Student reading behaviors and preferences at public and private universities in Ecuador: A comparative study

Abstract

Reading compliance is reading assigned course materials in preparation for class. Previous research in university settings in the US suggests that compliance with a professor's request to prepare for class among undergraduate students is low. This paper reports on a study conducted among undergraduate students at the Universities of Cuenca and Azuay in Cuenca, Ecuador to assess their reading behaviors and preferences as well as the factors that influence their decisions to comply or not comply with their professors' assigned course readings. The study found that, whereas students are generally positive about the value of their reading assignments, they do not read much. Considerable differences of opinion exist between public and private university students on the topic. The study advocates a more active role for professors in enhancing students reading behaviors and suggests opportunities for future research. RESUMENEl cumplimiento de lectura es el proceso de leer los materiales del curso asignados, para la preparación de la clase. Investigaciones previas en entornos universitarios en los Estados Unidos, sugieren que el cumplimiento de la petición de un profesor para preparar la clase entre los estudiantes universitarios es bajo. Este documento informa sobre un estudio realizado entre los estudiantes de pregrado en las universidades de Cuenca y Azuay, en la ciudad de Cuenca, Ecuador; con el fin de evaluar sus comportamientos y preferencias de lectura. Así también, los factores que influyen en sus decisiones para cumplir o no cumplir con las lecturas del curso asignadas por sus profesores. El estudio encontró que, mientras los estudiantes son positivos sobre el valor de sus tareas de lectura en general, no leen mucho. Existen considerables diferencias de opinión entre los estudiantes universitarios públicos y privados sobre el tema. El estudio aboga por un papel más activo de los profesores en mejorar los comportamientos de lectura de los estudiantes y sugiere oportunidades para futuras investigaciones. Palabras clave: El cumplimiento de lectura, conducta de la lectura, el análisis comparativo, Universidad de Cuenca, Universidad del Azuay. 1.

The influence of time on the decisions that students make about their academic reading

“…Student reading behavior and reading comprehension are global higher education issues (Arrieta and Meza, 2005; Calderon and Quijano, 2010; Moreyra, 1998; Van Hoof et al, 2013) that have educators concerned and scrambling for answers. It is our collective responsibility as researchers and educators to continue our quest to find answers, whether it is in our classrooms, in our students, in our cultures and societies, or in the issues surrounding them.…”

Exploring faculty reading and research behaviors in a public and a private university: Case-study Cuenca, Ecuador

“…Given the scarcity of English literature on the topic related to the South American setting, the nature of the study reported here was primarily exploratory. The survey was designed to determine professors' reading and research behaviors, and was partially inspired by an analogue study on the assessment of the reading behaviors of students in both universities (Van Hoof et al, 2013b). In comparing professors' behaviors at a public and a private university in Cuenca, the study hoped to find out 1) how much professors read in preparation for their classes and in connection with their research interests; 2) what factors might influence their research behaviors; 3) if any of the observed differences of behavior between professors at the two universities were significantly different; and 4) what universities might do to stimulate the research and reading activities of their professors.…”