2.+Identifying+Important+Questions

Before beginning to read, both online and off, it is important to have a direction or purpose in mind. Rosenblatt (1982) writes that:

"the most important choice of all must be made early in the reading event - the overarching choice of what I term the reader's stance, his 'mental set,' so to speak. The reader may be seeking information, as in a textbook; he may want directions for action, as in a driver's manual; he may be seeking some logical conclusion, as in a political article. In all such reading he will narrow his attention to building up the meanings, the ideas, the directions to be retained; attention focuses on accumulating what is to be carried away at the end of the reading" (p. 269).

Rosenblatt calls this type of purposeful reading //efferent//, and it differs from reading for the sensual experience of it, or what she terms the //aesthetic//. Our presentation focuses on efferent reading and strategies for reading effectively online. One such strategy is to begin with a question. Following the idea of beginning with a question, Coiro (2011) likens reading online to a "web-based inquiry process involving skills and strategies for locating, evaluating, synthesizing, and communicating information with the internet" (p. 7).

In order for students to decide what their question, goal, or purpose for reading is, they must first figure out what they already know and what they want to know about their topic. A [|KWL] chart is very useful for helping students identify what they know and what they need to know. If students have no prior knowledge on the topic, front-end loading or an exploratory activity is required (Koechlin and Zwann, 2007). Naturally, students think of questions as they receive new information. The key is for the students to develop the skill of questioning. According to Koechlin and Zwann (2007), "questioning skills must be activated throughout the entire research process" (p. 15). The ability to develop new questions will help to guide and focus the research, aiding with the skill of skimming and scanning as the student uses key words from their questions.

The visual skill of scanning involves moving the eye rapidly to locate specific material. To be successful at this, the reader must have an idea of what they are looking for. Then, they should be able to determine if they have located this information or not. Reading online efferently and effectively is facilitated by reading with purpose, reading with an end goal in mind, and understanding when this goal has been attained. "No other tool will help the Internet reader as much as the right question, asked at the right time and in the right way. Intelligent readers of the Internet begin by asking questions even before they log on, and they continue to ask questions during their search" (Burke, 2002).

As you investigate our ProD wiki on reading effectively online, you will be asked questions at the beginning of each strategy to keep in mind as you continue your effective reading online!

References

Burke, J. (2002). The internet reader. //Educational Leadership,60//(3),38-43. Retrieved from []

Coiro, J. (2011). Predicting reading comprehension on the internet: contributions of offline reading skills, online reading skills, and prior knowledge. //Journal or Literacy Research//, //43//(4), 352. Retrieved March 21, 2012, from ProQuest Education Journals. (Document ID: 2537660371).

Koechlin, C. & Zwaan, S. (2007). Assignments worth the effort: questions are key. //Teacher Librarian//. 34(3), pp. 14-19. Retrieved from [|http://proquest.umi.com.login.ezproxy.library.ualberta.ca/pqdwebindex=27&did=1204860501&SrchMode=1&sid=20&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1233183704&clientId=12301]

Rosenblatt, L. (1982). The literary transaction: Evocation and response, //Theory into Practice, 21//(4), 268-277.