Computer Science editorial
Open AccessOA2023
Behavior of Science and Engineering Students to Digital Reading: Educational Disruption and Beyond
This study investigates the digital reading behavior of science and engineering students during the COVID-19 educational disruption. Findings show that students generally have a favorable attitude toward digital reading, and the necessity for online learning encouraged the development of digital reading skills.
Sherif Welsen; D. Wanatowski; Duo Zhao· Education sciences· 2023· DOI 10.3390/educsci13050484
The core problem
The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant disruption to education worldwide, forcing a rapid shift to online learning. Before the pandemic, research on university students' preferences for printed versus digital resources for academic reading was mixed. During the pandemic, online learning became essential, and several studies indicated a continued preference for printed text. This paper extends a pilot study conducted during the first COVID-19 wave in China, focusing on science and engineering students at SWJTU-Leeds Joint School, Southwest Jiaotong University in Chengdu, China. The study aims to understand how these students adapted to digital reading during educational disruption and whether their behavior differs from students in other majors.
Innovation
A survey was designed using MS-Forms, consisting of Likert scale questions and open-ended questions. The survey was distributed to science and engineering students in Years 2–4 (Levels 1–3) across four undergraduate programs: Civil Engineering with Transport, Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Computer Science. A total of 223 students participated, yielding a participation rate of nearly 27%. The survey was anonymous and available for one month. The data collected were analyzed to assess students' digital reading behavior, preferences, and skill development during the pandemic-induced online learning period.
Introduction
The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant disruption to education worldwide, forcing a rapid shift to online learning. Before the pandemic, research on university students' preferences for printed versus digital resources for academic reading was mixed. During the pandemic, online learning became essential, and several studies indicated a continued preference for printed text. This paper extends a pilot study conducted during the first COVID-19 wave in China, focusing on science and engineering students at SWJTU-Leeds Joint School, Southwest Jiaotong University in Chengdu, China. The study aims to understand how these students adapted to digital reading during educational disruption and whether their behavior differs from students in other majors.
Why it matters
The results suggest that science and engineering students may be more inclined to adopt digital reading due to the nature of their disciplines, which often require accessing technical documents, e-books, and online journals. The forced transition to online learning during the pandemic served as a catalyst for developing digital reading skills, which are likely to remain valuable beyond the pandemic. The study highlights the importance of providing adequate digital resources and training to support students in adapting to digital reading. Limitations include the single-institution context and the self-reported nature of the data. Future research could explore long-term trends and compare across disciplines and institutions.
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