Research + News | Topic: Media

A New Study Shows That Students Learn Way More Effectively From Print Textbooks Than Screens

While new forms of classroom technology like digital textbooks are more accessible and portable, it would be wrong to assume that students will automatically be better served by digital reading simply because they prefer it. Read the article here.

Snapchat Throws Lifeline To College Papers

Some beleaguered college pubs are getting a boost, and possibly a new lease on life, courtesy of mobile visual messaging platform Snapchat. Read the article here.

Duke University Freshmen Refuse To Read ‘Fun Home’ For Moral Reasons

Incoming freshmen at Duke University are reportedly refusing to read their summer novel, Fun Home – an LGBT graphic novel – due to their Christian and moral beliefs.

Read the article here.

How College Students Connect (or Don’t) with Brands

Peer opinion influences college students’ purchases more than advertising. Read the article here.

Does College Play a Role in Media Consumption?

According to the most recent Nielsen Cross-Platform Report, the 18-24 year-old consumer demographic consumes media where it can, when it can. Nearly half the viewers in this demo grab their smartphones at least once per day while watching TV, topping any other group. This group also spends the most time watching video on the Internet—almost an hour-and-a-half each week. Consumption differs, however, within the 18-24 demo itself, and the variations are predicated on consumer lifestyle, education and living situation.

Read the full report here.

Young Teens Use Mobile Devices for Homework

According to a recent poll by the research firm TRU more than a third of tweens and young teenagers in the United States said they are using smartphones to do homework. Smartphones were used at home for schoolwork by 39% of 11 to 14 year olds, 31% of those surveyed said they did assignments on a tablet while nearly 65% used laptops.

Read the full report from Reuters here.

Younger Americans’ Reading and Library Habits

The Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project has taken a special look at readers between the ages of 16 and 29 because interest in them is especially high in the library world and the publishing world. This report examines how they encounter and consume books in different formats.

Main findings: 83% of Americans between the ages of 16 and 29 read a book in the past year; some 75% read a print book; 19% read an e-book; and 11%listened to an audiobook. Many say they are reading more in the era of digital content, especially on their mobile phones and on computers.

Read the report here.

Download the complete report (.pdf) here.

Children, Teens and Entertainment Media: The View From The Classroom

Common Sense Media conducted a national survey of teachers about the role of entertainment media in students’ academic and social development.

Key Finding 1: “Many teachers think their students’ use of entertainment media has hurt their academic performance.”

Key Finding 2: “Among teachers who say their students’ academic skills have been hurt by entertainment media use, the media most often cited as problematic are texting, social networking, video games, and television, depending on the students’ age.”

Key Finding 3: “The biggest problem area teachers see in terms of their students’ skills is in writing.”

Read more “key findings” here.

Download full report (.pdf) here.