Bridging the digital divide? Effects of analog and digital reading interventions in German elementary schools

Abstract

Background

School systems are facing challenges in providing children with reading competence necessary for participating in a digital society while meeting the needs of an increasingly diverse student population. Educational inequalities persist, and are intensified by the digital divide, which shapes access to, use of, and benefit from digital media.

Aims

We examine how students' socioeconomic background influences their access to and use of digital media, and how these factors relate to their reading development in a reading intervention, implemented in analog and digital contexts.

Sample

Participants were 249 elementary students.

Methods

The study involved a six-month reading intervention in three elementary schools. Classes were assigned to analog, digital, or control conditions. The intervention combined fluency practice, collaborative comprehension tasks, and creative activities. Pre- and post-test measures, including tests and questionnaires, were employed. Data were analyzed using a multi-step design incorporating descriptive tables, regression, and fixed-effects panel models.

Results

Overall intervention effects on reading competence were modest. The analog intervention showed small positive effects, while the digital format produced less consistent results. Effectiveness varies by school context, parental education, and language background. High levels of digital media use at home correlated with lower reading competence.

Conclusion

The success of reading interventions depends less on the medium than on scaffolding, teacher implementation, and alignment with students’ starting skills. Students from highly educated families tended to benefit more, while digital familiarity alone did not confer an advantage. These results highlight the need for context-sensitive designs that address inequalities in both analog and digital learning environments.