Hello all,
I'm often 'not among the norm' and maybe this will be no exception.  It is
not unusual for me to spend 10 or more hours nearly nonstop working on the
computer -- not that unusual for me to spend more hours than that daily.
And I read, on average, a minimum of two novels per week.  I'm an avid
Bookins (http://bookins.com) trader, love booksales, bookstores, etc. I MUCH
prefer holding a book and reading it. I have not made the transition to
reading daily news online (although I struggle with this -- since I do rue
the piles and piles of newsprint taken to the recyling center -- when so
much of it *could* be read online).  I have pondered buying a "kindle" --
but would want to test one first -- does anyone on this list who much
prefers holding and reading a 'real' book have any hands-on experience
reading on a kindle?  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAf4vxGEOAo   I do
think kindles have a chance of being a plausible transition for me.

An odd aside -- we lost our home to fire (complete no-more-house fire) two
years ago, and books were a strong "need" to replace as quickly as
possible.  Our first temporary (and certainly our present) post-fire home
has lots of books -- most used.  It seems very alien and sad to me to
imagine a world without them.

I've never listened to a book on tape.  Learning styles may play a large
part in this?  I do have an IPod (recent purchase) but use it primarily for
language learning and for teaching (I download many things for classroom
use, few for my own pleasure).
I don't subscribe to nor read as many magazines as I used to (that time is
now on computer).

But coffeeshops are filled more with computer screens than newspapers these
days (at least those that I frequent).

And there's no denying that for a strong percentage of today's youth,
exposure to print on a technology device of some kind or listening instead
of reading, viewing instead of reading, of communicating via keyboard vs.
pen/pencil is of a considerably higher proportion than the experience of
their parents and grandparents (and often, their teachers).  It is logical
that there would be an impact pedagocically and andragogically.

It's certainly been (and continues to be) an interesting personal journey
for me...
Interesting conversation!

Classroom observations I've made of my perceived 'needs' to be addressed
with adult learners are 'spam' related emails -- the false promises that
BOMBARD mailboxes -- and students often report being afraid to delete them.
It is not unusual for me to see students with thousands of messages in
inbox  -- afraid to delete, not recognizing cues of misspelled words in the
subject, etc.  ...also often unaware that the sights they visit and enter
minimal data into are often responsible for sending a barrage of junk
emails.  And one student who expressed that he likes the " you are a winner"
pop-ups and emails -- they give him hope -- and he wants to believe (scary
to me).

lots to think about -- how much of this is or should become our business?
how?  Without making judgments, or having our lessons come across as
judgmental... I've done 'scavenger hunt' type activities with teams
discussing most reliable site for info on ______, etc.  But I've yet to be
satisfied that much of a message has gotten through...   and am now
rethinking a new round of lesson ideas -- PBL oriented.
holly
On Wed, Jul 30, 2008 at 2:54 PM, Lobaccaro Gina (DOC) <
Gina.Lobaccaro at state.de.us> wrote:


>  Hi David – and others!

>

> I (an adult correctional educator and doctorate student and frequent

> Internet user)– like the students mentioned in the article – no longer read

> books for pleasure EVER. I don't read newspapers or magazines anymore; I

> check out local and national news daily online.  *My eyes are exhausted*from the work I do online and from reading textbooks or online readings for

> my classes.

>

> I purchased an IPod a few years ago, and now download a book (for pleasure

> "listening") now and again – to listen to when I am driving or before I fall

> asleep.  Or, I have podcasts downloaded to listen to (as opposed to reading

> magazines).

>

> I do "read seriously" but I don't read for pleasure anymore.  I wonder how

> many other adult "professionals" (as opposed to students in general) who

> spend a great deal of time doing computer work (including work online) still

> do read books for pleasure and/or read the newspaper and magazines

> regularly.

>

> J

>

> Gina

>

> Today's New York Times has an article (online, of course) on reading

> online vs reading books. Among other things mentioned are:

>

> ? a spoof web site about an endangered Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus

> that 90% of the students of the teacher who assigned the web site

> thought was authentic,

> ? an Internet literacy test which will be taken by students in OECD

> countries (except the U.S.),  and

> ? various views about whether reading online is an essential kind of

> reading now or distracting from serious reading.

>

> You'll find the article at:

>

> http://tinyurl.com/6n7vjk

>

> I wonder what you think of this article (the first in a series).

>

> David J. Rosen

> djrosen at comcast.net

>

>

>

>

>

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Holly (Dilatush)

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