Editors' Note: When this article was posted in Reading Online in January 2000, readers were invited to comment on it through a bulletin board feature that was discontinued when the journal was redesigned in July 2000. Following are the comments posted to that bulletin board.

Readers are invited to comment on this article directly to the author (an e-mail address appears on the abstract page) or by posting a message to Online Communities.

Post 1

Author: Martha_Matyas
Date: 02-04-2000 09:39

I have mixed feelings about creating on-line reading environments. While I do agree that students without experience on the web need instruction--I don't think they should be mandatory for all students. I believe there are "appropriate levels of control" as the author mentioned.

I believe, as educators, we are obliged to monitor our students use of all resource materials. This includes the web--which can be very difficult to monitor. Hypertext navigation would be and excellent tool to help lessen the confusion of web searching for a beginner. I believe there is great potential in such a tool, while I also believe there would have to be appropriate places for limiting the ways that students learn.

Reply 1a

Author: John McEneaney
Date: 02-04-2000 11:26

Thank you for your comments Martha!

Obviously, I agree with you that there is a need for us to support students who intend to use the Web as a learning resource. I'd suggest however that the need is probably much greater than just students in classrooms. I am a skilled user of the Web (for a variety of purposes) and I still routinely run into problems getting lost or finding materials I want. I think part of the reason Web portals like Yahoo are popular is precisely because they provide Web readers the kind of support and structure that we want (and don't find elsewhere.)

I'm not sure, however, that we agree entirely on whether the Web ought to be "mandatory" reading in school. Although there are some obvious problems related to access, I'm inclined to argue that Web literacy ought to be a part of every student's education. It seems to me that if students don't leave schools with Web literacy skills they won't be properly prepared to engage in forms of literacy that are fast becoming essential elements of life in the information age.

John Mc

Reply 1b

Author: Mallory_Clarke
Date: 02-06-2000 01:00

I agree with John that the need for structure is not just an issue for young students. I often find myself in a depleted state when I'm on the net for longer than 20 minutes. It is hard work to think deeply on the issue I'm learning something about, deal with all the numerous tech glitches, attempt to evaluate the quality and bias of what I'm viewing, and try to understand how to use the current site. In addition (and what was said in the article about this was very clarifying), as a reader I must set boundaries for myself and make myself abide by them or get irretrieveably lost. It's labor intensive and I'm an expert reader! In my case, a set of criteria is slowly emerging for my internet wanderings. In the rest of my life, curiosity works; it's a great tool. On the internet, it drives me loopy. I have to establish ahead of time, what I'm trying to find out and how far afield I'll allow myself to go and then only toward my other top (what? 3?) priorites. Mindless snooping is saved for special mindless spooping trips when serendipity and curiosity work.

So I crave structure, but there is a difference between stucture and control. Guiding a student's exploration should be aimed at helping the student learn to develop the skills to identify what they want and hone in on it. If we remove the need for those skills, how will they ever learn them? How will they ever become net savvy and independent? This is no negative comment on path based hypertext, but a theoretical question. One of the problems is that we are all just learning those navigation skills ourselves. It hard to trust that students can, will, and want to develop them, also. But that's the basis from which to begin.

Reply 1c

Author: John McEneaney
Date: 02-06-2000 10:39

I agree with mallory that there is a need to find a balance point between structure and control but I don't think this requires radical new thinking. It seems to me that Vygotsky's idea of a Zone of Proximal Development fits in very nicely here both because it emphasizes the interactive character of cognition (which I've tried to capture with metacognitive annotations) and the idea that supporting student learning is a DYNAMIC proposition - something that online materials are well suited to provide.

We need to create a way to identify the ZPD for a given reader and follow up with the appropriate level of support. Initially, teachers will need to assume a larger role in doing this but, ultimately, our objective should be to promote a more metacognitive reader who is consciously aware of the need for support and has learned to use tools to help manage the reading task. When we succeed in doing this readers will be making their own choices about appropriate levels of support/control.

