Effects of Processing Time on Calibration and Comprehension in Print and Digital Mediums

• In Event: Poster Session 5
  In Poster Session: Literacy Research Issues in the 21st Century

Abstract

We investigated students’ reading and comprehension in print versus digital mediums, and assessed how accurately they judged their comprehension (i.e., calibration). Further, we examined the role of processing time in comprehension performance. Overall, there was no significant difference by medium when identifying the main idea, but a significant difference for the recall of key points and other relevant content in favor of print. Calibration was moderately correlated with reading comprehension scores for print but not for digital texts. Also, reading time was correlated with overall reading comprehension scores for print but not for the digital medium. Results reinforce that students have an overinflated sense of their learning when reading digitally, and that the processing time may be an explanatory factor.

Authors

• Lauren M Singer, University of Maryland - College Park

• Patricia A. Alexander, University of Maryland - College Park