Digital Reading and Comprehension Study

 For years, research showed that print reading, whether for leisure or school, improved developing readers’ ability to comprehend text. However, the explosive use of digital reading devices, constant access to these devices, and new types of reading materials have introduced new reading habits. Now, a new comprehensive review of research on digital leisure reading habits finds a virtually nonexistent relationship between digital reading and improvement in reading comprehension among students.

Altamura, L., Vargas, C., & Salmerón, L. (2023). Do new forms of reading pay off? A meta-analysis on the relationship between leisure digital reading habits and text comprehension. Review of Educational Research. Prepublished December 13, 2023. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543231216463

Print resources and reading study

 Teenagers who say they most often read paper books scored higher on reading tests than their peers who rarely or never read, according to a study of students in about 30 countries by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Findings showed that students who read physical books also outpaced students who read digital books. 

OECD. (2022). Does the digital world open up an increasing divide in access to print books? (2022). OECD. https://doi.org/10.1787/22260919

Reading Comprehension Differences Between Mediums

This study explored differences that might exist in comprehension when students read digital and printed texts. Prior to reading texts in counterbalanced order, topic knowledge was assessed and students were asked to state medium preferences. After reading, students were asked to judge under which medium they comprehended best. Results demonstrated a clear preference for digital texts, and students typically predicted better comprehension when reading digitally. The study revealed potential differences in comprehension across mediums, even taking into account students’ self-reported knowledge of the reading topics, which has yet to be explored.

Singer, L. M., & Alexander, P. A. (2017) Reading across mediums: Effects of reading digital and print texts on comprehension and calibration. The Journal of Experimental Education. 85(1), 155-172. https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00220973.2016.1143794