Abstract:

Despite reading being recognized as a core academic skill (Chanock, 2004; Fairbairn & Fairbairn, 2001) surprisingly little research has been undertaken into university lecture reading requirements. As part of a broader research programme into tertiary T/L delivery modes (Peterson et al, 2008), a Minimalist Reading Model [MiRM] was trialed and evaluated. Comprising of annotated extracts of full texts ‘linked’ to glossaries, dictionaries and, where possible, online translation services, the MiRM was intended to test the effectiveness of reshaping conventional approaches to designing pre-lecture reading lists at the tertiary level. The most relevant complementary research we could identify has mainly been undertaken in the area of second language acquisition (Ariew & Ercetin, 2004). Pertaining to the MiRM, our findings have tended to reinforce the general conclusion of similar research in 2L acquisition that neither the provision of glossaries and annotations nor the potentials offered by HTML in digital media had a significant impact on either students’ study techniques or their perceptions of comprehension outcomes. However, in spite of these initial findings, we strongly suggest ongoing research is required, a point emphasized by several other research efforts in this area (Sanko, 2006). In particular, recent research into multiliteracies highlights the increasing impact of information communication technologies on literacy (Leu et al., 2004).

Keywords:

icts, reading, language, glossaries, annotations.