A scoping review: What is known about the reasoning behind using paper versus screen resources and its impact on engagement and comprehension?

Abstract

This project identifies factors and examines the use of screens or paper to assist health professionals’ reasoning when developing and providing educational resources for clients who have had a concussion. Many educational resources are now provided in traditional formats as well as more contemporary formats such as webpages and apps. The development of contextually relevant evidence-based multimedia client resources is inherently challenging, due to the fast-paced changes in technology that are now an integral part of how we live and learn.

This study employed a scoping review methodology and reviewed the current research and knowledge on the use of screen versus paper to inform occupational therapy practice. The search strategy of two research databases narrowed the analysed research down to 13 articles published within the last five years. The key themes were extracted from the articles and displayed in mind map format, with the results presented as a visual map.

The three key areas which emerged from this research were cognitive maps, comprehension, and preferences. Although there needs to be an awareness of cognitive maps and comprehension, the findings show no significant difference between reading from screen or paper resources. Therefore, consideration of an individual’s preferences is relevant and prioritised. A visual map was used to summarise the ideas from the findings and could potentially guide a therapist’s client-centred practice by demonstrating the complex factors which impact the client’s preference for screen or paper resources. Health professionals can utilise both screen and paper resources for clients’ education; however, clients’ concussion symptoms and preferences need consideration.