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In this commentary, the author explores the tension between almost 30 years of work that has embraced increasingly complex conceptions of digital reading and recent studies that risk oversimplifying digital reading as a singular entity analogous with reading text on a screen. The author begins by tracing a line of theoretical and empirical work that both informs and complicates our understanding of digital literacy and, more specifically, digital reading. Then, a heuristic is proposed to systematically organize, label, and define a multifaceted set of increasingly complex terms, concepts, and practices that characterize the spectrum of digital reading experiences. Research that informs this heuristic is used to illustrate how more precision in defining digital reading can promote greater clarity across research methods and advance a more systematic study of promising digital reading practices. Finally, the author discusses implications for assessment, research, practice, and policy.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the nature of reading comprehension processes while reading on the Internet. Eleven sixth-grade students with the highest combination of standardized reading scores, reading report card grades, and Internet reading experiences were selected from a population of 150 sixth graders in three different middle schools in the central and northeastern United States. These 11 skilled readers met individually with a researcher and completed two separate tasks that involved reading within multilayered websites or using the Yahooligans! search engine. Students answered specific questions about their strategy use in a follow-up interview after each reading session. Qualitative analysis evolved through four distinct phases, each of which involved reviewing data from think-aloud protocols, field observations, and semistructured interviews to provide insights on the nature of online reading comprehension. Findings suggested that successful Internet reading experiences appeared to simultaneously require both similar and more complex applications of (1) prior knowledge sources, (2) inferential reasoning strategies, and (3) self-regulated reading processes. The authors suggest that reading Internet text prompts a process of self-directed text construction that may explain the additional complexities of online reading comprehension. Implications for literacy theory and future research are discussed. /// [Spanish] El propósito de este estudio cualitativo fue explorar la naturaleza de 1os procesos de comprensión lectora durante la lectura en Internet.Once estudiantes de sexto grado que presentaban la combinación de puntuaciones más alta en pruebas estandarizadas de lectura, en el boletin de calificaciones y en experiencias de lectura en Internet fueron seleccionados de una población de 150 estudiantes de sexto grado en tres escuelas medias del centro y noreste de 1os Estados Unidos. Los once lectores fueron entrevistados en forma individual por un investigador y completaron dos tareas separadas de lectura en sitios de la red con mültiples niveles o usando el mecanismo de búsqueda de Yahoo. Los estudiantes respondieron a preguntas especificas acerca del uso de estrategias en una entrevista luego de cada sesión de lectura. El análisis cualitativo se desarrolló en cuatro fases distintas, cada una de las cuales incluyó la revisión de protocolos de pensar en voz alta, observaciones de campo y entrevistas semiestructuradas para conocer la naturaleza de la comprensión lectora en linea. Los hallazgos sugieren que las experiencias exitosas de lectura en Internet requieren de la utilización más compleja de: 1) fuentes de conocimientos previos, 2) estrategias de razonamiento inferencial y 3)procesos de lectura autorregulados. Los autores sugieren que la lectura de textos de Internet promueve un proceso de construcción autodirigida del texto que podría explicar las complejidades adicionales de la comprensión lectora en linea. Se discuten implicancias para la teoráa de la alfabetización y la investigación futura. /// [German] Zweck dieser qualitativen Studie war es, die Eigenschaft des Vertändnisprozesses beeim Lesevorgang während des Lesens im Internet zu untersuchen. Elf Schüler der sechsten Klasse mit der höchsten Kombination von standardisierten Lesebewertungen, Zeugnisnoten im Lesen und Internetleseerfahrungen wurden aus einer Gruppierung von 150 Sechstklässlern aus drei verschiedenen Mittelschulen in den mittleren und nordöstlichen Vereinigten Staaten ausgewählt. Diese elf begabten Leser trafen sich jeweils einzeln mit einem Forscher und komplettierten zwei separate Übungen, die das Lesen innerhalb vielschichtiger Websites oder die Anwendung der Yahooligans Search Engine umfassten. Die Schüler beantworteten spezifische Fragen über ihre Anwendungsstrategie in einem Followup Interview nach jeder