THE EFFECTS OF E-READING AND PRINTED DOCUMENT READING ON STUDENTS’ COMPREHENSION AND RETENTION POWER

International Conference on Computational and Social Sciences
http://iccss.vfast.org/@ 2015 ICCSS-15
August 25-27, 2015
pp. 408–-424
THE EFFECTS OF E-READING AND PRINTED DOCUMENT
READING ON STUDENTS’ COMPREHENSION AND
RETENTION POWER
SAJJAD HUSSAIN
1
, MAKSAL MINAZ
2
, DR. NASIR AHMAD
3
,
AND MUHAMMAD IDRIS
4
1,3
Center For Education & Staff Training, University of Swat, KPK
2,4
Department of Education, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Pakistan
sajjadhussain@uswat.edu.pk
ABSTRACT. The study attempted to measure the effects of e-reading (reading from the
screen of a laptop, tablet or other electronic display) and printed documents reading.
Objectives of the study were to measure the effects of e -reading materials on students’
comprehension and their retention power, to investigate the effects of traditional
printed documents reading on students’ comprehension and their retention power and
measure the differences between the effects of both types of readings (printed and
electronic). The study was experimental in nature and from true experimental research
design pre-test posttest comparative group design was adopted for the study. Students of
B. Ed honor constituted the population of the study. After pre-test students were
divided into two groups and one group was presented for ereading and the
second group to reading from printed documents. Reading materials wereselected
from the subject of research methods in education. Students understanding and
retention power was measured through a self-developed test. The collected data were
analyzed through Mean, standard deviation and t-paired sample test. Results
obtained,illustrated, that students reading from printed documents had more
retention power and greater understanding of the text than students who read from
screen (e-reading). Students’ retention power was found strongly associated with their
interest in the media (E/printed) of reading. Expected causes according to the
respondents were students’ concentration, interests, and level of comfort in reading
from printed materials than from electronic materials. The study recommended
reading of printed materials for better understanding and high retention power of
students.
Keywords: Electronic Reading, Printed Document Reading, Comprehension, Retention
Power
1. Introduction. Reading is the foundation of all formal and informal learning. Future success is dependent
on the learners’ reading ability. It is the gateway to success-the amount of time students spends in reading is
the indicator of successful academic life in future {Wigfield, Guthrie, Perencevich, & Taboada, 2008}.
Students initial education concentrates on basic skills such as listening, speaking, reading and writing.
Speaking is a source of communicating ideas to others which is suitable for present audience, speaking skills
of students cannot be developed till the time they get competence in listening skills. Listening skill provide
base for strong speaking skills. In the same way there is vital connection between reading and writing. Good
writers are always good readers and vice versa {Parrish & McGlinn, 2002}.
There are various reading methods and techniques, adopted according to the mental level of the
students, keeping in view the nature of the materials to be read; for example, loud reading, silent reading,
controlled reading, guided reading, free reading, feedback reading and other reading skills like extensive and
intensive reading and skimming and scanning. Every reading technique has its own philosophy which
channelizes it in
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its own fashion with its own merits and demerits. Learners are taught reading formally at primary level with
training in phonemic awareness, alphabet principles and word sound recognition to develop their skills of
transforming words into exact sounds (Pronunciation) which enable them to read fluently and accurately. At
primary level loud reading is preferred as to identify and correct students’ mistakes in reading. Once they
become skilled readers they are advised to read silently so as to comprehend and enjoy the text {Chiong,
Erickson, Takeuchi , & Ree, 2012}.
With the emergence of electronic media, books, research periodicals, journals, magazines, news-papers and so
many other reading materials were transformed into electronic text. The expenses of paper and allied
materials used in the printing of books and other reading materials were considered wastage of materials,
money and human energy, that is why in the United States of America the purchase of e-books have surpassed
the printed books and magazines today {Jones & Brown , 2011}. E-reading materials and convergence of
printed reading materials into electronic format have not only increased the access opportunities throughout
the world for readers but also have reduced the expenses. There are evidences for the support of e-reading
materials particularly in term of access, quality, beauty, effectiveness and learning for students and general
people {Korat & Shamir, 2008}. Readers’ attitude towards e-reading and printed reading materials is crucial
in term of understanding and retention. Learners’ reading experiences influence their beliefs about the
effectiveness and ineffectiveness of reading materials. A reader who is habitual of printed reading materials
and haven’t got any practice of reading from e-materials would not be able to benefit from e-materials {Jones
& Brown , 2011}.
