UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS’ READING EXPERIENCE: FROM TRADITIONAL TO DIGITAL SPACES

Sheila I. Njemanze

Abstract


This is an empirical study designed to shed some light on the reading experience of undergraduate students from analog to virtual spaces. Reading is not just a language skill; it is a life skill that continues to impact an individual beyond schooling. However, casual commentaries from teachers in higher education suggest that students generally fall behind in assigned reading tasks. This is perceived as a problem since academic success in tertiary education is inextricably tied to reading performance. The focus group consists of twenty-four participants selected from 200-level Education English students using snowball sampling. To gain deeper insight into undergraduate reading experience, the researcher adopted a dual approach – a questionnaire and a follow-up oral interview. The affect theory and thematic analytic framework were adopted for the data analyses. The concluding section recommends practicable ways students could be best supported in their reading journey extrinsically and through self-determination.

Keywords


undergraduates, comprehension, academic reading, grudging act, pleasure reading

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References


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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejel.v11i5.7013

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