John

Reply 1d

Author: christina_caron
Date: 02-12-2000 21:16

I couldn't have agreed with you more. The teacher has to let the students know that s/he is close enough to make sure that they are looking at appropriate materials. The student also has to take a small leap and do what it is that they are on the internet for. For example, in my Native American Studies class we are working on a research project. The school mandates that before I can let a student on the internet that they have an internet license. That means that their parents, if they are living with them, sign the paper and the student signs the paper stating that I will not willfully enter an inappropriate web site. Granted when looking for legends, myths, or other required material inappropriate sites pop up because of a hit word. My students know that they are to log out or they will have their internet license revoked. This means the only way they can be on the internet is if there is someone in the room with them and they are closely monitoring what the student is logging into. I think that it is important that students know how to navigate their way through the internet to read appropriate material. It is also important that they know the variety of different navigators that help set parameters, such as dog pile, hot bot, or some of the others.

Reply 1e

Author: Julie_Farmer
Date: 03-25-2000 12:47

I think that sometimes the teacher takes on too small of a role with students in regard to working with computers. Before students begin learning on the web, they need to have some knowledge of how the web works, before they begin their exploration of it. I think that learning on the web is a great way to utilize interactive learning for both visual learners and body/kinesthetic learners. The other students may need a little more assistance to get them started and going.

Reply 1f

Author: Jen_Vernier
Date: 03-26-2000 11:42

With all the technology we have today it is no wonder that we can read on the web. As I was reading the article, I found my mind wandering. I have never used the web in this fashion before and I couldn't jump around. I had to follow along and read the article. This would be a very different internet experience for children. We all have grown use to having different links that take us to different web sites and related information, not to links in the same page. I really enjoyed the lesson, although, I couldn't get the game to load.

Reply 1g

Author: jamie_strong
Date: 03-27-2000 19:43

It was very hard for me to sit in front of my computer and try to read this article. I hated it. My eyes were constantly wondering. I really don't think I would use reading articles on the web in my classroom. I don't think it provides enough structure. I found myself constantly clicking on the links to other pages before I was done reading the page I was on. The links are very helpful, however. I know that young children would start surfing the web. I mean why wouldn't they? They have access and its a lot more interesting than reading an article they probably aren't that interested in anyway. I also feel that if your not familiar with the web or the links you could get confused and frustrated quite easily. I didn't have a problem navigating through it, but I'm familiar with this stuff. I guess I also don't like learning on the web because I can't go at my own pace. I had to read the whole article at once instead of reading a little and then taking a break and going back. I didn't want to have to keep restarting my computer and getting to the site every time I got tired of reading. The games and stuff were fun though!!

Reply 1h

Author: Nicole_Ball
Date: 03-27-2000 19:19

Personally, I did not like reading the article on the web. In fact, I printed it out and read it at home. Afterwards, I reviewed the article on the web using the path version. It was interesting however, I don't feel it is an effective way to introduce children to new information. There is to much distraction, to much temptation for children to start surfing. I liked the set pathways that were offered on line. As a teacher, I would probably not use this in my classroom, ecspecially not in elementary grades. I don't believe teacher's shoudl just sit their students in front of a monitor and send them to a site and expect them to learn on their own without any guidance.

Reply 1i

Author: Sarah _McCormack
Date: 03-26-2000 16:22

The creation of the printing press helped to revolutionize the world by providing a great number of people easy access to books. However, literacy, money, geographic location, and the government, among other things hindered people from unlimited access to these new ideas.

I believe that reading online can take away some of the political and economic restrictions still hindering complete access to ideas. However, as with the printing press, there are new formats to which readers must adjust. In addition to the difficulties such as structure that you mentioned, there is the basic problem of trying to read a computer screen for an extended amount of time. There is also the problem of developing technology. Literacy did not become widespread immediately after the invention of the printing press. The printing press itself had to be refined, and it also had to become widely distributed. The political and intellectual climate also changed greatly between the time of the printing press' invention and our current widespread literacy levels.

Reading online offers many opportunties but also needs time and effort to become as easily utilized as we currently use printed books. Change in and of itself is difficult, and the Internet is revolutionary.

Reply 1j

Author: Jill_Scharfenberg
Date: 03-27-2000 12:50

On line reading environments can support solid learing, but at the same time create problems. It's too easy to start mindless surfing and wast time, as oposed to a more controled environment (the traditional way of rading with a text book.) As a adult I find it very difficult to sit down for long periods of time and stare at a comupter screen. I think this would be even more difficult for children. Althought I did enjoy reading "A path to Mars," and playing the games.