It is often, that during teaching reading for comprehension emphasize is given to the ends of the activity
(product) while process is ignored which is very important. However, the process of comprehension includes
two approaches, monitoring approach where the reader is monitored and corrected on the spot; readers’
monitoring identify weak areas of learners’ reading which may include words, sentences and para reading and
sometime it also includes the logical sequence of reading materials which not only make the learner a
competent reader but also a good writer. The second approach concentrates on the creative aspect of reading
where the reader is informed with clues of reading materials; they are sensitized for evaluating, criticizing and
hypothesizing the reading materials. This approach also familiarized the reader with summarization and
conclusive comments on the text {Collins, Smith, & Beranek, 2007}.
Readers’ reading skills, their comprehension and retention power is strongly affected by the nature of the
reading materials. The nature of reading materials-that is essay, poetry, novel, report or news and striking
words usage or the different styles of writing; apart from these the printed and non-printed (electronic style)
of reading materials are also significant in affecting readers’ comprehension and retention capacity {Collins,
Smith, & Beranek, 2007}. According to the learning laws presented by famous US psychologist Edward
Thorndike, the effects of learning remain strong if it is based on the interest of the learner. He basically
presented three basic laws of learning; law of readiness, law of exercise and law of effect. To generalize these
laws to learners’ readings, if learners are provided the type of reading materials in which they take interest;
they would be ready to stick to the reading materials for a long time which will lead for a stronger effect
because time matters.
There are two main approaches with regards to reading materials; one is electronic reading materials and the
second is printed script reading material. All the 21st
century readers are in touch with both of these
approaches and both have their own merits and demerits but have different effects on learners too. For
example the readers who are habitual in reading printed reading materials are good at reading and
comprehending that sorts of reading materials as compared to the ones reading e-reading materials and vice
versa.
1.1 Theoretical Background and Problem of the Study
Interest, flexibility, and time duration of reading have significant relationship with comprehension of readers.
Taking into consideration the element of interest, e-reading materials are attractive and invitational in nature,
but most of the time readers are unable to focus and concentrate on some specific materials which negatively
409

affect readers’ comprehension {Moody, 2010; El-Mouelhy, Poon, Hui, & Sue-Chan, 2013}. As far as
flexibility is concerned, they are flexible in nature as compare to the printed materials as a reader can read it
anywhere anytime through his tablet, mobile phone or laptop; however, all these equipments are electronic
and areas where we are short of power, these opportunities cannot be availed to the fullest. Lastly, according
to Robert and Barber {2013} the time expenditure on reading in these reading format are also different.
Reading from printed documents takes less time as compared to reading from non-printed documents. It is
also a notable fact the readers can read a book, magazine, newspaper or book in printed form for a long time
and they don’t feel boredom/hesitation as compare to reading in electronic form which most of the time
affects their concentration. Keeping in view these two types of readings, the study aims to distinguish
between them, the one that is more effective for readers’ in terms of comprehension and retention power.
1.2 Study Objectives
Main objectives of the study were;
1. To measure the effect of e-reading materials on students’ comprehension and their retention power.
2. To estimate the effect of traditional printed documents reading on students’ comprehension, and their
retention power.
3. To quantify the differences between e-readers and printed document readers’ comprehension and
retention power.
1.3 Study hypotheses
Null hypotheses were formulated on the basis of objectives framed which were;
1. There is no significant effect of e-reading materials on students’ comprehension and their retention
power.
2. There is no significant effect of traditional printed documents reading on students’ comprehension,
and their retention power.
3. There are no significant differences between e-readers and printed document readers’ comprehension
and retention power.
2. LITERATURE REVIEW
Bill Gates discussing one of the project of Microsoft “Anytime Anywhere Learning” and was of the view that
technological developments have affected every aspect of human life. It has provided great opportunities to
students in their learning as well as their access to laptop and other scientific equipments which facilitate them
in learning. Gates’ claim that learning is no more confined to classroom walls, has been proved by laptops,
PCs, mobiles and tablets as these equipments have enabled every student to connect to the world of learning
at his own pace and level {BBCNEWS, 2000}.
The introduction of computer and internet into the world of education has given new dimensions to
educational and educational resources. Once Libraries were considered great resources of educational
materials for students and teachers. These libraries were enriched with valuable books related to almost every
subject as well as research dissertations and other periodical journals. All these documents were available in
printed form and were accessed and available only to the local people. Moreover, the printed materials were
not only expensive but also had negative effects on environment and leads to environmental pollution {Korat
& Shamir, 2008}.
The introduction of these information communication technologies compelled developed countries to work
for the transformation of printed documents (books, reports, scripts and other educational materials and
informative magazines) into electronic and scanned materials so as to make these materials available to
students in particular and others in general. In addition, different projects and efforts have been made to
transform the already available printed documents into screened form through scanning and re-composing and
other measures; one among these projects was Large-scale Digitalization Project in 2007 by the University of
Illinois at Urbana Campaign library where a huge number of printed books were scanned and were uploaded
to internet for e-readers {Collins, Smith, & Beranek, 2007}. Such sorts of efforts were also made by the
Higher Education Commission of Pakistan where all the PhD dissertations were scanned, important reports,
410

books, and periodicals were scanned and re-composed for e-readers and which are available on e-prints, and
HEC digital library.
