Is Internet Reading Fake Reading?

So I was on my way home from the mall, sitting in traffic on Western Avenue. I know I shouldn't do this, but there's so many stop lights, so usually I'm reading on my phone while I'm sitting.... sitting....waiting on the lights. (dont' judge me and don't give me a lecture about the phone and the car. I know. I'm just sitting so long, and I can get lots of reading done!)

anyways....
The blog I happened to be reading was discussing whether or not Internet reading is "real" reading. You know, I go back and fourth with this as well...personally and as far as reading goes for my students. Like the eReaders. When they first started coming out, I didn't think I wanted one because I love my books, and I like to have them on my bookcase when I finish with them. But then, because he's one of the most thoughtful people I know, Hektor got me an eReader for my birthday last year, and now I love it! It's awesome to hear about a book from a friend, and BOOM! You can go online, buy it, and be reading it within minutes. Not to mention all the free books you can get with them, and the sharing capabilities. So yes, I would definitely recommend an eReader, although I do not like them for reading nonfiction. Sometimes I like to be able to go back and refer to things, and it's hard for me on the eReader, so I plan on buying books about teaching and other NF topics the old fashioned way.

eReader aside, I also read tons on my laptop. I love finding great new blogs, and writing my own (and as you can see, my reading and writing are constantly influencing one another!) I like to be able to research anything whenever I want. Find reviews on restaurants or look up ideas for my next unit of teaching. I love to stay connected with friends via facebook and share our day-to-day stories so easily.

So why is it that I don't consider all the Internet reading I do "real" reading? Why is it that I don't like my kids to be reading articles online? Why is it that I have always made their homework hard copy or real book work? I think my opinions are changing the more and more I think about this.

When I was in college, I never read things electronically. Even when I was working on my Master's, I always printed all the articles I had to read so I could highlight and interact better with them. Maybe just because it was like "official school business" I felt I had to do that, but after thinking about all the reading I do online now, I think I'm way more apt to give kids an article online or scan something in and share it via PDF (since all my kids are on 1:1 MacBooks). It's what they do in their day-to-day lives, and you know, maybe they have a hard time focusing on homework when the world is at their fingertips, but they're going to have to get used to working like this (as if they're not already!)

So all that being said, I think I'm going to have my kids do lots more reading online and on their computers this coming school year.

Opinions on this? How do all you other teachers out there feel about Internet reading? Is it real reading?