1. The Internet is NOT a Technology
Issue:
Unfortunate Misalignments of Public Policy,
Assessment, and Instruction in an Online World
of New Literacies
Donald J. Leu, Ph.D.
New Literacies Research Lab
University of Connecticut
Portions of this material are based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Education under Award No.
R305G050154 and No. R305A090608. Opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author and do not
necessarily represent the position of the U.S. Department of Education.

2. The New Literacies Research
` Team

3. Important Funding and Support
From:
• Ray and Carole Neag
• The Carnegie Corporation of New York
• IES, U.S. Department of Education
• The National Science Foundation
• North Central Educational Research Lab
• PBS
• The Annenberg Foundation
• William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
• Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
• Australian Council of Educational Research
• OECD
• Schools and teachers around the world.

4. The Central Ideas

5. The Central Ideas
1. Online Reading Comprehension is Not
The Same as Offline Reading Comprehension.

6. The Central Ideas
1. Online Reading Comprehension is Not
The Same as Offline Reading Comprehension.
2. The Nature of the Workplace Has Changed.

7. The Central Ideas
1. Online Reading Comprehension is Not
The Same as Offline Reading Comprehension.
2. The Nature of the Workplace Has Changed.
3. The Internet is This Generation’s Defining Text
for Reading and Learning.

8. The Central Ideas
1. Online Reading Comprehension is Not
The Same as Offline Reading Comprehension.
2. The Nature of the Workplace Has Changed.
3. The Internet is This Generation’s Defining Text
for Reading and Learning.
4. What Is Online Reading Comprehension?

9. The Central Ideas
1. Online Reading Comprehension is Not
The Same as Offline Reading Comprehension.
2. The Nature of the Workplace Has Changed.
3. The Internet is This Generation’s Defining Text
for Reading and Learning.
4. What Is Online Reading Comprehension?
5. Misalignments in Reading Assessment, Public
Policy, and Instruction.

10. I. Background: What Is Online
Reading Comprehension? Data
From Think Aloud Protocols
 A problem-based, meaning construction
process that requires additional reading
comprehension skills beyond those
required for offline reading.
 Define a problem
 Locate
 Evaluate Castek, 2008; Coiro & Dobler, 2007;
Henry, 2007; Leu, Castek, Hartman,
 Synthesize Coiro, Henry, Kulikowich, & Lyver, 2005;
Leu, Kinzer, Coiro, & Cammack, 2004
 Communicate Leu, O’Byrne, Zawilinski, McVerry,
& Everett-Cacopardo, 2009

11. Preliminary Taxonomy Of Online
Reading Comprehension Skills and
Strategies
 See
Leu, D. J., Coiro, J., Castek, J., Hartman, D., Henry, L.A., & Reinking, D.
(2008). Research on instruction and assessment in the new literacies of
online reading comprehension. In Cathy Collins Block, Sherri Parris, &
Peter Afflerbach (Eds.). Comprehension instruction: Research-based best
practices. New York: Guilford Press. Available online at: http://
www.newliteracies.uconn.edu/pub_files/instruction.pdf
The new literacies of online reading comprehension

12. Online and Offline Reading
Comprehension Are Not Isomorphic
(r=0.19, n = 89, N.S.)
Leu,
Castek, Online Reading
Hartman, Comprehension =
Coiro, ORCA Blog
Henry,
Kulikowich, Offline Reading =
Lyver, 2005 Connecticut
Mastery Test (CMT)
of Reading
Comprehension

13. Additional Evidence:
Predicting Online Reading Comprehension
R2 Additional R2 Additional R2 Total R2
Offline Reading Domain Previous Online Online Reading
Comprehension Knowledge Reading Comprehension
Comprehension
.351* .074 .154* .579*
Offline Reading Comp.=
CT State Coiro, 2007
Reading Test
Online Reading
The new literacies of online reading comprehension
Comprehension =
ORCA Quia

14. The Struggling Reader
Phenomenon

15. II. The Nature of Work Has Changed
The “General Motors” Model of Economic
Management
CEO
1. Command and control
2. Lower levels of
education required. Upper Level Management
3. Wasted intellectual
capital Upper Middle Level Management
4. Highly inefficient
Wasted
5. Lower productivity intellectual
Middle Level Management
6. Little innovation capital
7. Little need for higher
level and creative Line Supervisors
thinking.
Workers

16. In a Flattened World: Opportunities
Expand but Competition Increases
How do economic units increase productivity?
Flatten The Organization into Problem Solving Teams
Team Team Team Team Team
Greater Intellectual Capital Use = Greater Productivity
These teams take full advantage 1. Define problems
of their intellectual capital to 2. Locate information
the extent their education 3. Critically evaluate information
system has prepared them for 4. Synthesize and solve problems
this. 5. Communicate solutions

17. Which tool has been used by
economic units to increase productivity
and compete?
The Internet
Team Team Team Team Team
Online Reading Comprehension Recent productivity gains are due to
1. Define problems using the Internet to share
2. Locate information information, communicate, and solve
3. Evaluate information problems (van Ark, Inklaar, &
4. Synthesize and solve problems McGuckin, 2003; Friedman, 2005;
5. Communicate solutions Matteucci, O’Mahony, Robinson, &
Zwick, 2005).