Such a huge investment in this area has positive contribution to the overall learning spares of life from
environment to classroom teaching. Teacher in a very short span of time can collect the needed information
for his teaching; students can make themselves prepared for the classroom learning; universities and other
institutions can disseminate their work and service to its clients in a very easy and accessible way and so on.
To determine which one between the two is more effective for the students, comparison of these reading
styles have been done in different areas of the world with different grade students. In the study of {Jones &
Brown , 2011} elementary school grade two students were engaged in reading of e-reading materials and
printed reading materials. Results of that study showed that students took more interest in e-reading materials
as compared to printed document reading.
Chiong, Erickson, Takeuchi, and Ree {2012} studied students’ and their parents’ converstaion, story
comprehension and engament in reading from e-books and printed books. Findings illustratedthat parents and
childern had good conversation in printed books than e-books that usually focus on non content materials
which brcomes a cause of concentration distraction in reading. Story studied in e-story books are less
comprehensive than printed story books; hence, the later is more helpful in the development of content
literacy of students.
Roberts and Barber {2013} viewed reading format as one of the factor that affect students comprehension.
Readings from e-reading and printed reading have no significant differences in the comprehension of
independent readers. Studies organized by National Reading Panal have studied different aspects of research
in reading regarding the format of reading materials and also recommended further studies in this context.
Additional studies of {Grimshaw, Dungworth, McKnight, & Morris, 2007; Korat & Shamir, 2008;Shamir,
2009} investigated the relationship between the formate of reading materials and students’ reading
comprehension and engagment in reading.
American Association of School Libraries adovcated that the 21st
century learners must have a good
command on both formats of reading. They need to have competence in comprehending, analyzing and
evaluating text as they have to confront in their lives with both of these sources {American Association of
School Librarian, 2007}. A plan issued by US Department of Education {2010} argued to provide wireless
access to internat and allied technological equipments to all the educators and students of all level for the
purpose to enable them to deal effectively with the demands of the 21st
century. These reports might motivate
the researchers to know the effectiveness of these measures in the students’academic lives in general and
reading comprehension and retention power in particular. Because reading habits, reading comprehension and
retention power of students are the core areas of their future success. Results obtained from research studies
on reading comprehension using the electronic format of reading materials are not as clear as it need to be.
Some studies found no statistcial difference among e-readers and printed document readers while some other
found printed document readers superority to e-readers in comprehension and even in retention powers
{Roberts & Barber, 2013}.
3. Methodology and Procedures
The study was experimental in nature. Pretest Post-Test Comparative Group Design was adopted for the
study. Two groups were formed from the students of B. Ed. Efforts were made to equalize the groups,
eighteen students were in experimental and eighteen in control group. They were pre-tested and then were
provided with these two reading approaches. Reading materials were selected from the subject of Research
Methods in Education. Equal time was given for reading to both the groups and equal guidance along with
teaching support they were prepared for reading.
Students’ reading understanding was measured through a self-developed test which was again administered to
both the groups for the purpose of estimating their retention power. The test was contained on paragraphs and
questions were given in the end. Total time for the test was one hour where six paragraphs were included in
411

the test; each paragraph in the test was about seven lines in length, which were followed by three to four
questions asking for short answers, measuring students understanding.
Pre-test was given to all the students with printed documents while the posttest of the study was given to each
group according to the nature of their treatment (electronic/printed reading). A rubric was developed for the
scoring of students’ tests scores. The rubric was used to ensure the objectivity in scoring process. Before the
administration of the pre and post test its reliability was calculated. It was administered to ten students of B.
Ed and the data were placed in SPSS version 16. The reliability co-efficient value of the test was .63 which
was acceptable. Only two statements in 4th
paragraph were changed. To ensure the validity it was discussed
with English and research teachers in the departments and changes were brought about in the test items.
All the collected data were placed in SPSS version 16 and the data were categorized and with descriptive and
inferential statistics. Mean scores, standards deviation and t-paired sample test were applied to the data.
Differences between the performances in experimental and control groups were calculated through mean
scores difference and t-test.
4. Analysis and interpretation
The collected data were placed into SPSS version 16 t-paired sample test was applied to analyze the data.
Tables and its interpretations are as follows;
Table no 4.1. Experimental and control groups on pre-test
Study Groups Mean
Scores
Std
Deviation
M.S
Diff
t-value Sig r Sig
Experimental 09.67 1.6322
.3437 1.097 .274 .312 .000
Control 09.33 1.5775
Table 4.1 shows the performances of control (printed Document readers) and experimental (e-readers) groups’
students. There is significant co-relation in the scores of both the groups while the mean differences among
the groups are very low (.3437) and t value is1.097 which is not significant as the significant level is higher
than .05. So it could be concluded that there are no significant differences in the performances of both groups.
