A typographic case study: children's digital books in New Zealand primary schools

Abstract

Increasingly children’s educational reading material is presented in a screen-based environment. This includes a range of interactive learning tools, interactive whiteboards, on-line standardized testing material, digital books including CD-ROMs and E-Books, as well as digital reference books such as encyclopedia and dictionary. With this increase in on-screen educational reading material and use of on-screen reading material in the school, it seems clear that the quality of material intended for children’s on-screen reading requires careful consideration to ensure that it is of a high standard and that it will facilitate children’s learning. This investigation case study’s digital books intended for learning through reading as found to be available to students of New Zealand Primary Schools. The writer analyses a selection of the products of the two publishers that were found available to primary and intermediate school children at two differentschoolsin two differentsocio-economic schoolregions. The writer outlines specific consideration of typographic presentation with respect to eye movements that will aid in the development of material for children’s on-screen learning including CD-ROM, E-Book, and web-based reading material.