Internet Learning Volume 7, Number 1 • 2018/2019 | Page 8

Assessing the Effect of Course Materials Type on Undergraduate Student Performance in an Online Setting
To increase accessibility and affordability,
a key institutional
goal of many academic institutions
is to move from traditional, purchased,
print course materials to open
educational resources (OERs), materials
that are open access and freely available.
This approach brings significant
savings to students and institutions;
and OERs are reported by students and
faculties to be the same or better quality
compared to traditional textbooks
(Bliss, Robinson, Hilton, & Wiley,
2013). What is not clear is whether traditional,
physical sources have the same
learning impact on students as less traditional,
fully electronic sources.
Review of the Literature
While some prefer traditional
print sources, readers have
fundamentally shifted how
they interact with texts due to growing
opportunities to listen to or read them
through applications on electronic devices,
which provide easier portability
and accessibility (Gibson & Gibb, 2011;
Waters, Roach, Emde, McEathron,
&Russell, 2014). In both K-12 and higher
education, there is a growing interest
in the quality of reading and reading
comprehension that comes from reading
physical versus electronic sources
(National Research Center for Distance
Education and Technological Advancements,
2016).
K-12 Learners
For younger readers growing up in the
digital age, electronic reading is more
common and often preferred, though
there is some evidence that students
report more issues with eye fatigue
when using electronic materials (Jeong,
2012). Grimshaw, Dungworth, McKnight,
and Morris (2007) found that
young readers preferred electronic
course materials because they provided
supplements such as narration and
dictionaries. These key features assisted
students with their reading comprehension.
Conversely, other studies of
middle school students have demonstrated
decreased reading comprehension
and retention when students read
on an electronic device rather than
in print (Mangen, 2008; Schugar &
Schugar 2014). Jeong (2012) found that
students performed higher on quizzes
after reading physical materials compared
with electronic materials (Jeong,
2012). These studies show mixed results
regarding the effectiveness of physical
and electronic course materials for children
and adolescents.
Adult Learners
The patterns found among younger
learners differ from the patterns found
among adult learners. In a 2011–2012
study of faculty and student perceptions
of OERs across eight community
colleges, faculty members reported
that the students using electronic OERs
were better prepared for class than students
in the past who were using nonelectronic
OERs (Bliss et al., 2013).
Students reported that their use of the
OERs was similar to their use of non-
OERs (Bliss et al., 2013). An international
study of college students found
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