{"id":286,"date":"2020-08-10T02:46:56","date_gmt":"2020-08-10T02:46:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hanhuamandarin.com\/?p=286"},"modified":"2021-10-29T15:25:45","modified_gmt":"2021-10-29T07:25:45","slug":"how-does-technology-makes-reading-better-12","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hanhuamandarin.com\/blog\/how-does-technology-makes-reading-better-12\/","title":{"rendered":"Exactly How Technology Makes Reading Better"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Technology Makes Reading Better. Here\u2019s Exactly How.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Reading is just the communication of ideas through alphanumeric symbols. I\u2019m not sure what this represents such hallowed ground for teachers, but it does. Personally I\u2019d be more concerned with reading habits, reasons for reading, the quality of reading materials, etc. Symbols change, forms change, media change. See the gif and memes and language and acronyms that become words and words that become metaphors again. This is your audience, and these are the symbols they gravitate towards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With more personalization, more access, and more connectivity, we should be creating a generation of close-readers that can\u2019t get enough. So if we\u2019re not, the question is, why isn\u2019t that happening? The pieces are there.<\/p>

<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

1. Social readers are connected readers<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Through apps with social components, readers can be connected through texts. Reading groups, reading contests, reasons for reading, book suggestions, building social credibility for the process of reading, and more are possible when reading is, at least on some level, a social act.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No, we don\u2019t always \u2018need to be connected.\u2019 This isn\u2019t an either\/or circumstance, however. We can be alone with our book and then socialize our reaction to the book. We can get an idea for a book and then be alone to read, then socialize again after. We can \u2018socialize\u2019 an idea and gain background knowledge for a certain chapter in a book, then read alone and not \u2018socialize\u2019 at all after. The point is, we can choose who we don\u2019t and don\u2019t socialize with, when, and how.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We have the choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Adaptive learning algorithms can lead to personalization<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

With adaptive learning algorithms, readers can have the pace, diversity, complexity, and form of their reading materials personalized instantly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. <\/strong>Increased access & choice<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Through digital storefronts, free eBooks, RSS feeds, social magazines, and more, there has never been a time where students had more content at their fingertips. Like this book using an eReader like Kindle or iBooks? Here are 25 just like it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, here are 10 other authors that those who liked this book also liked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And here are 750 reviews that you can sift through to get a feel for what other people think. And please, download a free sample of any book you\u2019d like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And it\u2019s easier than ever to publish, so while that means there\u2019s more garbage out there, there\u2019s also more variety. Fanfiction has exploded. If you can\u2019t find something you like, you\u2019re not trying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Technology can distract, technology can focus<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Technology can allow readers to annotate texts and share notes, which is physically interactive and \u2018social.\u2019 There are also apps\u2013white noise apps, for example\u2013that can block out class distractions, and more. Before you blame technology for \u2018distracting\u2019 students, make sure you\u2019re honest with yourself about how focused they were without the tech.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Technology makes learning easier<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s breaking reading up into three separate categories: Before Reading, During Reading, and After Reading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During each of these times, readers have different needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before Reading: A young reader starting a story set in a different culture may benefit from watching a YouTube video about that culture, or reading a quick Wikipedia overview about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During Reading: A high school student reading a poem may want to Google the literary allusions in that poem to make better sense of what they\u2019re reading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After Reading: A PhD student may want to check previous studies by that study\u2019s authors to evaluate some claim being made\u2013or to follow up on some other data point found in the study to learn more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The point is, technology (used well) improves \u2018sensemaking.\u2019 No, it\u2019s not absolutely necessary in the same way that I don\u2019t need to drive a car to drive to Henry County, Kentucky. I could walk if I wanted\u2013and there are benefits to walking. Cars aren\u2019t \u2018superior.\u2019 But because of that technology, I have the opportunity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Analytics can personalize the mechanics of reading<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Analytics can be, well, analyzed for the practice of reading\u2014time spent reading, how often readers clicked on certain words, etc. I know this is vague. I\u2019m not a reading specialist or an app developer. The point is that data can be used to keep all readers in their \u2018literacy sweet spot,\u2019 supporting struggling readers, challenging advanced readers, and offering choice to grade-level readers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. Texts can have their levels adjusted instantly<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Take the data from #6, and you\u2019ve got a powerful combination. This means less or more complex sentence structure, syntax, vocab, etc. Platforms like Epic reader and news-o-matic make it easier to match a reader to a text level, as do a variety of apps and desktop programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And using eReader apps, students can touch a word and get its definition instantly. Not that they necessarily will, mind you\u2013close reading is still a matter of will. But they can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. <\/strong>Reading speed is more \u2018visible\u2019<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

With apps that allow the practice of sight words, others created expressly to increase reading speed, and others that measure time spent reading, words read per minute, and more, more than ever reading speed is visible, and higher reading speeds generally translates to increased comprehension.<\/p>\n\n

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    \n\t\t\t <\/ul>\n <\/div> \n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Through apps with social components, readers can be connected through texts. Reading groups, reading contests, reasons for reading, book suggestions, building social credibility for the process of reading, and more are possible when reading is, at least on some level, a social act.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":166,"featured_media":4041,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_joinchat":[]},"categories":[128],"tags":[138,140],"views":405,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/hanhuamandarin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/pri7.jpg","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hanhuamandarin.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/286"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hanhuamandarin.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hanhuamandarin.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hanhuamandarin.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/166"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hanhuamandarin.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=286"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/hanhuamandarin.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/286\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5400,"href":"https:\/\/hanhuamandarin.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/286\/revisions\/5400"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hanhuamandarin.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4041"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hanhuamandarin.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=286"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hanhuamandarin.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=286"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hanhuamandarin.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=286"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}