"Reading on the Internet: The link between literacy and technology," was a great article that discussed the importance of incorporating the internet into classroom activities and how this can further students literacy skills. "New forms of literacy called upon students to know how to read and write not only in the print world but also in the digital world" (Schmar-Dobler, pg. 81). Now more than ever, our world is advancing technologically so it is important to familiarize students with these new advancements in the classroom so they can benefit academically. The text and information that is found on the Internet is constantly changing and modifying, so it is crucial for students to know exactly how to navigate on the internet in order to benefit from the information they find on a specific topic. Being able to search through text and find references on the internet, is all part of being a literate person in today's society.
Instruction in teaching children proper ways to use the internet to enhance their literacy is vital in making sure students are being productive and informed. "Students can be taught about the existence of reading strategies through informed direct instruction" (Schmar-Dobler, pg. 81). Since text on the internet is constantly changing, it is important for teachers to first master these techniques of using the internet for literacy and then model those practices for students. Without proper instruction from teachers on how they want students to use the resources from the internet, they have no guidelines or understanding about what or how these activities will benefit their literacy development.
There were several reading strategies that were discussed in the article including activating prior knowledge, monitoring/ repairing comprehension, determining important ideas, synthesizing, drawing inferences, asking questions, and navigating. All of these strategies are important and with proper instruction, teachers can allow students to use these reading strategies to help them when they are using the internet for literacy. "Educators can guide students to be successful Internet readers by helping them recognize their experiences with various types of text and applying this knowledge to Internet reading." (pg. 85). It is vital that we provide students with the necessary resources to continue their learning, which is advancing along with the technology that is becoming available. "Through modeling and instruction, teachers can begin to build the bridge connecting literacy and technology" (pg. 85). We as teacher can make all the difference in allowing students to connect literacy to technology and the internet, so we must strive to do so in our future classroom.
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I'm glad you brought up the reading strategies that were discussed in the text. We should definitely talk about how teachers can illustrate, model, and scaffold these strategies when preparing students for using technology and the internet for a multitude of purposes.
ReplyDeleteWhen i said "we should talk about the strategies" I ment when we do the "nuggets" in class! lol just making myself more clear :)
ReplyDeleteSo as much as technology is advancing it can't be found in all households. How can we as teachers incorporate many different technologies into the classroom but still stay on track with our curriculum? Some schools only have one room with computers and that has to be shared with the whole school. While other classrooms have 4 or 5 computers literally in the classroom. This is another component that makes teaching technology difficult. Students need to be exposed to technology constantly so they understand how it works.
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