Reply 1k

Author: Marcus Langford
Date: 04-20-2000 16:15

I think that reading online is a double edged sword. It has its benefits as well as its draw backs. However, at this point in time I don't think that I see enough benefits to outweigh the negatives that I see. Initially, I am uncomfortable due to the rapidity at which the internet is changing and evolving. Everyday something is being added or taken away. While being up to date is good, this process makes it hard to establish validity of sources of information. Who exactly is in control of what students are reading? That is another issue that I have with what is on the internet. Lastly, I think that it can become a burden to sit in front of a computer screen all day. Books and other printed media, allow for mobility which is a major disadvantage as far as reading online goes.

Reply 1l

Author: dawn _coppola
Date: 03-27-2000 14:36

I finally found it! That was the biggest challenge.

It was an interesting experience to do that much solid reading on the web--hard on the eyes!! I liked having the sructure and the predetermined links that were provided. The path button was also very helpful. I could see where age appropriate reading materials (appropriate length, relative topics and so on) online would be useful. The guided reading and links really enhance the learning experience. I thoroughly enjoyed going through the Mars example, but I found our actual reading assignment somewhat difficult to get through on the screen. The Mars lesson moved right along and changed screens often, required a shorter attention span and less eye strength. It was fun and purposeful.

As a teacher I would be highly interested in these preprepared lessons, but, to this point, I still spend so much time lost on the web that it would be too difficult to create this type of lesson to accompany the classroom topics on my own. I was astonished at what could be researched and FOUND when appropriate links were already provided. I didn't get lost!! This allowed me to better see the role of the web as effectively spent classroom time.

Reply 1m

Author: tania_sharrak
Date: 03-27-2000 21:38

This is the only way that I can get my disscusion board. I finally can reply, but my password still does not work.

After reading the article, I think that using the internet for students to do assignments and read chapters like we did, is really good. Students get bored very easily and giving them an assignment that they have to do on line is a good learning expierince for them. My cousin who is in the seventh grade had to do a report on an African American who made a difference during Black History Month and their assignment was to find all their resources off the web. I helped her with her report and from my perspective, she learned alot. Not only about her assigned person, but also how to use the web as a learning device. She previously thought of the web as a way to chat with her friends.

Reply 1n

Author: ann_downey
Date: 03-27-2000 21:48

I'm not sure how I got here or what I am supposed to respond to directly, so I will just type away. I think that I already (basically) knew the information in the article. I may not have known the exact terms for the definitions, but it seemed kind of irrelevant. i didn't think it was difficult to read, but I did think that it wasn't interesting....that may be because it is 10:00pm Monday night. hahaha I am not sure whether I would use the web as a learning tool in a classroom just because I know how easy it is to wander. The Mars activity was great!!! If I could make surer that the students would follow only that program, I would use it. I don't consider it really utilizing the web directly because a;; the links were right there and it didn't require too much effort to find valuable information...the links were all relevent.

Reply 1o

Author: nicole_delamielleure
Date: 03-27-2000 22:02

Absolutely it is exciting to have finally found what I was supposed to be reading online! I agree that sometimes it is difficult to read something that is longer on the web. It is harder on the eyes. I have always had a problem with the lack of structure on the web and it seems that when I do a search engine like Yahoo or webcrawler I usually get so far away from my original search topic that it is giving me information I never intended to find. This is not always a bad thing but sometimes it makes it seem like you are fumbling around a topic instead of hitting the nail on the head. The ideas of paths is interesting because I do think they give the web much more structure. It does make the articles easier to follow. I wouldn't have gotten as much out of this article if the path (arrows) hadn't been there to guide me through.

