Article: Reading comprehension of freshman students: Comparing printed and digital texts

Article 2: Reading with digital text — is it about more than access?

Joly, M.C.R.A., Capovilla, A.S.C.G., Bighetti, C. Neri, M.L, & Nicolau, A.F. (2007, June/July). Reading comprehension of freshman students: Comparing printed and digital texts. Paper presented at the Third International Conference on Multimedia and Information & Communication Technologies in Education. Retrieved September 17, 2007, from http://www.formatex.org/micte2005/12.pdf

Joly and colleagues studied the differences in comprehension levels of students who were presented and tested on information in either digital or hard copy formats. The participants in this study were college freshman enrolled in a psychology course. They varied in age from 17 to 56 years old. The authors describe a model of four levels of comprehension:

Level 1: Literal understanding of text

Level 2: Inferential understanding of text (making deductions)

Level 3: Critical understanding of text (analyzing text)

Level 4: Creative understanding of text (elaboration/application of text material)

Obviously, teachers strive to provide learning experiences that push students toward the higher levels of comprehension. The authors of they study propose that providing information in an electronic format may lead students to better comprehend the material. In electronic, as opposed to static paper, format, students are able to “use space in dynamic, virtual, fluid, and temporary” ways. In essence, students as able to differentiate their own text materials for their level of comprehension.

The findings of the article were that students (particularly under the age of 25) performed better on assessments after using digital text formats. The authors propose that this may be due to their familiarity with this type of text delivery. The authors also found that text takers were more frustrated with the printed text than the digital text. The authors close by commenting that the younger generation would probably benefit from their educational information being presented in the digital format that they use in their personal lives.