What is the computer doing for our reading comprehension?

We never imagined the amount we reading the www would provide. Our traditional approach to reading doesn’t work. There simply isn’t enough time read. We need to be even more selective in our reading than ever before.

Since 2000 I’ve noticed that the average reading speed has slowed down. In the 1990’s the average reading speed was reportedly 230 words a minute. Since 2005 I’ve noticed that the average is given at 190 WPM.

Jakob Nielsen recorded that we read at least 25% slower on a computer screen than from the printed page. Not only that he also noticed that we skim, we don’t actually read from the computer screen. It makes me wonder how much this style of reading affects our comprehension in general and not just our speed.

The research by Nielsen was from 1997 and our paper based reading average dropped by 40 words a minute since then. So I believe the impact of computer reading is slowing us down with the printed page as well.

US and Canadian research has found that 48% of their population cannot even read the instruction on medications. And more than 50% of students entering college don’t even have a ninth grade reading level. How they hope to complete college they don’t know because those leaving haven’t improved by much.

The problem is noted by those in power and our schools have introduce more reading programs. In the past the student was left to their own devices after learning to read in elementary school. On entering high school they had to discover their own way of improving speed and comprehension.

Is our reading poor or is comprehension the problem?

With the amount of reading and access to computers it must be surprising that our reading and comprehension ability is so poor. I notice how much slower and tedious it is to read on a computer screen. The art of skimming has it’s benefits, if you are a proactive reader reader to begin with.

How can you be sure you get the information you need when skimming? Some students have it down to an art to select passages and information from various pages on the web to ‘write” reports, assignments and essays but the question remains do they actually benefit from the exercise of skimming?

The disadvantage of skimming is that it is done purely with the conscious mind. Too much of what we see is forgotten because it wasn’t read it in the first place. Consciously only bits and pieces are recognised. Full reading is better for comprehension, thinking, connect ideas to what we understand and long term memory.

So skimming alone doesn’t work.

I’m not suggesting that you return to the slow and tedious process of reading online word for word. PhotoRead and be a proactive reader.

We never imagined the amount we reading the www would provide. It stands to reason our approach to reading doesn’t work. There simply isn’t enough time read everything with the traditional approach.