Print versus Digital: Efficacy of Medium on Comprehension and within Learning Settings

Abstract

In this digital age, the debate between the instructional efficacy of reading medium, digital versus print, continues. Regardless of the debate points, the print medium continues to reign as the superior of the two in terms of comprehension level, preferability, and general ease of use. Perhaps, this is due to its’ physical nature, or because it had been the single medium for reading until this current era, where readers have a choice and exercise it regularly. Certainly, digital manifests a host of benefits, such as modality, portability, and it comes in as less costly per page than print. Nevertheless, it comes down to the intent of the instruction. The instructional designer should carefully consider that intent before choosing a medium to use. The report finds print better for longer building block, conceptual reasoning, or linear reading purposes, while digital can be useful for goal-oriented reading, for studying, or research purposes. As such, this report recommends that the medium chosen depends on the overall intent of the instruction.