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.