Reply 1p

Author: Scott _Just
Date: 03-28-2000 00:59

Web learning is obviously the future, how it is to be implemented is still unknown. Do we really want to give over our classes to the computer and let it teach? ? Hardly a personnel or appropriate teaching method. 'Pathed' assignment or not you would still have kids looking at non-assignment materials. I know from my own experience, I get distracted and sidelined, to other sites when researching for a paper or class. I can only imagine what a class of Elementary school kids would do. Integrating the web into a curriculum in place of a 'pulp' test is still a number of years away due to the lack of structure in the Web. And do we really want to make the web structured and neat? The beauty of the web is that it is, free, rare information for the user to interrupt. Personally, I can't handle reading more than a few pages of text on the screen. My eyes start to throb. . . So are we to condemn the young to Myopia just so its easier to learner us to teach? ( is it really easier to learn)? The web is here, for right or wrong. Not to be the Neo-luddite but we really must question when and how it should be introduced to our young.

As a final note, we should teach children were the web came from, and why it was structured the way it is. . .One of the more interesting benefits of winning the Cold War.

Post 2

Author: mark_gole
Date: 03-27-2000 16:25

I believe that we are capable of learning on the web. What we learn is strictly determined by what we want to learn. I feel that the web gives us the freedom to discover things that we want to learn more about. The idea of putting specific reading assignments on the web is not a bright one. I know that i have a hard enough time reading a book in my room with limited resources to distract me. While reading this assignment on the web, i found myself wanting to surf the web instead of reading the assigned reading. When i first started the reading, I chose the path-free model, but I really didn't go anywhere. The reason being the fact that there were so many options. So, I went back to the main page and read the article with the set path. I feel that the web is the most amazing tool for gathering information that you want to obtain. The web shouldn't be used to set limits on a specified topic.

Post 3

Author: Brad_Buddenborg
Date: 03-27-2000 19:44

I feel that this article and the nature and new feel of learning on the web was a good experience. The system of paths and the availability to choose your own route is a huge advantage in the learning process. The freedom to explore and choose my own path allows me to feel more involved in the learning process and motivates me to learn more and keeps me interested in the information. I especially liked the "note" button at the top of each page that discussed some of the pages more complicated or more interesting points and reinforced the information. I feel that this assignment was beneficial and that learning on the web is useful. I also think that there are certain advantages to books to. It may just be the comfortable feeling because they are what we have relied on since our first day in school. Books and other printed materials give you something you can carry around and rely on without haviong to have a computer and internet handy.

Reply 3a

Author: Chris Anne_Bordewick
Date: 04-18-2000 18:55

I feel as though the web is a great learning tool for resources and a connection to the world outside of the classroom. However, it seems to me as though it could never be relied upon consistently seeing as how there are so many things that constantly go wrong with it. There is always someone getting thrown off of the system, or gettting booted from the server, or losing their way along the tricky cyber path to their information. Another reason why I think that the web would never work consistantly is that computer screens are really rough on the eyes. It is a proven fact that staring at them for too long will cause some serious damage to your eyes. It would be disaterous if we as teachers were just trying to do some serious reading with our students and they developed eye problems because of it. Print will never hurt your eyes if read in the correct light. In defense of reading online, it is a fast and cost efficient way of gaining access to the written word. With the click of a button one can gain acess to almost any piece of literature that they want. This is much better than getting in the car, driving to the bookstore, finding the book, purchasing the book, driving home again, and finally sitting down to read.

Post 4

Author: Rachel_Weiss
Date: 03-28-2000 11:13

Honestly I think that online reading would be great if it were not so frustrating. I tried for three days to read this article and post my reply and it would not work. By the time I finally figured out how to work this stupid computer I was so frustrated that I did not even really want to read the article or post a repy. Maybe I am just computer illiterate but if you ask me I would rather read an article out of a book than spend three days of my valuable time starring at a computer screen. On that note I think that the article had a lot of good points and was full of very useful information. I really enjoyed the lesson plan about Mars at the end of the reading. I think that I played around with that lesson for at least a couple of hours. Online reading is good but like the article said I think that it would be very hard to control a classroom and keep students on task. Also, from my experience with the reading this time I am totally discouraged, as any student would be, about reading online any more. It is to time consuming when you have 20 credits and a full time job, let alone for a younger child just learning about computers or even an older person who has not had a lot of practice on a computer.

Reply 4a

Author: Master Akinkunle _Olufemi Allen
Date: 06-19-2000 14:03

I want you to be sending me Mathematics on Junior High School because I am not very good in Mathematics, so help me. God bless you Amen.

Kunle Allen

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