The modality effect on reading literacy: perspectives from students’ online reading habits, cognitive and metacognitive strategies, and web navigation skills across regions

ABSTRACT

This study tested the effects of the modality of reading formats (electronic vs. print), online reading habits (engagement in different online reading activities), use of cognitive strategies, metacognitive knowledge, and navigation skills on printed and electronic reading literacy across regions. Participants were 31,784 fifteen-year-old students (50.78% female) from 19 countries and economies in the 2009 Programme for International Student Assessment database. Results showed that students exhibited better reading literacy in the print environment. Moreover, information-seeking activities, control strategies, knowledge of metacognitive strategies, and navigation skills positively predicted reading literacy in both print and electronic formats for all regions, whereas social reading activities negatively predicted reading literacy in print and were most harmful for the Asian region in both formats. Memorization strategies were negatively associated with reading literacy in both formats for Australasian, Western and Eastern EU, and South American regions, but not for the Asian region. Online reading habits, regardless of types, had no impact on reading literacy in both formats for the South American region. The study findings provided suggestions for literacy instruction in the e-learning era across different regions.

KEYWORDS:

• Reading literacy
• online reading habits
• cognitive strategies
• metacognitive strategies
• navigation skills

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Jiun-Yu Wu is currently Associate Professor at National Chiao Tung University, Taiwan. He specializes in Multilevel Structural Equation Modeling and advanced quantitative research methodologies. His research interests focus on students online reading behaviour and performance as well as factors that motivate or hinder students selective attention during online learning.

Ya-Chun Peng was a graduate student at National Chiao Tung University, Taiwan. She is interested in the literacy development and effective intervention programs for children.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan [104-2628-H-009-001-SS3, 105-2511-S-009-009-MY3].