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Education Sciences
Special Issues
Digital Literacy Environments and Reading Comprehension
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Digital Literacy Environments and Reading Comprehension

A special issue of Education Sciences (ISSN 2227-7102).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 August 2025) | Viewed by 4298

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Nance S. Wilson

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Literacy Department, SUNY Cortland, Graham Avenue, Cortland, NY, USA
Interests: comprehension; digital literacy; anti-racist teaching
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Brittany Adams

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Curriculum and Instruction, The University of Alabama, University Boulevard, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
Interests: critical literacies; comprehension; children’s and young adult literature
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This joint Special Issue seeks to explore the critical intersections between digital literacy environments and reading comprehension, acknowledging that reading comprehension now occurs within increasingly diverse, technology-rich contexts. As digital texts and multimodal platforms become integral to literacy practices, there is an urgent need to understand how these environments uniquely influence comprehension, engagement, and critical thinking.

The scope of this Issue will focus on examining how digital literacy environments—from e-books and educational apps to interactive digital storytelling and online information sources—shape the cognitive and sociocultural processes of comprehension. By concentrating on the effects of technology on reading comprehension, this Issue aims to provide insights into how digital and multimodal experiences foster or inhibit comprehension outcomes, preparing educators, researchers, and policymakers to respond to the digital literacy demands of the 21st century.

We invite contributions that address topics such as the following:

  • The cognitive processes involved in comprehending digital and multimodal texts;
  • Strategies to support reading comprehension in technology-rich literacy environments;
  • The role of digital and multimodal texts in shaping comprehension across different age groups;
  • Equity in access to digital literacy tools and its impact on comprehension outcomes;
  • The influence of digital literacy environments on critical literacy and engagement;
  • Educator perspectives and instructional approaches for fostering comprehension in digital contexts;
  • Effects of specific digital formats (e.g., e-books, interactive apps) on comprehension processes and outcomes;
  • Comparative studies of traditional vs. digital reading environments in shaping comprehension.

By focusing on these areas, this Special Issue aims to illuminate how digital literacy environments impact reading comprehension across educational and social contexts. This exploration will inform approaches to literacy instruction and policy, addressing key questions about the evolving nature of reading comprehension in a digital age.

Dr. Nance S. Wilson
Dr. Brittany Adams
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Education Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • comprehension
  • learning environments
  • sociocultural theories
  • critical literacies
  • metacognition
  • linguistic diversity
  • cognitive processes
  • multimodal literacies

