Do New Media Technologies Cause Poor Reading Habits?
Many are concerned that new media technologies such as mobile phones and the internet have a bad influence on children’s school performances. Others claim new media might have a positive impact. This study investigated such concerns and claims in Nigeria. The researchers looked at the extracurricular activities of Nigerian children and interviewed their teachers. It appears that children and teachers think very differently about the effects of using digital media on reading skills.
Take aways
Although children claim new media technologies improve their reading skills, most teachers believe they do in fact harm those skills.
Study information
The question?
What is the influence of electronic media on the reading skills of Nigerian children?
Who?
71 Nigerian school children and four teachers of two different schools (one primary schools and one secondary school)
Where?
Enugu State, Nigeria
How?
Researchers asked children to fill out a questionnaire. The first part of the questionnaire was about the demographic information of the children. The second part was about children’s use of new media technologies and their extracurricular activities.
Facts and findings
- The top-3 activities of Nigerian children were reading (76%), homework (65%) and washing clothes (45%).
- Almost two-third of the children (60,4%) stated they were doing homework for about one hour a day.
- More than half of the children (56,3%) did not think cell phones, television, internet and other electronic media affect their reading hours.
- 39% of the children believed media did not cause poor reading habits.
- 14% even thought that electronic media encouraged them to develop good reading habits.
- In contrast, the interviewed teachers stressed that children’s literacy did decrease due to new media.
- Most children did not visit the school library. Those who did, only stayed there for about 30 minutes.