Table no 4.2. Experimental and control groups on post-test
Study Groups Mean
Scores
Std
Deviation
M.S
Diff
t-value Sig r Sig
.9765 3.489 .001 .526 .000
Control 12.98 2.031
The table 4.2 demonstrates a high co-relation in the performances of control and experimental group students.
The mean difference is also higher than the pre-test that is .9765 which is near to 1 (one) and the t value is
3.489 and is also significant as well at .001. These results show that the control group students (printed
document readers) have higher comprehension than the experimental group students (e-readers). The
difference is not very high but contribute to printed document readers superiority. Therefore the hypothesis
made at the start of the study that e-reading materials have no significant effects on e-readers’ comprehension
has been accepted while printed document had significant effects on students comprehension therefore the
stated hypothesis is rejected with H1 that there is significant effects of printed documents on readers’
comprehension.
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Table no 4.3. Retention of Experimental and control group students
Study Groups Mean
Scores
Std
Deviation
M.S
Diff
t-value Sig r Sig
1.164 3.987 .000 .249 .000
Control 11.96 1.239
The r value in the above table 4.3 is .349 which is significant at .000, the mean difference between control and
experimental groups is 1.164, and t value is 3.987 which is significant at .000. All these results explain that
students of control group have higher retention power and can retain the information for a long time as
compared to the students’ experimental group. However, with regards to retention power the hypothesis made
for e-readers is accepted as it doesn’t has significant effects of students retentions while for printed document
readers the hypothesis made was rejected and H1was formed that there is significant effects of printed
documents reading materials on readers’ retention power.
5. Discussions and Conclusions
Reading is one of the basic skills of learners; therefore they need to attain command in it. Reading material
formats have close co-relationship with students’ reading comprehension. Roberts and Barber {2013} were of
the view that there is no such relationship between reading material formats (e-reading) with students
comprehension which is rejected by the results of this study while the results of {Chiong, Erickson, Takeuchi
, & Ree, 2012} has been accepted as the results supports their findings. E-reading is difficult in focus, mind
and body adjustment also contribute to readers’ distraction which affects their comprehension capacity.
Reading comprehension leads to critical reading. It enables the reader to retain the information that he/she has
comprehended for a long time. The present study results also support the claim that the reading of printed
documents instead of electronic materials has high and positive effects on students reading and their
understanding {Korat & Shamir, 2008}. On the other hand {American Association of School Librarian, 2007;
Moody, 2010; U.S Department of Education, 2010} and some other studies are emphasizing on the need of e-
reading and the use of technological equipments in the teaching learning process and according to standards
for the 21st
century learners the reading competence in both format of reading, its comprehension, critical
analysis and creative evaluation of reading materials are essential.
It is therefore recommeded that students may be provided all the necessary materials in printed as well as in
screened format so that they could attain the desired target.According to the results of this study students and
concerned authorities are recommended to provide the students good reading materials in printed form on
priority basis and in screened format as well to ensure students comprehension and retention power. Future
researchers are advised to study the same area with a lower level students that is primary level and in some
language subjects like regional or international language.
REFERENCES
[1] Grimshaw, S., Dungworth, N., McKnight, C., & Morris, A. (2007). Electronic books: children’s reading
and comprehension. British Journal of Educational Technology , 38 (4), 583-599.
[2] American Association of School Librarian. (2007). Standards For the 21st Century Learners.
[3] BBC NEWS. (2000). Gates wants laptop for every pupil. World Service Education BBC.
[4] Chiong, C., Erickson, I., Takeuchi , L., & Ree, J. (2012). Print Books vs. E-books; Comparing parent-
child co-reading on print, basic, and enhanced e-book platforms. New York, NY 10023: The Joan Ganz
Cooney Center.
[5] Collins, A., Smith, E. E., & Beranek, B. (2007). Teaching the Process of Reading Comprehension. Illinio:
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library Large-scale Digitization Project.
[6] El-Mouelhy, I., Poon, I. H., Hui, A. N., & Sue-Chan, C. (2013). Does a Creative Learning Medium
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[7] Jones, T., & Brown , C. (2011). Reading Engagement: A Comparison Between E-Books And Traditional
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[12] Shamir, A. (2009). Processes and outcomes of joint activity with e‐books for promoting kindergarteners'
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[13] U.S Department of Education. (2010). Transforming American education: Learning powered by
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[14] Wigfield, A., Guthrie, J. T., Perencevich, K. C., & Taboada, A. (2008). Role of Reading Engagement in
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THE EFFECTS OF E-READING AND PRINTED DOCUMENT READING ON STUDENTS’ COMPREHENSION AND RETENTION POWER

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