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

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23 pages, 552 KB  
Article
Flipping the Script: The Impact of a Blended Literacy Learning Intervention on Comprehension
by Michael J. Hockwater
Educ. Sci. 2025, 15(9), 1147; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15091147 - 3 Sep 2025
Viewed by 703
Abstract
This qualitative action research case study explored how a blended literacy learning intervention combining the flipped classroom model with youth-selected multimodal texts influenced sixth-grade Academic Intervention Services (AIS) students’ comprehension of figurative language. The study was conducted over four months in a New [...] Read more.
This qualitative action research case study explored how a blended literacy learning intervention combining the flipped classroom model with youth-selected multimodal texts influenced sixth-grade Academic Intervention Services (AIS) students’ comprehension of figurative language. The study was conducted over four months in a New York State middle school and involved seven students identified as at-risk readers. Initially, students engaged with teacher-created instructional videos outside of class and completed analytical activities during class time. However, due to low engagement and limited comprehension gains, the intervention was revised to incorporate student autonomy through the selection of multimodal texts such as graphic novels, song lyrics, and YouTube videos. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews, journal entries, surveys, and classroom artifacts, and then analyzed using inductive coding and member checking. Findings indicate that students demonstrated increased the comprehension of figurative language when given choice in both texts and instructional videos. Participants reported increased motivation, deeper engagement, and enhanced meaning-making, particularly when reading texts that reflected their personal interests and experiences. The study concludes that a blended literacy model emphasizing autonomy and multimodality can support comprehension and bridge the gap between in-school and out-of-school literacy practices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digital Literacy Environments and Reading Comprehension)
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16 pages, 531 KB  
Article
Medium Matters? Comprehension and Lexical Processing in Digital and Printed Narrative Texts in Good and Poor Comprehenders
by Elisabetta Lombardo, Ambra Fastelli, Sara Gaudio and Paola Bonifacci
Educ. Sci. 2025, 15(8), 989; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15080989 - 3 Aug 2025
Viewed by 730
Abstract
The present study examined differences in reading comprehension performance between good and poor comprehenders, across paper-based and computer-based formats. The sample consisted of 197 students (Mage = 10.9, SDage = 1.22), categorized into three groups based on their reading comprehension proficiency: [...] Read more.
The present study examined differences in reading comprehension performance between good and poor comprehenders, across paper-based and computer-based formats. The sample consisted of 197 students (Mage = 10.9, SDage = 1.22), categorized into three groups based on their reading comprehension proficiency: good (n = 73), average (n = 90), and poor (n = 33). Using a pseudo-randomized within-subjects design, participants read two texts and completed both a cloze task and a proofreading task in paper and digital formats. Results showed that poor comprehenders consistently performed worse on both tasks; however, group performances were not influenced by the modality. Both tasks required more time in the digital modality and were associated with greater calibration bias. In the proof-reading task, nouns and adjectives were more difficult to retrieve than verbs and function words, whereas in the cloze task, function words were the easiest to supply. The discussion emphasizes the need to account the for task type and linguistic complexity when evaluating comprehension. Importantly, the lack of interaction between reading proficiency and modality suggests that digital assessments are comparably effective and reliable across different levels of reading ability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digital Literacy Environments and Reading Comprehension)
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18 pages, 10790 KB  
Article
Maps, Movement, and Meaning: Children Restorying Thresholds with Heart Maps and Walking Tours as Acts of Spatial Reclamation
by Casey M. Pennington
Educ. Sci. 2025, 15(7), 834; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15070834 - 1 Jul 2025
Viewed by 693
Abstract
This qualitative study examines how children living in a public housing neighborhood engage in multimodal, embodied meaning-making to restory their community. Focusing on two participants and in partnership with The Kids Club, this paper explores children’s spatial reclamation through embodied and spatialized literacies, [...] Read more.
This qualitative study examines how children living in a public housing neighborhood engage in multimodal, embodied meaning-making to restory their community. Focusing on two participants and in partnership with The Kids Club, this paper explores children’s spatial reclamation through embodied and spatialized literacies, complicating stories where children assert whose stories matter and why. Drawing on nexus analysis and narrative inquiry, this study conceptualizes the body as central to cognition and comprehension through texts in action. The sisters spatially reclaim neighborhood narratives via walking tours, heart maps, and photographs that function as multimodal action texts. These practices invite a rethinking of comprehension beyond traditional textual modes, illuminating how children navigate and transform literacy landscapes. This work contributes to conversations about equity in literacy environments and calls on educators and researchers to honor children’s multimodal literacy practices as vital forms of critical comprehension, storytelling, and belonging. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digital Literacy Environments and Reading Comprehension)
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20 pages, 770 KB  
Article
dmQAR: Mapping Metacognition in Digital Spaces onto Question–Answer Relationship
by Brittany Adams, Nance S. Wilson and Gillian E. Mertens
Educ. Sci. 2025, 15(6), 751; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15060751 - 14 Jun 2025
Viewed by 1134
Abstract
This paper proposes the Digital Metacognitive Question–Answer Relationship (dmQAR) Framework, an adaptation of traditional QAR models for the complexities of digital reading environments. In response to the nonlinear, multimodal, and algorithmically curated nature of online texts, the dmQAR Framework scaffolds purposeful metacognitive questioning [...] Read more.
This paper proposes the Digital Metacognitive Question–Answer Relationship (dmQAR) Framework, an adaptation of traditional QAR models for the complexities of digital reading environments. In response to the nonlinear, multimodal, and algorithmically curated nature of online texts, the dmQAR Framework scaffolds purposeful metacognitive questioning to support comprehension, evaluation, and critical engagement. Drawing on research in metacognition, critical literacy, and digital reading, the framework reinterprets “Right There,” “Think and Search,” “Author and Me,” and “On My Own” question categories to align with the demands of digital spaces. Practical instructional strategies, including think-alouds, student-generated questioning, digital annotation, and reflection journals, are detailed to support implementation across diverse educational contexts. The paper emphasizes that developing self-regulated questioning is essential for fostering critical literacy and resisting surface-level engagement with digital texts. Implications for instruction highlight the need for explicit metacognitive scaffolding and equitable access to digital literacy tools. Future research directions include empirical validation of the framework’s impact on digital reading comprehension and exploration of developmental differences in metacognitive questioning practices. In an era of widespread misinformation and algorithmic bias, embedding metacognitive questioning into literacy education is vital for preparing students to navigate digital landscapes critically and reflectively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digital Literacy Environments and Reading Comprehension)
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Other

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11 pages, 1020 KB  
Commentary
Disconnected in a Connected World: Improving Digital Literacies Instruction to Reconnect with Each Other, Ideas, and Texts
by Joseph Marangell and Régine Randall
Educ. Sci. 2025, 15(8), 1026; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15081026 - 11 Aug 2025
Viewed by 441
Abstract
This commentary addresses a problem of practice related to student disengagement in technology-rich classrooms, where learners are digitally connected but socially and academically disconnected. Although not an empirical study, the commentary draws on instructional examples from secondary- and graduate-level teaching. The authors examine [...] Read more.
This commentary addresses a problem of practice related to student disengagement in technology-rich classrooms, where learners are digitally connected but socially and academically disconnected. Although not an empirical study, the commentary draws on instructional examples from secondary- and graduate-level teaching. The authors examine how digital literacy instruction can strengthen engagement, reading comprehension, and ethical participation in online environments. The article highlights strategies such as the workshop model, multimodal composition, digital content curation, and the use of mentor texts to support critical thinking and collaborative learning. These practices aim to develop students’ analytical skills, awareness of audience, and recognition of their own positionality in digital spaces. Across courses, the authors reflected on increased student engagement when digital tools were used not simply for task completion but to support inquiry, discourse, and authentic creation for real audiences. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digital Literacy Environments and Reading Comprehension)
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