple modes of communication, it will allow him/her to see a more complete picture.  Thus using digital reading for instruction helps challenge students to become more critical readers and thinkers by involving them in complex reading tasks.

 

How might a teacher connect Peter's online reading skills with academic reading? How might this improvePeter's academic reading? 

As any teacher knows, motivation is the key element to facilitating learning.  At this time, Peter Is not motivated in his English Arts class but he does enjoy reading on the internet.   A teacher could help connect Peter’s online reading skills with academic reading by letting Peter use a novel or literary work from class to create an online video game in the style of “Naruto.”  In this activity, Peter would read a required text but demonstrate his knowledge in an online format he is fluent in.  Furthermore, if Peter is reluctant or frustrated when reading a required novel, his teacher may be able to find an online graphic novel based on the class reading requirement that Peter may read instead.  Peter loves anime and graphic novels so if he enjoys the graphic novel version enough, he may even be motivated to try reading the classroom text in order to get more information on the story.  

 

Other ideas include having Peter complete characterization on characters from “Naruto” or diagram plot summaries of specific tasks in the game.  Peter could also make text-to-self connections by comparing or contrasting himself to the characters in the game.  Furthermore, he could create a blog or wiki page depicting different aspects of the game, including characterizations, related folklore, etc.

 

Resources

Gray, P.  (2012, Jan. 7).  The many benefits, for kids, of playing video games.  [Blog].  Retrieved from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/freedom-learn/201201/the-many-benefits-kids-playing-video-games

 

Rowsell, J. & Burke, A. (2009).  Reading by design: Two case studies of digital reading practices.  Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 53(2), 106-118.  doi: 10.1598/JAAL.53.2.2 or http://mylearningspaces.com/docs/ReadingbyDesign.pdf