Assessing the Effects of Digital Technologies on Learning Behavior and Reading Motivation Among Moroccan EFL University Students

Abstract

The introduction of digital technologies and the emergence of electronic reading devices have expanded the concept of literacy and shaped how readers consume information from texts, as well as how they perceive and interact with digital materials vs. print materials in academic settings. Several years ago, reading was merely a characteristic of print. However, with today's advances in technology, the vast majority of people are reading blogs, journals, newspapers, and other materials on digital screens. This study reports the findings of a survey on the effects of digital technologies on learning behavior and reading motivation among Moroccan EFL university students. Results showed that the majority of students reported using digital materials for studying, research, and recreational purposes. The majority of students also reported using desktop/laptop computers or smartphones to access digital materials and claimed that they frequently consult PDF documents and Google books for coursework materials. Additional findings suggest that print reading is favored when the reading task includes lengthy texts and demands more learning engagement activities such as highlighting and notetaking; and that digital reading is preferred when the reading task demands less effortful engagement activities, and includes short texts and accessible materials via the Internet at a preferential cost. Students reported that their motivation to read online is driven by the need to keep up with recent information as well as the need to use usability features embedded with e-texts such as the ‘Find' function and built-in annotation tools. A great number of students rated their overall online reading experience as satisfactory or enjoyable. In contrast, students reported that eyestrain, discomfort with online reading, as well as the credibility and quality of texts encountered online are major challenges and barriers to digital reading. Results revealed that students' satisfaction with online reading is positively correlated with the frequency of using digital texts. Additional implications and directions for future research are considered.

E-books in foreign language learning from the students' perspective: A review of research

“…Једно од новијих истраживања које је спроведено на узорку студената енглеског језика у Мароку (Larhmaid, Nour, & Afflerbach, 2019) дало је интересантан увид у разлоге коришћења е-књига у образовању. Наиме, налази овог истраживања сугеришу да је читање штампаних књига погодније када задатак читања укључује дуге текстове и захтева већу активност и ангажовање у учењу.…”

“…Велики број ученика оценио је своје целокупно искуство читања на мрежи као задовољавајуће или угодно. Kao недостатке, студенти наводе напетост очију, нелагодност приликом читања на мрежи, као и веродостојност и квалитет текстова на мрежи као главнe изазовe и препреке при употреби дигиталних текстова (Larhmaid et al, 2019).…”

Understanding EFL Students’ Reading Motivation and Online Reading Practice in Relation to Their Reading Achievement in a Full Online Learning Context

“…The results support the multidimensional nature of L2 reading motivation and the importance of intrinsic motivation in explaining L2 reading motivation. Larhmaid, Nour, and Afflerbach (2019) reported that students' motivation to read online is driven by the need to keep up with recent information and use usability features embedded with etexts such as the 'Find' function and built-in annotation tools. A great number of students rated their overall online reading experience as satisfactory or enjoyable.…”

“…Research indicates that students' online reading is a highly potent strategy in enhancing reading habits among students (Larhmaid et al, 2019;Rimi, 2019). Concerning gender and hours spent on online reading, males appeared to read more hours than females.…”

“…Technology provides a vast potential for students to access various resources in composing a writing product (Nelson et al, 2011). Also, providing various relevant sources would likely be helped students to improve their reading comprehension and writing ability (Larhmaid et al, 2019). In addition, Andina, Cahyono, and Widiati (2020) correlated language students' autonomy, digital competence and their writing achievement.…”