E-books and motivation to read in middle school students

Abstract

E-books are the latest trend in reading technology. Research has shown that e-books are becoming more commonplace in school libraries and that the number of students with e-readers has recently increased dramatically. It is important to discover the potential effects of e-books on reading motivation. In this study, sixth grade students were surveyed using the Adolescent Motivation to Read Profile reading survey along with an additional e-book survey before and after learning about e-books available through their library catalog for use on computers from December through March. The study did not find an increase in motivation to read, but some students did respond positively to e-books as they had more access at school and at home over the course of the year.