DIGITAL HIGHLIGHTING AND NOTE TAKING IN ACADEMIA Empirical research to inform design for digital reading technologies

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to explore the digital highlighting and digital note taking practices in university students. The findings of this empirical ethnographic research provide information on highlighting and note taking practices in academic digital reading. The findings in this research also contribute to informed design to develop digital tools and technologies for digital reading. Also, the research provides guidelines for digital note taking and highlighting. Theory: The study is built upon Bloom’s Taxonomy as a theoretical framework. The research also adopted Study Social Practices to explore study practices among university students. Thoughtful Interaction Design was chosen to create the beginning drafts of prototypes for reader software and reader technologies. Method: The study included a combination of methods. Research Approach of the Study of Documents, Online Semi-structured interviews, and Probing in digital prototype allowed to explore the digital note taking and highlighting practices in academic digital reading. Results: The main contribution of the study is the identification of digital highlighting and note taking practices that can support academic digital reading. Another contribution is informed design to develop reader software or technological devices for academic reading.