Gaps in College Student Reader Identity: Issues of Reading Self-determination and Reading Self-efficacy

ABSTRACT

How a student perceives or identifies themselves as a reader is their reader identity. There is a dearth of research on college student reader identity. Using assignment artifacts as data, we conducted a narrative inquiry analysis seeking evidence of the students’ reading self-efficacy, reading self-determination, reading self-regulation, reading success, and reading competency as indicators of reader identity. We found the students expressed lower levels of reading self-efficacy, struggled with reading self-regulation, and lacked reading self-determination. We also found lower reading success levels and few reading competency indicators. Interpreting the results, we concluded that the students tended not to hold a reader identity and, therefore, typically do not embrace reading as part of their intrinsic desire to learn.

KEYWORDS:

• Reader identity
• reading competency
• reading self-determination
• reading self-efficacy
• reading self-regulation

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Amy G. Baldwin

Amy G. Baldwin, Ed.D., is a Senior Lecturer of literacy and academic success in the Department of Student Transitions at the University of Central Arkansas. Her writings include the textbooks College Success (OpenStax) and The College Experience franchise (Pearson).

Louis S. Nadelson

Louis S. Nadelson, Ph.D., is a professor and department chair in the College of Education at the University of Central Arkansas. His broad scholarly interests include student development, leadership, issues of equity and inclusion, STEM education, misconceptions, and conceptual change.