18. Implications For Education?
 Problem-based, online learning essential
 Effective online information and
communication skills required.

19. Two Classrooms

20. Grade 2: Morning Message of
the Day

22. Grade 7, Language Arts: Online
International Projects
Yeah! I got some great
ideas. Let me send them
to Tomas and Ben in the
Jose, Costa Rica U.S.
We’re on it!
Making a web
page now.
Hey! Let’s do
Gary
Paulson???
Ben and Tomas, Willimantic
Monique, South Africa

23. III.
The Internet Is This Generation’s Defining
Technology For Reading and Learning

24. How Many People Read and
Write With the Internet ?

25. How Many People Read and
Write With the Internet ?

26. How Many People Read and
Write With the Internet ?

27. How Many People Read and
Write With the Internet ?

28. 

29. Our Students Have Changed
 Since 2005, students aged 8-18 in the U.S. have
been spending more time reading online per day
than reading offline: 48 minutes per day vs. 43
minutes per day. (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2005).
 In Accra, Ghana:
 66% of 15-18 year olds report having gone
online previously; (Borzekowski, Fobil, &
Asante, 2006).

30. Public Policies:
Nations Respond
 Japan has broadband in nearly every
home that is 16 times faster than the
broadband in US homes for $22 per
month. (Bleha, 2005)
This generation’s defining technology for reading.

31. • Mexico is following e-Mexico, a policy
designed to provide every citizen and
every school with an Internet connection
(Ludlow, 2006).
This generation’s defining technology for reading.

32. • Finland provides every teacher with 5
weeks of release-time, professional
development with integrating the Internet
into classroom instruction.

33. International Assessment
Initiatives
 2009 PISA International Assessment of
Reading – Digital Literacies
 Programme for the International
Assessment of Adult Competencies
(PIAAC) – Problem Solving in
Technologically Rich Environments
This generation’s defining technology for reading.

34. What Is Online Reading
Comprehension? Data From Think
Aloud Protocols
 A problem-based, meaning construction
process that requires additional reading
comprehension skills beyond those
required for offline reading.
 Define a problem
 Locate
 Evaluate Castek, 2008; Coiro & Dobler, 2007;
Henry, 2007; Leu, Castek, Hartman,
 Synthesize Coiro, Henry, Kulikowich, & Lyver, 2005;
Leu, Kinzer, Coiro, & Cammack, 2004
 Communicate Leu, O’Byrne, Zawilinski, McVerry,
& Everett-Cacopardo, 2009

35. An Example of Online Reading
Comprehension
Reading About Martin Luther
King
The new literacies of online reading comprehension

55. III. Misalignments in Reading
Assessment, Public Policy, and
Instruction

56. State Assessment Policies in Reading
Not a single state in the U.S.
measures...
This generation’s defining technology for reading.

57. State Assessment Policies in Reading
Not a single state in the U.S.
measures...
 ...students’ ability to read search engine
results during state reading
assessments.
This generation’s defining technology for reading.

58. State Assessment Policies in Reading
Not a single state in the U.S.
measures...
 ...students’ ability to read search engine
results during state reading
assessments.
 ...students’ ability to critically evaluate
information that is found online to
determine its reliability.
This generation’s defining technology for reading.

59. Not a single state measures...
 ...students’ ability to compose clear and
effective email messages in their state
writing assessment.
 all students to use a word processor on
their state writing assessment.*
*See Russell & Plati, 1999; 2000; 2001. They report
effect sizes of .57 – 1.25 for word processor use on MCAS.
See also Russell & Tao, 2004 who report 19% more 4th grade
students classified as “Needs Improvement” would move up to
the “Proficient” performance level with word processors.

60. Instruction: The Rich Get Richer
and The Poor Get Poorer
 Neglecting research into online reading
comprehension perpetuates public policies that
help the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.
 63% of children from households earning more than
$75,000 annually reported that they used the Internet
at school, but only 36% of children from households
earning less than $15,000 annually (Lazarus, Wainer,
and Lipper, 2005).
Leu, McVerry, O’Byrne, Zawilinski,
Castek, J., Hartman, D.K. (2009).

