Effect of reading medium and test medium on reading comprehension and meta-comprehension among 5th grade children (Hebrew)

In recent years, the use of digital tasks and assessments has increased significantly in educational settings. However, most previous research has focused on adult populations, and little attention has been given to the combined effects of reading and test media on reading comprehension and metacognitive processes in children. This study examined the effects of reading medium (paper vs. screen), test medium (paper vs. screen), and their congruence on reading comprehension, metacognitive judgments, and confidence ratings among fifth-grade students.

Fifty-eight Hebrew-speaking fifth-grade students from southern Israel were randomly assigned to either a paper-reading or screen-reading condition. Each participant read four short informational texts and answered comprehension questions—two on paper and two on screen. After reading each text, participants rated their perceived comprehension (metacognitive judgment), and after each question, they rated their confidence in their answers. At the end of the session, participants completed a media preference questionnaire.

Results showed no significant differences in reading comprehension, metacognitive judgments, or confidence ratings as a function of reading medium, test medium, or their congruence. However, metacognitive judgments were not well-calibrated, indicating general overconfidence across all conditions. These findings suggest that for fifth-grade students, the gap between screen and paper reading performance may be diminishing, possibly due to increased exposure to digital environments.