Lesesitzung. Die qualitative Analyse entwickelte sich durch vier bestimmte Phasen, jede für sich umfasste die Durchsicht von Daten vongeäß ugerten Gedankenprotokollen, Feldbeobachtungen, und semi-strukturierten Interviews,um Einsichten in die Natur des Online Leseverstándnisses zu liefern. Die Erkenntnisse deuteten daraufhin, dasserfolgreiche Internet-Leseerfahrungen anscheinend simultan jeweils gleichgeartete und mehr komplexere Applikationen erfordern von (1) vorhandenen Wissensquellen; (2) inferentialen Denkstrategien; und (3) selbstausgeführten Leseprozessen. Die Autoren schlagen vor, dass das Lesen van Internet- Text einen Prozess von eigenangeleiteter Textkonstruktion hervorruft, was die zusätzlichen Komplexitaten des Online-Leseverstandnisses erkliren mag. Auswirkungen auf die Lese- und Schreibtheorie und zukünftige Forschung werden diskutiert. /// [Japanese] この質的研究の目 的は、インターネットで 読みを行う際の読解プロ セスの性質を探求するこ とであった。標準化リー ディングスコア、リーデ ィング成績表における成 績、インターネット上の リーディング経験の最も 優れた組み合わせを備え た6 年生11 人が、アメリカ 合衆国中部及び北東部に ある3つの異なる中学校の 6年生150人の中から選ばれた 。この優れた11 人の読み手 達は、個別に研究者一人 と会い、多層になってい る ウェブサイト内でのリ ーディング、またはヤフ ーリガンのサーチエンジ ンの使用を伴う2つの異な るタスクを行った。生徒 達は、各リーディングの 後に行ったフオローアッ プ・インタビューで、ス トラテジーの使用に関す る特定の質問に答えた。 質的分析は、4つの異なる 段階で進展したが、それ ぞれの段階は、オンライ ン読解の性質への明察を 提供するための、思考表 出法によるプロコトール 、フィールド観察、半構 造化インタビューのデー タの精査を伴った。結果 、成功したインターネッ ト・リーディングは、（ 1）前の知識源、（2）推測 論法ストラテジー、（3） 自己制御的リーディング プロセスの同様且つより 複雑な応用を同時に必要 とするようであることが 示唆された。筆者等は、 インターネットのテキス トを読むことは、オンラ イン読解の付加的な複雑 さを説明し得る自己主導 的なテキスト構築の過程 を促すと示唆する。リテ ラシー理論と今後の研究 への示唆を議論する。 /// [French] Cette Étude qualitative avait pour but d'identifier les processus de compréhension de la lecture en situation de lecture sur Internet. Partant d'une population de 15 enfants de 6° de trois écoles du centre et du nord-est des États-Unis, on a sélectionné onze enfants présentant la meilleure combinaison de résultats à des tests de lecture standardisés, de notes de lecture sur leurs bulletins scolaires, et d'expérience de la lecture sur Internet. Ces onze bons élèves ont rencontré individuellement le chercheur et accompli deux tâches différentes impliquant une lecture dans des sites internet multi niveaux et l'utilisation du moteur de recherche Yahooligans. Après chaque session de lecture, les élèves ont répondu à des questions spécifiques portant sur les stratégies utilisées. L'analyse qualitative a permis de distinguer quatre phases distinctes, dont chacune comporte des données provenant des protocoles de pensée à haute voix, d'observations en situation, et d'entretiens semi-stucturées donnant des idées sur la compéhesion lors de la lecture en ligne. Les résultats suggèrent qu'un travail fructueux de lecture sur Internet semble nécessiter une utilisation à la fois semblable et plus ou moins complexe 1) de sources préalables de connaissance ; 2) de stratégies de raisonnement par inférence ; et 3) de processus de lecture autorégulés. Les auteurs suggèrent que la lecture de textes sur Internet induit un processus de construction de texte autorégulé qui peut expliquer la plus grande complexité de la comréhension de la lecture on ligne. La discusion porte sur les implications pour la théorie du lettrisme et les recherches à effectuer. /// [Russian] Цель этого качественного исследования состояла в том, чтобы изучить при родупроцес сов воспри ятия прочи танного пр и чтении о нлайн. Оди ннадцать у чащихся с с амыми высо кими показ ателями в стандартиз ированных тестах по чтению, а т акже самым и богатыми читательс кими форму лярами и о бширным оп ытом работы в Интерне те были от обраны сре ди 150 шес тиклассник ов в трех средних шко лах в цент ре и на се веро-восто ке Соедине нных Штато в. Эти оди ннадцать \"к валифициро ванных\" чи тателей ин дивидуальн о встречал ись с иссл едователем и выполнял и две отде льных зада чи, состоя вшие в чте нии многоу ровневых ве бсайтов и поиске эле ктронных р есурсов с помощью по исковой си стемы Ya-hooligans (http://kids.yahoo.com). После каждого се анса чтени я учащиеся отвечали н а конкретн ые вопросы , посвящен ные их стр атегии при чтении в сети. Качес твенный ан ализ состо ял из четы рех послед овательных стадий, к аждая изко торых вклю чала в себ я анализ р асшифрован ных аудиоз аписей уст ных размышл ений учащи хя, полевы х наблюден ий и полус труктуриро ванных инте рвью, что обеспечило глубинное понимание природы п роцессов в осприятия п ри чтении онлайн. Ре зультаты п одсказываю т, что для успешного чтения в сетиучащим ся нужно б ыло одновр еменно и н еоднозначн о обращать ся к (1) р анее накопл енным знан иям, (2) с тратегиям логическог о рассужде ния и (3) с аморегулир уемым проц ессам чтен ия. Авторы предполаг ают, что ч тение Интер нет-тексто в одноврем енно стиму лирует про цесс самон аправляемо го структур ирования т екста, что объясняет возникнов ение допол нительных сложносте й при восп риятии онл айн-тексто в. В стать е делаются выводы, з начимые для теории гр амотности и будущих исследован ий.

