Digital textbooks significantly boost students’ intrinsic learning motivation

A research team from The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK) and East China Normal University (ECNU) has published a meta-analysis demonstrating the impact of digital textbooks (DTs) on student motivation. Synthesising 27 experimental and quasi-experimental studies conducted between 2000 and 2024 with 3,590 participants, the study confirms that DTs significantly enhance students' intrinsic learning motivation compared with traditional paper textbooks. 

The study was led by Professor Lei Hao of ECNU, with Professor Chiu Ming-ming, Chair Professor of Analytics and Diversity at EdUHK, as a key member of the team. 

For years, educators have debated whether DTs are simply electronic replicas of print materials or whether they can genuinely transform student engagement. This study's theoretical framework shows that DTs—through their accessibility, multimodal features (such as audio and video), and interactive tools—effectively meet students’ core psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. In doing so, they foster deeper engagement and strengthen students’ understanding of learning materials. 

The findings also reveal that DTs have progressively greater effects at higher educational levels, with the strongest impact observed among university students. Older learners are better able to leverage metacognitive skills and digital literacy to process complex multimodal information. Furthermore, DTs are more effective in collectivist cultural contexts than in individualist ones. 

The study provides clear implications for policy and practice. At the policy level, education authorities should establish quality standards for DTs to ensure both pedagogical value and technical usability. Professional development programmes are needed to equip teachers with the skills to integrate DTs into instruction in ways that sustain student motivation. Implementation should be gradual and evidence-based, beginning with groups where the benefits are greatest (such as university students and collectivist cultural settings), and expanding through pilot evaluations. Funding policies must incorporate equity safeguards to prevent widening gaps in motivation or achievement across schools. Authorities should also establish systems to monitor both motivational and academic outcomes over time, ensuring that policy remains grounded in evidence. 
At the instructional level, teachers are encouraged to combine DTs with motivational strategies —such as timely feedback, goal setting, and reflection—turning short-term engagement into sustained intrinsic motivation. They can also teach self-regulated learning strategies, enabling students to capitalise on DT affordances for deep learning rather than superficial completion.
Professor Chiu Ming-ming noted, “Our findings provide clear evidence for the strategic integration of digital textbooks. By focusing on intrinsic motivation, we are not merely changing the medium of instruction, but enhancing students' inner drive to explore and master knowledge. This is crucial for nurturing lifelong learners in the 21st century.”

The study has been published in the Journal of Computer Assisted Learning. 

Exploring the brain and behavior of children who struggle at math

Researchers identify characteristic behaviors and brain activity that may explain how developmental dyscalculia persists in some children and not others. 

Some children have a condition that makes them persistently struggle with math problem solving (developmental dyscalculia), yet behavioral and mechanistic details about this condition are lacking. New in JNeurosci, Oliver Lasnick and colleagues at Stanford University advanced understanding by exploring problem-solving strategy use and brain activity in children with developmental dyscalculia. 

From a cohort of 68 children aged 8–10 years old, the researchers found that children with developmental dyscalculia were less efficient than other children at using a variety of math problem-solving strategies. Children with the condition took longer to switch between strategies, were less sensitive to changes in problem difficulty, and did not improve in selecting ideal strategies over time. Activity in a brain system was distinguishable between children with developmental dyscalculia and children who were more proficient at math strategies. This activity could even predict how well children counted and switched between math problem-solving strategies. 

According to the researchers, this work shows that persistent childhood struggles with using problem-solving strategies and controlling attention, thinking, and memory may lead to the onset of developmental dyscalculia and points to altered brain activity that may drive these characteristic behaviors. Adds Lasnick, "Importantly, this study also emphasizes the individual variability observed in dyscalculia, further demonstrating that the disorder reflects cognitive and neural dysfunction across multiple processes." 

Journal

JNeurosci

DOI

10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2200-25.2026 

More social media use linked to poorer sleep and self-rated health among college students

 

Caption

College students who spend more time on social media tend to sleep worse, and that may have consequences for how they perceive their own health, according to a new George Mason University study. 

