Students understand text somewhat better on paper
Meta-analysis · Strength: StrongWhat the research found
A meta-analysis combined 54 studies from 2000 to 2017 with 171,055 participants. Readers understood the same text somewhat better on paper than on screens. The paper advantage was larger when reading was timed and for informational text. It did not appear for purely narrative text, and it grew larger in more recent studies.
How strong is this?
The overall effect is small, but the authors note it equals about two-thirds of a typical year's growth in reading comprehension in elementary school.
What it doesn't tell us
Most comparisons involved college students reading on computers. It doesn't show that all screen reading harms learning, or that stories read on screens are a problem.
What it means for our district
Informational reading, like science and social studies texts and timed assignments, is where paper matters most. Paper should be the default there.
Source
Delgado, Vargas, Ackerman, and Salmerón (2018), Educational Research Review. doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2018.09.003
Assistive technology, AAC devices, and accommodations under IEPs and 504 plans are essential tools and are outside the scope of this advocacy.