Metacognitive online reading strategies among Thai EFL university students

Abstract

Having the skills and strategies to comprehend and respond to information on the Internet plays a crucial role in students' success in a digital information age. Defined as the deliberate conscious control of one's own cognitive actions, metacognitive reading strategies can help readers overcome problems they encounter and ultimately achieve reading comprehension. While a good number of studies have been conducted to examine online reading comprehension among US students, the present study has its niche in metacognitive online reading strategies among students in Thailand, a nonnative English speaking country.

This mixed methods study investigates the use of metacognitive online reading strategies for academic purposes. In addition, it explores similarities and differences which exist between proficient and less proficient students and discusses several types of difficulties and challenges these students reported and encountered. Several sources of data include the Online Survey of Reading Strategies (OSORS), TOEFL reading tests, Internet use questionnaires, pre- and post-reading interviews, think-aloud sessions, and self-reports of online reading strategies.

A total of 111 Thai EFL students from different majors participated in this study. Based on their responses to the OSORS, eight students were chosen for in-depth interviews. After TOEFL reading tests were administered, two groups of four students were categorized as the proficient reader group and the less proficient reader group. To elicit data as to how they utilized strategies, each student was asked to undertake think-aloud online reading tasks and to write a two-page description to report the strategies used during independent online reading.