The influence of access to

eReaders, computers and

mobile phones on
children's book reading
frequency

Margaret K. Merga & Saiyidi

Mat Roni
Paul Quezada
EDP 520
Research Problem
• Comparative literacy benefits and
specifically the reading frequency from
text in paper vs eBook formats –
exploratory,
• A lack of supporting scientific evidence
Goals & Objectives
• Evidence-based resourcing decisions
• Access books in their preferred mode
where possible
• Expand body of knowledge relating
technology to educational capacities of
children in literacy development with
regards to reading frequency
Research Questions
• Does access to eReading devices
influence children's reading behavior?
• Do children with access to eReading
devices make use of them for book
reading purposes?
Method & Design
• Population: 997 Western Australian children in
grades 4 & 6 – 52.3% in year 4 & 47.7% in year 6
• Age ranged from 8-12 y/o – average age: 9.8
years
• 429 male; 566 female; 2 abstaining from gender
binary
Method & Design
Method & Design con’t
• Data set comprised of 24 schools: government
and non-government, rural and metropolitan,
and public and private
• School recruitment was controlled to create
representative sample (increasing external
validity)
• Index of Community Socio-Educational
Advantage: 1040.9; Australian average: 1000
Method & Design con’t
• Survey administered in a
single-stage visitation
• Within-stage mixed model
approach
• Pilot study with 100 students in
years 4 & 6; led to question
modification.
• Within-stage mixed model -
Factorial design: 2 x 2 x 2
– With/without access to
iPad/Kindle
– With/without access to
computer
– With/without access to mobile
phones
• Relationship to reading
frequency – dependent
variable.
Results & Conclusions
• Main effect
– Respondents without access to mobile
phones had significantly higher
reading frequency than those with
access – access to a computer or
iPad/Kindle had no statistical
significance.
– Statistically negative significance
between the number of access to
eReading devices and reading
frequency
Results & Conclusions
• Respondents made rare use of their
devices for reading purposes
• Significant positive correlation of
reading frequency in general and
the frequency across all devices
• Reading frequency was statistically
higher on the iPad/Kindle when
compared to general reading
Results & Conclusions
• 93 respondents
• Reading frequency was statistically
more for iPad/Kindle devices than
computer and mobile phones
• At the aggregate level: respondents
who are frequent readers AND have
access – have higher reading
frequency on eReading devices.
Results & Conclusions
• E-reading devices are under utilized
for reading purposes
• Premature to suggest that eReaders
are a preferred reading mode for
children
Limitations & Suggestions

• The data was a • Cross-sectional

representative of a longitudinal design
single point in time.
• Limiting the scope of
findings.