The digital gap can affect other areas of activity where computer and information literacy (CIL) is a needed prerequisite. On the other hand, some other skills may be needed in order to develop CIL. Internet is becoming increasingly more and more important source of information and one of the central sources for acquiring information (Mullis & Martin, 2015). Online reading is becoming a key aspect in the curricula of many countries and, thus, ePIRLS (the e-reading component of Progress in International Reading Literacy Study) is designed to test online skills with a special focus on reading for information purposes (Mullis, Martin & Sainsbury, 2015). It is obvious that CIL cannot be developed if reading literacy is low and, more importantly, e-reading literacy, as increasingly important form of retrieving information, is underdeveloped. The e-reading process differs from the traditional paper reading by facing interactive, cross-referenced and linked texts where reading is not in a linear fashion as the traditional reading on paper.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the gaps in reading literacy using the data from PIRLS 2016 (paper reading) and ePIRLS 2016 (electronic reading) in a comparative manner. The study will investigate the student gap in reading for informational purposes between paper and online reading[PM1] . The reading for information purposes scores from both the paper and pencil and electronic tests are chosen because, although the online reading requires all basic reading comprehension skills, the online reading for informational purposes occurs in a different environment. Thus, the strategies used in online reading are very different in electronic environment compared to reading text printed in paper. When reading online, the online texts are multimodal and distributed across different sources which often require the readers to create their own reading paths using navigation strategies (Mullis, Martin & Sainsbury, 2015). Moreover, the readers need to maintain focus on the task navigating through the interconnected sources. Searching for information in such complex environment requires self-regulatory processes and puts greater comprehension demands (Mullis, Martin & Sainsbury, 2015). This makes reading for information purposes very close to the “information literacy” concept which has its primary focus on processing information. Most concepts of information literacy developed in the last 10 years extend the processes of “identifying information needs, searching for and locating information, and evaluating the quality of information” (Fraillon et al., 2013, p. 16) “include the ways in which the collected information can be transformed and used to communicate ideas” (Fraillon et al., 2013, p. 16). This makes the ePIRLS concept of reading for information purposes very closely related to the general concept of information literacy. It is also an important area of research given the increasing information literacy demands posed by the current trends in social development. As Pelle and Laczi (2015) note, education “facilitates the understanding, the use, and the implementation of new technologies” (Pelle & Laczi, 2015, p. 309) and quality of education is important for is important for reaching such goals. This all relates to inclusive growth and is pre-condition for condition competitiveness which, in turn leads to what is called “inclusive society” (Pelle & Laczi, 2015) where individuals, if not possessing certain competences, can be socially excluded.

The gaps will be investigated based on different student background characteristics (including gender), student possession and use of electronic devices, family socioeconomic status, teacher characteristics (gender and age), classroom practices related with electronic reading activities, school location (rural/urban), and school IT infrastructure. Various other variables related with school information technology (IT) infrastructure will be used as well. The variables on student possession of computer devices and school IT infrastructure will be used to test the assumption that the computer possession and network access gap does not have an impact on the information literacy, as stated by van Dijk (2006). The study will use data from seven European countries participating in both PIRLS and ePIRLS – Denmark, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, and Sweden. The results from these countries will be compared between each other and against their positions on the Digital Economy and Society Index (European Commission, n.d.). The analyses will use descriptive and multivariate statistics.

This study is very important for the policy makers in the long-term for defining education policies to bridge the gaps in electronic reading based on student and school characteristics. The ability to search and use information through digital technologies has a future impact on social and economic development both locally and globally. It also has an impact on the current teaching and learning processes in schools. As we all witnessed, in Europe the COVID-19 pandemic revealed the sad truth about the preparedness of students for remote learning, but also the unpreparedness of schools and teaching personnel to deliver instructional content online and conduct online lessons. Being able to search, read efficiently and use information from electronic sources for learning becomes a crucial skill not only in extraordinary situations like the COVID-19 pandemic, but also in general, since the information is becoming more and more digital. We hope that this study will help for better understanding of the gaps in electronic reading based on different student, family, teacher and school characteristics.

European Commission. (n.d.). The Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI). Digital Single Market. Retrieved September 27, 2018, from https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/desi Fraillon, J., Schulz, W., & Ainley, J. (2013). International Computer and Information Literacy Study: Assessment Framework. International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement. Mullis, I. V. S., & Martin, M. O. (Eds.). (2015). PIRLS 2016 Assessment Framework (2nd ed.). TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center. Mullis, I. V. S., Martin, M. O., & Sainsbury, M. (2015). PIRLS2016 Reading Framework. In I. V. S. Mullis & M. O. Martin (Eds.), PIRLS 2016 Assessment Framework (2nd ed., pp. 11–30). Lynch School of Education, Boston College. Pelle, A., & Laczi, R. (2015). Inclusive Society as a Necessary Condition for Knowledge-Based Competitiveness in the European Union. Managing Global Transitions, 13(4), 307–329. van Dijk, J. (2006). Digital divide research, achievements and shortcomings. Poetics, 34(4–5), 221–235.