In the article by Constance J. Petersen, “Writing for a Web Audience” she captures the essence of the web reader. As she described the web reader likes to read passages that get to the point from the onset of the reading while reading words that are not too complex. As I do research, I usually quickly scan through articles only detaining myself at exact words that I am looking for, that is that I quickly scan key words that state the information I need. Once I see what I am looking for, then and only then, do I go back and read the entire reading looking for supportive data. I repeat the process until I have gathered all the data I need. Usually I read very thoroughly, but for some reason, to me web reading is less serious and does not warrant my full attention.
After seeing this video it made me think more carefully about the kind of web reader I am. If the website from which I am reading is too complicate to maneuver, or better said not user friendly I tend not to waste my time.
I saw myself in Petersen's description of Web reading--hungry, impatient--clicking my browser toolbar,edit, find and typing the search word--clicking the arrow (s) if my word is found in the text--moving on if not. This me under the influence of digital media's swift (sometimes frustrated) gratification lifting me on a global wave until I forgotten where I've begun since I am enjoy serendipitous surfing. That is me as a consumer of digital information. I am not alone? This is how everyone responds to the WEB--like a brain on speed ? How is digital media changing the human brain (young and old)? I thought and remembered reading Marc Prensky, "Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants," about the impact of technology on learning, which led to Jeff Hawkins's talk on TED (designer and developer of Palm), which led to researching neuroplasticity, which led to an article in Newsweek "Reading This will Change Your Brain," which led to Amazon where I previewed and purchased the book reviewed in the Newsweek article which is now leading me to a make a new post with all the links I cannot put in a comment.
ReplyDeleteThat is a reading skill that many college undergraduates and even graduate students have not acquired--how to skim massive reading assignments for the main points. Some classes (not this one, thankfully) bury students with hundreds of pages of dense reading per week. Not doable with an outside life.
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