The authors introduce readers to three design features of the University of Rhode Island's Summer Institute in Digital Literacy, a 42-hour, weeklong professional learning experience in digital literacy for educators, librarians, college faculty, and other adult learners. The program is explicitly designed to promote reflection on one's motivations for advancing digital literacy, deepen appreciation for collaborative inquiry, and focus on how educators and learners (not machines) personalize learning. Evidence of how these themes are developed through practice illustrates the design philosophy that is embedded in the program. Digital media platforms, texts, and technologies enable pedagogical practices that put learners and teachers at the center of an increasingly networked social world, but these approaches also require respect for diverse perspectives, deliberative dialogue, and collaborative inquiry to bring them into the mainstream educational practice of schools, libraries, universities, and communities.

Online inquiry, or using the Internet to generate questions and then search for, alyse, and synthesise information about these questions, is an essential part of digital literacy. However, processes involved in online inquiry are substantially complex. Prior research suggests that digital platforms can scaffold online inquiry processes. Moreover, the value of scaffolding dialogue in collaborative activities has been shown to enhance critical thinking, an important part of online inquiry. This study investigates whether the use of digital platforms designed to scaffold online inquiry can support productive dialogue when used collaboratively.Data from four pairs of high school students was collected as they worked together using both the digital platform and multiple online sources outside the platform to complete an online inquiry task. Each pair’s interactions were alysed to investigate whether features of the digital platform prompted productive dialogue. In line with research suggesting the use of academic language influences content understanding, each pair’s use of certain academic terms related to the task and digital platform’s interface were also statistically examined. Results suggested that most productive dialogue occurred when using the digital platform. Additiolly, two of the four academic terms investigated occurred more often in talk while interacting with the digital platform, compared to talk when on another website. A comparison of timelines associated with these terms offered examples of how initially they were said exclusively while on the tool, and then progressed towards independent use.

This article highlights four cognitive processes key to online reading comprehension and how one might begin to transform existing think-aloud strategy models to encompass the challenges of reading for information on the Internet. Informed by principles of cognitive apprenticeship and an emerging taxonomy of online reading comprehension strategies, I introduce think-aloud instructional models for explicitly teaching students how expert readers approach, interact with, monitor their understanding of, and respond to online information texts. Over time, think-aloud strategy lessons in online reading environments help students recognize, label, and define a range of more and less familiar online cueing systems and related reading purposes. In turn, students can begin to actively consider additional strategies for effectively comprehending and using the range of informational texts they encounter on the Internet.

Students' perceptions about the Internet's usefulness and potential to engage them in academic learning tasks have been found to influence their success in reading for information in online tasks. This article helps to understand the types of dispositions that adolescents may have toward reading on the Internet and how to characterize these dispositions in ways that inform teaching. First, the author answers four key questions and summarizes findings from one of three instruments recently developed to assess adolescents' attitudes and beliefs about reading on the Internet. Then, a brief set of guidelines is provided to help teachers foster positive dispositions about online reading comprehension in ways that address today's rigorous standards‐based curricula.

Hobbs and Coiro describe a new approach to the professional development of educators, librarians, and media professionals that emphasizes the value of collaborative, interdisciplinary relationships. The authors explore why creative collaboration using digital media texts, tools, and technologies is vital to support the professional development of educators. Creative collaboration experiences generate personally meaningful, transformative learning by promoting personal reflection in a social context. It is important to provide cognitive and emotional support for the risk‐taking cycles of experimentation and trial‐and‐error process that is essential for learning to use digital tools. By using inquiry learning practices through collaborative and creative media production, adult learners thrive by taking on distinct and enmeshed roles that inevitably involve creative tension that stimulates and energizes innovation.

Examines the skills and abilities needed to interact with text on the Internet. Proposes that the Internet provides opportunities for interacting with new text formats, reader elements, and activities. Notes that it also expands and influences the sociocultural context in which a student learns to read. Considers the implications of a broader definition of reading comprehension for instruction, assessment, and professional development. (PM)

This article presents qualitative findings from a study that examined the types of criteria that middle school students use to evaluate the quality of online information and sources for a Web‐based research assignment. Open‐constructed responses from four critical evaluation items were compiled from diverse seventh graders in a representative, two‐state, stratified random sample (n = 773). Content analysis revealed that many students used a range of unacceptable or superficial criteria to determine the author of a website and whether that author is an expert, to state the author's point of view, and to provide reasoned evidence about the overall reliability of a website. Criteria and evidence patterns that students used for each of the critical evaluation tasks are shared, as well as implications for instruction. Free author podcast