The Impact of Print vs. Digital Resources on Moroccan University Students’ Reading Habits, Uses, and Preferences

Abstract

The widespread use of digital resources, the Internet and the development of technology have brought several significant changes in reading practices, preferences and use among information consumers. Readers of the 21st century have many options for reading thanks to the rapid growth of electronic-based reading materials, instead of printed ones, such as online newspapers, electronic books, digital encyclopedias, and online academic journals, as well as the expansion of e-book readers. All of these have contributed to changing readers’ reading strategies, reading preferences, and attitudes toward the act of reading. In the field of academia, for instance, there has been a tremendous shift from paper-based reading to screen-based reading. Given the fact that digital devices have become pervasive, and that reading has recently become a digital activity, this article proposes the need to investigate the impact of print vs. digital reading materials on Moroccan undergraduate students’ reading behaviors, preferences and use.

Pitanje opstanka tradicionalnih papirnih izvora informacija u suvremenim knjižnicama: osvrt na istraživanja provedena u visokoškolskim knjižnicama

“…Nazivajući vrijeme u kojem živimo vremenom svojevrsnog evolucijskog prijelaza, ona ukazuje kako se već u ranijoj dobi nove generacije budućih studenata usmjeravaju na čitanje u e-formatima pa je moguće da će s vremenom doći do prilagođavanja novoj tehnologiji, pri čemu će moždana elastičnost ("brain's elasticity") omogućiti razvoj vještina potrebnih za duboko učenje. 41 I dok su dosad prikazana istraživanja pokazala mahom slične rezultate prema kojima se među studentskom populacijom rabe oba medija, pri čemu se tiskani uglavnom preferira, istraživanje interesa marokanskih studenata provedeno 2017. godine 42 donosi znatno drugačije rezultate. Istraživanjem se željelo doznati kojoj platformi za čitanje studenti daju prednost (moguće je bilo odlučiti se za ispis, digitalni prikaz ili oboje).…”

Interactive effects of institutional requirements and screen vs. Print platforms on preference of Times New Roman and Calibri among university students

“…Studies report that typefaces give form and substance to thought and to language. Though their effects are often subtle, typefaces are in fact crucial to text legibility, comprehension, retention and attitudes to written messages among learners (Dobres et al, 2017;Dressler, 2019;Haenschen & Tamu, 2019;Larhmaid et al, 2018). However, there is a lack of consensus among several studies on the reading speed and legibility of serif and sans serif typefaces on different platforms.…”

“…Remarkably, the switch from Times New Roman (TNR, a serif) to Calibri (a sans serif) as default typeface beginning with Microsoft Office 2007 drew further attention to this call and emphasized screen reading as a rapidly growing trend (Bigelow, 2019). It also revitalized a milestone marked in 2005 as the year in which the one-billionth person in the world officially began to use digital resources to consume written communication (De Argaez, 2006;Larhmaid et al, 2018). Has the introduction of Calibri resolved or further complicated the lack of consensus on the readability and legibility of serif and sans serif typefaces in print and computer screen platforms?…”

“…In the midst of it, studies report that academic institutions seldom consider the effects of typefaces on learners (Dressler, 2019;Haenschen & Tamu, 2019;Larhmaid et al, 2018). Scholars believe that learning institutions have greater opportunity to leverage students' exposure to digital technologies to address emerging issues in digital consumption of academic material (Bamidele & Salihu, 2019;Larhmaid et al, 2018).…”

“…In the midst of it, studies report that academic institutions seldom consider the effects of typefaces on learners (Dressler, 2019;Haenschen & Tamu, 2019;Larhmaid et al, 2018). Scholars believe that learning institutions have greater opportunity to leverage students' exposure to digital technologies to address emerging issues in digital consumption of academic material (Bamidele & Salihu, 2019;Larhmaid et al, 2018). Many scholars therefore observe that learners should contribute meaningfully in, or feel comfortable with, institutional decisions on packaging academic works in the digital and offline environments (Bourdieu, 1977;Haenschen & Tamu, 2019).…”