Paper-based and on-screen reading: Does delivery mode influence students' reading comprehension?

Ragnhild Engdal Jensen

Summary

The main aim of my research project is to explore whether paper-based and on-screen reading assessments measure the same underlying reading construct. Currently we can observe a trend where paper-based reading assessments are carbon-copied and replaced with digitally delivered, on-screen assessments: in 2015 the PISA reading assessment was conducted on-screen for the first time, and from 2016 it is planned that the Norwegian national tests in reading will be as well. I want to draw attention to the fact that the way students read texts and solve items, may be different, depending on the test delivery mode, which in turn could affect students test results. To examine the questions I raise in my project, I want to analyze PISA and national test data to identify tasks where the test delivery mode influences students’ comprehension. In addition a questionnaire will be developed to investigate how students view reading on paper and on-screen. Finally, I want to develop a parallel test utilizing assessment items for which a difference between the two test delivery modes has been observed and use eye tracking methodology to investigate how students read texts on paper and screen.