Message in a Bottle: Reading from Paper Versus Reading on Screen in ODeL Settings

Abstract

Institutions are moving towards on-screen delivery of tuition, with the implication that students have to read course material on-screen. This necessitates paying attention to the role of student reading skills and linked to this the similarities and differences between reading on paper and reading on-screen. The reasons for moving on-screen are discussed in the context of Open, Distance and e- Learning (ODeL) theories and the role of metacognition in ODeL tuition. In order to contextualise the metacognition of reading attention is given to reading skills in South Africa, to the act of reading itself as it is represented in the brain and mind, as well as to the peculiarities of reading on paper and reading on-screen. An important implication of this overview is that it is not enough to merely present course content to students. The skills to master the content should be taught as well, with the teaching of reading being an integral part thereof. One thing is clear and that is all students and for that matter all readers – whether they read on paper or on-screen, need to be taught meta-cognitive reading strategies. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n23p2616