61. How We Define The Issue Determines
Classroom Integration
A technology issue A literacy issue
 Technology standards are  Technology standards
separated from subject area become integrated within
standards subject area standards
 Online learning is separated  Online learning is integrated
from subject areas into each subject area;
 Specialists are responsible  Every classroom teacher is
responsible
 Online information and
communication skills are  Subject area assessments
assessed separately from and online information skills
subject area knowledge. are assessed together.

62. More Policy Misalignments:
Common Core Standards Do Not
Recognize the Changes To Reading
The Good News:
Higher Level Thinking Skills Receive
Important Focus

63. The Common Core State
Standards
“To be ready for college, workforce training, and life in
a technological society, students need the ability to
gather, comprehend, evaluate, synthesize, and
report on information and ideas, to conduct
original research in order to answer questions or
solve problems, and to analyze and create a high
volume and extensive range of print and nonprint texts
in media forms old and new.” Online Re
ading Comprehension:
(Introduction, p. 4) 1. Identify a problem
2. Lo cate information
3. Evaluate information
4. Synthesize information
5.Communicate information

64. ELA College and Career Anchor Standards:
Online Reading Comprehension
Online Reading Comprehension:
Synthesize and Evaluate Online Information
Reading
AS7. Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse formats and media,
including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.*
Online Reading Comprehension:
Communicate Online Information
Writing
AS6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish
writing and to interact and collaborate with others.
AS8. Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources,
assess the credibility and accuracy of each source, and integrate the
information while avoiding plagiarism.
Online Reading Comprehension:Locate, Evaluate, Synthesize

65. The Bad News?
 The assumption is that all reading takes
place offline.
 “Analyze the structure of texts, including
how specific sentences, paragraphs, and
larger portions of the text (e.g., a section,
chapter, scene, or stanza) relate to each
other and the whole.”
 No recognition of reading as problem
based learning

66. What Can We
Conclude?

67. What Can We
Conclude?
 The Internet is this generation’s
defining technology for reading.

68. What Can We
Conclude?
 The Internet is this generation’s
defining technology for reading.
 Some states and nations place their
students, and societies, at risk by
continued inaction or poorly informed
public policies.

69. V.
The Latest Research From The
New Literacies Research Lab

70.  The TICA Project, an IES-funded grant to
study online reading comprehension
instruction in 1-1 laptop classrooms.
The new literacies of online reading comprehension

71. Internet Reciprocal Teaching (IRT):
A Model To Teach Online Reading
Comprehension in 1-1 Classrooms:

72. IRT: Phase I
Teacher-led Basic Skills
 Teacher-led demonstrations of basic
Internet use skills and cooperative learning
strategies
 Explicit modeling by teacher
 Largely whole class instruction
 Mini-lessons as transition to Phase II

73. IRT: Phase II
Collaborative modeling
of online reading strategies
 Students presented with information
problems to solve.
 Work in small groups to solve those
problems.
 Exchange strategies as they do so.
 Debrief at the end of the lesson.
 Initially: Locate and Critical evaluation
 Later: Synthesis and Communicate.

74. A Phase II Task

75. IRT: Phase III
Inquiry
 Initially, within the class.
 Then, with others around the world.
 Internet Morning Message of the Day
 Student Online Collaborations

76. The Maine Professional
Development Collaborative

77. The Summer Institute in New
Literacies

78.  A project designed to develop valid,
reliable, and practical assessments of
online reading comprehension. CT,
Maine, and NC. (IES, USDOE)
 Three formats: Multiple Choice, Open
Internet, Closed Simulated Internet

79. IV. The Challenges of Change

80. IV. The Challenges of Change
 Better Standards

81. IV. The Challenges of Change
 Better Standards
 Better Reading Assessments

82. IV. The Challenges of Change
 Better Standards
 Better Reading Assessments
 Far Greater Professional Development

83. IV. The Challenges of Change
 Better Standards
 Better Reading Assessments
 Far Greater Professional Development
 Better Instruction

84. IV. The Challenges of Change
 Better Standards
 Better Reading Assessments
 Far Greater Professional Development
 Better Instruction
 Exceptional Online Curricula

85. IV. The Challenges of Change
 Better Standards
 Better Reading Assessments
 Far Greater Professional Development
 Better Instruction
 Exceptional Online Curricula
 Greater Research

86. IV. The Challenges of Change
 Better Standards
 Better Reading Assessments
 Far Greater Professional Development
 Better Instruction
 Exceptional Online Curricula
 Greater Research
 School Leadership and Vision

87. IV. The Challenges of Change
 Better Standards
 Better Reading Assessments
 Far Greater Professional Development
 Better Instruction
 Exceptional Online Curricula
 Greater Research
 School Leadership and Vision
 State and National Funding for 1-1 computing

88. The Challenges Of Change

89. As Challenging As Change
Appears, We Know This…
The Leadership That You
Provide…

90. Determines The Future Our
Students Achieve!
Thank you!

91. CONVERSATION
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