Print-Based Digital Content Interfaces for Social Reading Activities

This paper investigates the application of digitally-enhanced print-based interfaces to support a combined individual and social jigsaw reading activity. The project team aimed to design and develop an activity that required students to read and process complex authentic technical texts. Informed by student feedback, this research project evaluated the benefits of enhancing the activity with a patented Cluster Pattern Interface (CLUSPIreg) (Kamen and Shigeo) to facilitate the students´ reading comprehension and improve their multiliteracy skills. CLUSPIreg is a cluster pattern-based encoding scheme that allows digitally encoded information to be embedded in a layer of clustered graphical objects on printed documents. CLUSPIreg can expand the application of multimedia by linking paper-based materials to language learning tools through a point-and-click interface