Credit

Created by George Mason University College of Public HealthCollege students who spend more time on social media tend to sleep worse, and that may have consequences for how they perceive their own health, according to a new George Mason University study. 

The study, published in Public Health Reports, found that greater social media use at the start of the school year predicted poorer sleep quality six months later, which in turn predicted worse self-rated health six months after that. According to the researchers, it’s the first study to indicate that poor sleep quality may be a pathway connecting social media use with self-rated health. 

“These findings suggest that students’ social media habits early may have effects beyond the time spent on the phone,” said study lead author Akosua Mainoo, alumna of the Department of Global and Community Health. “Sleep appears to be one way those habits may carry over into how students perceive their health months later.” 

One finding ran counter to the researchers’ expectations: Greater overall social media use was associated with poorer sleep, but nighttime use specifically was not. Researchers noted that previous studies on nighttime social media use and sleep have been mixed, and that the effects may depend on other factors, such as light exposure affecting melatonin levels. 

The research is part of Mason: Health Starts Here, the university’s landmark cohort study following students across their four undergraduate years. Lawrence Cheskin, distinguished professor in the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies, serves as principal investigator. 

Why it matters

Young adults spend about five hours a day on social media, and more than 85% of students in the George Mason study used YouTube, Instagram and Snapchat daily. Although seven to nine hours of sleep is recommended for young adults, previous research has found that one-third of college students get fewer than seven. Over time, not getting enough sleep is linked to health problems, including depression, obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. 

The new study goes a step further in examining how sleep may connect social media use with students’ broader health over time. 

Asked in an interview what students should take from the findings, the researchers pointed to the value of reducing social media use. 

“Social media is a part of everyday life for college students, so the expectation isn’t to eliminate it,” said Mainoo (MPH ’22 in Epidemiology, BS ’20 in Community Health). “But young people can be more intentional about setting time limits and creating phone-free zones.” 

Cheskin said “less is more when it comes to social media use by young college students,” and that reducing use can leave more time for “direct interactions with peers and others.” 

More study information

The researchers analyzed data from 349 first-year students ages 18 to 24 participating in Mason: Health Starts Here, the broader longitudinal study examining predictors of physical and mental health throughout college. Students completed surveys in August 2019, February 2020, and August 2020. 

The researchers noted limitations including self-reported data and participant drop-off over time, and called for more longitudinal research on how social media use may affect sleep and health. 

The research team also included Lilian de Jonge and Fritz Nii Tettey Lokko of the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies; and Jerome L. Short, Eleanor A. Speidel, Jeremy Maciarz, Patricia J. Mejia, and Emmarose Logan Price of the Department of Psychology. The study was funded by the George Mason Institute for Biohealth Innovation.  

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Journal

Public Health Reports

DOI

10.1177/00333549261462497 

Athletes say NCAA needs better support, training to address mental health challenges

 A survey of college athletes found nearly 40% reported having suicidal thoughts during their lifetime. Some 86% also said the NCAA should require mental health and suicide prevention training for all athletes.

The University of Mississippi and Rutgers University recently worked together to survey 78 student-athletes across NCAA Division I, II and III universities regarding suicidal thoughts and prevention strategies. They published their findings in Behavioral Sciences.

"Our results show that athletes want more widespread information on suicide and mental health, and most haven't gotten that in college," said Taylor Rodriguez, Ole Miss assistant professor of psychology. "Since nearly 40% of the athletes have experienced suicidal thoughts themselves, I wonder if this desire stems from their own experiences having difficulties but not having adequate information to navigate them.

"If the NCAA recognized these common struggles by requiring athletes to learn about suicide and mental health, it might make them feel more supported and comfortable reaching out for help."

Other studies have shown that suicide is the second-leading cause of death among NCAA athletes, but no previous survey asked student-athletes if they think suicide prevention training should be mandatory, the researchers said.

