Research on Information Science and Public Libraries

Metacognitive approaches to active reading in digital reading contexts

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Vida Seifouri 1
Mahmoud Moradi 2

1 Ph.D. in Knowledge and Information Science, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran

2 Department of Knowledge and Information Science, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran

10.61882/publlij.2026.2075068.1046
Abstract
Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the metacognitive strategies of active reading in digital reading platforms used by Razi University students.
Methods: This study was conducted using a descriptive-survey method. The research population was undergraduate students at the Faculty of Social Sciences of Razi University, who were 234 first and final year students from the fields of psychology, Knowledge and Information Science, counseling, and political science using a stratified random sampling method. The research tool used in this study was the Anderson Online Reading Strategies Survey Questionnaire.
Results: The results indicate that the respondents had the highest tendency to use problem-solving strategies when studying online. The high mean score for visualization indicates the students' tendency to better understand and retain the material through mental imagery. In addition, the findings showed that the level of education is a determining factor; so that senior year students have greater mastery over most strategies, especially general strategies and problem-solving, compared to first year students. Also, when comparing different academic fields, Knowledge and Information Science used support strategies significantly. Because they become more familiar with the features and tools of digital and online resources during their studies.
Conclusion: This study showed that students of the Faculty of Social Sciences of Razi University, despite using a range of metacognitive strategies, significantly rely on problem-solving strategies (such as visualizing information and increasing attention when faced with challenging texts) and use less supportive strategies (especially rewriting).

Keywords

Online Reading
Digital Reading
Active Reading
Metacognitive of Reading Strategies
Akkakoson S. (2013). The relationship between strategic reading instruction, student learning of L2-based reading strategies and L2 reading achievement. Journal of Research in Reading, 36(4), 422–450. https://doi.org/10.1111/jrir.12004
Anderson, N. J. (2003). Scrolling, Clicking, and Reading English: Online Reading Strategies in a Second/Foreign Language. Reading Matrix: An International Online Journal.Vol. 3(3), 1-33. https://www.readingmatrix.com/articles/anderson/article.pdf
Anggraini. M.P., Cahyono. B.Y., Anugerahwati. M., & Ivone. F.M. (2021). Correlation Patterns among Online Reading, Offline Reading, Metacognitive Reading Strategy Awareness, and General English Proficiency. Advances in Social Science. Education and Humanities Research. 624. 170-175. https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.220201.030
Azmuddin, R. A., Nor, N. F. M., & Hamat, A. (2017). Metacognitive online reading and navigational strategies by science and technology university students. GEMA Online journal of language Studies, 17(3), 18-36. [In Persian] https://doi.org/10.17576/gema-2017-1703-02
Badiozaman, A. I. F. (2014). Paraphrasing challenges faced by Malaysian ESL students. Issues in Language Studies, 3(1), 49–69. https://www.ils.unimas.my/images/pdf/v3n2/ilsv3n2_ida.pdf
Barzegar Befroee, M., & Barzegar Befroee, K. (2020). The Relationship of Goal Orientation and Reading Metacognitive Strategies in Female Student Teachers with Mediation of Academic Motivation. Teaching and Learning Research, 13(2), 35-46. [In Persian] https://doi.org/10.22070/tlr.2017.13.2.35
David, M., & Sulaiman, N. A. (2021). The functions of visualization in assisting reading comprehension among young learners. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 11(10), 68–79. https://hrmars.com/papers_submitted/10983/the-functions-of-visualization-in-assisting-reading-comprehension-among-young-learners.pdf
 Florit, E., De Carli, P., Lavelli, M., & Mason, L. (2023). Digital reading in beginner readers: Advantage or disadvantage for comprehension of narrative and informational linear texts?. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 39(2), 432-445. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcal.12754
Godwin, C. (2019). Cognitive approach in reading a text. Journal of Business Management (CJBM). www.cms.ac.in/journals-cms.php
Jian, Y. C. (2022). Reading in print versus digital media uses different cognitive strategies: evidence from eye movements during science-text reading. Reading and Writing, 35(7), 1549-1568. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-021-10246-2
Khan, M., & Rasheed, S. (2019). Moderating Role of Learning Strategies Between Meta-Cognitive Awareness and Study Habits among University Students. Pakistan Journal of Psychological Research, 34(1), 215-231. https://doi.org/10.33824/PJPR.2019.34.1.12.
Lauterman, T., and Ackerman, R. (2014). Overcoming screen inferiority in learning and calibration. Computers in Human Behavior, 35. 455-463. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2014.02.046.
Lewandowski, D., & Kammerer, Y. (2021). Factors influencing viewing behaviour on search engine results pages: a review of eye-tracking research. Behaviour & Information Technology, 40(14), 1485-1515. https://doi.org/10.1080/0144929X.2020.1761450
Liu, Y., & Gu, X. (2020). Media multitasking, attention, and comprehension: A deep investigation into fragmented reading. Educational Technology Research and Development, 68(1), 67-87.. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-019-09667-2
Mukhlif, Z., & Amir, Z. (2017). Investigating the metacognitive online reading strategies employed by Iraqi EFL undergraduate students. Arab World English Journal, 8(1), 372–385. https://doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol8no1.26
Ramli, N. F. M., Darus, S., & Bakar, N. A. (2011). Metacognitive online reading strategies of adult ESL learners using a learning management system. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 1(3), 195-204. https://doi.org/10.4304/tpls.1.3.195-204
Reichle, E. D., Yu, L., Liao, S., & Kruger, J.-L. (2021). Using simulations to understand the reading of rapidly displayed subtitles. In Comparative cognition animal minds: Proceedings of the 43rd Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society (pp. 445-451). (Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society; Vol. 43). Cognitive Science Society. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/77f4h3qn
Rianto, A. (2022). Exploring correlation between metacognitive online reading strategy use and online reading comprehension of EFL students. Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education, 23(2), 223–235. https://doi.org/10.17718/tojde.1096448
Singer, L. M., & Alexander, P. A. (2017). Reading on paper and digitally: What the past decades of empirical research reveal. Review of educational research, 87(6), 1007-1041. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654317722961
Snell, J., & Grainger, J. (2019). Readers are parallel processors. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 23(7), 537-546. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2019.04.006
Syafiqah Abdullah, N., & Ismail, H.H. (2025). Click, Think, Read: Investigating the Use of Metacognitive Online Reading Strategies among Malaysian ESL Students. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, 9(2), 308-320. https://doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.9020026
Veldre, A., Reichle, E. D., Yu, L., & Andrews, S. (2023). Understanding the visual constraints on lexical processing: New empirical and simulation results. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 152(3), 693. https://doi.org/10.1037/xge0001295. Epub 2022 Sep 15. PMID: 36107696.
Yacob, R, & Mohamad, M. (2023). Investigating the metacognitive online reading strategies among ESL undergraduates. International Journal of Academic Research in Business & Social Sciences, 13(11), 225–239. https://doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v13-i11/19245
Research on Information Science and Public Libraries
Volume 31, Issue 3 - Serial Number 122
Reading Special Issue
September 2025
Pages 87-98

Home

Submit Manuscript

Reviewers

Contact Us