Abstract:

The coronavirus has created a shift to mainly learning from screens. A large body of research examined the effects of presentation modality on reading performance and self-evaluation. However, the increased reliance on e-learning among higher education students raises additional important questions about the quality of learning and the related aspects of learning such as time spent on task, and subjective experience of time while reading from screen vs. reading from paper.

The goal of the present study was to investigate the impact of different mediums on time estimation and comprehension among students in higher education. In addition, we examined students’ metacognitive self-evaluation of duration estimation.

Methods:
Thirty-seven higher education students preformed four reading comprehension tasks, two on screen, and two on paper. For each task reading duration and answering questions duration were measured. Participants were asked to estimate the reading duration and answering questions duration. They also rated their confidence in accurately estimating the task's duration.

Duration estimation ratios (estimation duration/actual duration) were calculated for each medium and each activity (reading and answering questions). A repeated measures ANOVA and paired t-tests were carried out to determine mediums effect on comprehension, duration, and self-evaluation measures.

Results:
On screen, students completed reading comprehension tasks faster than on paper. Duration estimations and confidence rates did not differ between mediums. Students overestimated time across activities (reading and questions answering) and mediums. In the answering questions condition, duration estimation ratio was significantly higher on screen than on paper. Reading comprehension scores were similar on paper and on-screen, as well as confidence in accurately estimating time.

Conclusions:
Higher education students are unaware of the passage of time during the performance of a complex academic task. More specifically, they are unaware of the fact that they work significantly faster on screen than on paper. The outcomes of the study have significant implications on theoretical models as well as educational interventions.

Keywords:

Screen vs. paper, reading medium, time estimation, higher education students, academic functioning.