The answer was an overwhelming yes, said Allie Bond, assistant professor in the Rutgers Department of Urban-Global Public Health.

"Student-athletes are telling us that they're struggling, and they're telling us that they want resources," she said. "If we continue to not provide that for them and not address their struggles, we're dropping the ball as clinicians, researchers and as communities to meet their needs."

College athletes face many difficulties unique to collegiate sports, such as juggling expectations from coaches and fans, navigating travel schedules, and worrying about losing their scholarship or NIL deals if they are injured or fail to perform on the field.

Added to those stressors are increased harassment and pressure from legalized mobile sports betting. The NCAA reported that 1 in 3 high-profile student athletes have received threats or abusive messages from someone with a betting interest.

"A wide receiver misses a pass, someone loses money and suddenly that student is getting bashed on Instagram," said Bond, a former student athlete. "These are 19-, 20-year-old kids. How are we equipping them to respond to that hate?

"How are they mentally coping with that while they're still trying to pass classes and do well in school?"

Successful mental health and suicide prevention training must take athletes' unique circumstances into consideration, the researchers said.

"Student-athletes want and need more suicide prevention information while in college," Rodriguez said. "It's important to learn how we can better support them and ensure that athletics programs and universities are openly discussing suicide and mental health.

"Teaching athletes about resources and making them readily available may be one important step to this end."

Most student respondents said they would reach out to teammates about mental health concerns before counselors, psychologists or even their coaches, the study reported.

"We all feel more comfortable talking to people who walk a similar path in life, so we can understand that," Bond said. "But that means we have to give teams the tools to respond to these crises, and they have to have the opportunity to follow up.

"A one-time training is going to have a really hard time moving the needle on stigma. We need to change the cultural norms within athletic departments to make sure we're promoting mental well-being while supporting this high-risk group."

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Journal

Behavioral Sciences

DOI

10.3390/bs16081314 

Teaching autistic children to ‘think like a reporter’ calms overly sensitive brain activity

 For many autistic children, everyday sensations such as the feel of scratchy fabric or a loud car alarm can be intensely distressing. Known as sensory over-responsivity, this common symptom can affect all aspects of everyday life from school to family life to friendships, yet few research-based treatments exist.

A UCLA Health study suggests that a commonly used strategy in cognitive behavioral therapy can reduce activity in the brain's sensory regions in autistic children and teens.

The study, published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, included 47 autistic and 45 typically developing youth ages 8 to 15. While in an MRI scanner, participants had unpleasant textures, including artificial grass and scratchy wool, rubbed on their forearms. Before the scan, they were taught a technique called cognitive reappraisal, which involves changing the way you think about something to change how it feels. Children learned it as a “reporter game.” On some trials they focused on how the texture felt while in others they described it objectively, sticking to the facts like a news reporter.

When autistic participants played the reporter game, activity in the brain's sensory regions dropped significantly compared with when they focused on how the texture felt. Both groups also showed more activity in areas at the front of the brain that help regulate emotional responses, although this was stronger for older compared to younger autistic youth.

“For years we've been identifying what's happening in the brain,” said the study’s senior author Shulamite Green, associate professor-in-residence of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences at UCLA. “This is us finally getting to the point where we can test for possible treatments.”

Older autistic children may use the strategy more effectively. Green said typically developing children may use frontal regions of the brain to regulate sensory responses at younger ages, and that autistic children may show a developmental delay in this type of regulation.

However, only typically developing youth rated the texture as less unpleasant when using the reporter game strategy. Autistic youth did not, even though their brain activity changed. Green said one possible explanation is challenges with cognitive flexibility which may make it difficult for autistic participants to shift ratings of the same sensation in a short time span. Longer-term intervention may also be needed for changes in brain activity to translate into a change in how a sensation feels, Green said.

The reappraisal strategy is already a standard part of cognitive behavioral therapy, which Green said makes it easy to incorporate into existing therapies rather than having to create a new one.

“We know cognitive behavioral therapy interventions work for anxiety and emotional responses, so there is no need to reinvent the wheel,” Green said.

