Gender differences in digital propensity and perceptions and preferences for digital and print text

What is it about?

This study investigated gender differences in the context of digital propensity and perceptions and preferences toward the reading of digital and print text. Specifically, predictors of digital propensity were examined, looking not only at gender but also age, family income, reading scores, and academic grades. Gender differences were then studied in the context of digital propensity and perceptions and preferences toward the reading of digital and print text.

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Why is it important?

Promoting digital equity in today’s society is important because technology implementation research has shown digital literacy can enhance daily learning outcomes, findings corroborated by continued research focused on digital literacy practices and their advancement both in and out of the classroom. That is, given the sweeping reach of technology, it is vital that students have the literacy skills needed to succeed in today’s digitally rich world. Despite technological promises, however, digital inequality continues to be of interest and concern. Age, gender, socioeconomic status, living arrangements, and locale have been among the factors argued to be closely associated with equity in learning and participating in society in general, with students’ use, application of, and attitudes toward digital technology typically examined in the context of these factors. Taking such influences into consideration, the findings strengthen results reported in existing research, revealing that gender, for example, is a significant predictor of digital propensity.

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