Internet, Reading, and Comprehension: Guess What
June 17, 2011
Robert Glen Fogarty at Lockergnome asks, “Is the Internet Killing Reading Skills?” That good question is addressed by a recent University of Gothenburg study. Here’s what researchers found:
Study head Monica Rosén says: ‘Our study shows that the entry of computers into the home has contributed to changing children’s habits in such a manner that their reading does not develop to the same extent as previously. By comparing countries over time we can see a negative correlation between change in reading achievement and change in spare time computer habits which indicates that reading ability falls as leisure use of computers increases.
Sadly, these results come as no surprise and were probably inevitable. Why read when videos are clearly superior?
Fogarty compares this development to growing up with television, which could be accused of the same effect. He actually credits PBS children’s programming with learning to read early, and suggests that similar efforts on the Internet could be beneficial.
Hmm, we’ll see. Meanwhile, please, pass the Cheetos and Dr. Pepper. Oh, hand me my iPad and mobile phone.
Cynthia Murrell, June 17, 2011
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