The authors noted that the measured responses were from a single scan session and cannot show whether practicing the strategy over time would ease sensory difficulties in daily life. Green said the next step is to test it as an intervention.

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Journal

Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry

DOI

10.1111/jcpp.70202 

Can Early Exposure to the Teaching Profession Increase Teacher Supply and Diversity?

 

This study examines whether early exposure to the teaching career has the potential to expand the size and diversity of new teacher supply. 

Exploiting the staggered expansion of high school education courses across Texas, the authors find little evidence that these courses increased new teacher supply or diversity despite course takers being substantially more diverse than the teacher workforce. 

High school education course takers who become teachers are similarly effective and more likely to be retained than their peers. 

Most course takers drop out of the teacher pipeline prior to college enrollment where racial gaps in 4-year college going serve as major barriers. 

These findings suggest that early exposure without support to increase college going is unlikely to increase teacher supply or diversity.

Giving students a voice in how they learn could transform the classroom experience

Research from Queen Mary University of London explores how combining learner autonomy with student-led enquiry can create a more engaging and collaborative experience for international students learning academic English. 

What happens when students are given more say in what they learn, how they learn it and which questions they want to investigate? 

A new study from Queen Mary University of London, led by Dr. Ana Ines Salvi, suggests that giving international students greater agency in the classroom can create opportunities for deeper learning, collaboration and reflection. 

The research, published in the Journal of English for Academic Purposes, explored what happened when learner autonomy was combined with Exploratory Practice – an approach that encourages teachers and students to investigate questions and develop understanding together. 

The study was carried out during a four-week pre-sessional English course for 17 international students preparing to study a Master's degree in Manufacturing at a UK university. 

Rather than relying solely on teacher-led instruction, students were encouraged to make decisions about aspects of their learning based on their own needs. They worked collaboratively, reflected on their progress and investigated questions – or “puzzles” – that interested them. 

These included questions such as “Why are we here?”, “Why is it hard to find accommodation around the university?” and “Why is it hard to come up with a good idea for our library project?” 

Students researched their questions using sources including academic literature and the internet, discussed their findings with classmates and presented what they had learned. 

The research identified five key themes in students' experiences: learning through interaction and collaboration, student agency, working towards understanding, quality of life and joy, and integrating research into teaching and learning. 

Students' feedback indicated that they valued being able to make decisions about their learning and work together with their peers. Some students also said that keeping a daily learning diary helped them reflect on what they had learned and consider what they wanted to do next. 

The exploratory activities also gave students the opportunity to develop research and interpersonal skills. For example, students reported learning how to formulate questions, collect and organise information, interview people and work with classmates from different countries. 

Importantly, the research does not suggest that students should simply be left to learn independently. Students also highlighted the value of guidance from the teacher, with some suggesting that they would have welcomed more support when making decisions or working in groups. 

The study's author, Dr Anna Ines Salvi, combined the two approaches to explore how they could complement one another. The findings suggest that learner autonomy can provide a clear structure for students to plan, carry out and evaluate their learning, while Exploratory Practice can encourage students to ask questions, investigate what matters to them and focus on understanding rather than simply finding solutions. 

The approach also brought academic learning together with students' wider experiences of living and studying in a new environment. 

One student reflected on the experience a year later, saying: “Questions are always the best teacher.” 

The research suggests that combining learner autonomy and Exploratory Practice may offer a way for teachers to integrate research, reflection and student-led enquiry into everyday teaching, rather than treating research as something separate from classroom learning. 

The author notes that the study was conducted with a small group over a short four-week course and that, as a practitioner research study, the teacher also acted as the researcher. The findings therefore provide insight into this particular classroom experience rather than evidence that the approach will produce the same outcomes in all educational settings. 

The study adds to research exploring how students can become active participants in their own education – not simply recipients of teaching, but people who help shape their learning experience and investigate questions that matter to them. 

 

Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1475158526001396 

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Journal

Journal of English for Academic Purposes