An assessment of Students’ reading habits in the digital environment at National University Of Science and Technology, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

Abstract

Reading habits are an essential part of life skill and development especially considering new knowledge development and problem solving skills in our daily life. Students in academia acquire knowledge through learning and reading print and electronic sources. It is feared that reading is threatened by various other emerging, influential and competing media products. This competition might lead to inadequate concentration on the act of academic and leisure reading and thus leading to its complete demise if not total extinction. This study sought to investigate students’ reading habits at National University of Science and Technology (NUST) in the midst of a rapidly growing and expanding digital environment and to recommend strategies that can promote sustainable reading habits. The objectives of this study were to: evaluate students’ reading habits at NUST; establish factors that contribute to the alleged poor reading habits at NUST; identify obstacles and find out their effects on the creation of viable and sustained reading habits among university students; examine the effects of digital media on students’ reading habits, examine the role of publishers, libraries and other stakeholders in the publishing industry in enhancing and sustaining reading habits in the digital environment and to formulate strategies that can be employed in the development of sustainable reading habits among youth in Zimbabwe. The study was guided by two theories; constructivism theory by Jerome Bruner and the cognitive theory of multimedia learning devised by Richard Mayer. The survey adopted a mixed methods research design through qualitative and quantitative approaches. Simple random sampling was used to select 98 respondents from the total students’ population. Data was collected using questionnaires and interviews. Research findings revealed that there are poor reading habits among university students at NUST as most students perceive reading as a way to achieve academic success and not for general knowledge or leisure. The worsening state of reading is to be blamed on the arrival of various emerging, influential and competing digital media because students have become so much obsessed with the digital media that they do not see the interest in leisure reading. The study recommended that students should be provided with a conducive reading environment both at home and at school, adequate relevant reading materials, and proactive public awareness programmes on the importance of reading for self and national development.