Enhancing Digital Reading Comprehension in Secondary Education: Effects of Question Placement and Feedback Type

Abstract The rapid expansion of digital reading in schools has outpaced the development of empirical evidence about how digital learning environments can effectively support reading comprehension for diverse learners. This study examined the effectiveness of a classroom-based digital reading intervention and investigated whether key instructional design features—question placement and feedback type—interact with students’ initial digital reading competence. A total of 1227 secondary-school students (Grades 7–10) from 12 schools participated in a cluster-randomized trial including four intervention conditions and a waiting-list control group. Within the intervention group, classrooms were assigned to a 2 × 2 factorial design manipulating the placement of comprehension questions (embedded vs. post-reading) and feedback type (corrective vs. elaborated). Over a 16-week period, students completed weekly digital reading units consisting of one or more texts accompanied by comprehension questions designed to engage strategic reading processes. Digital reading comprehension was assessed using a standardized measure administered before and after the intervention. Linear mixed-effects models showed that baseline digital reading competence was the strongest predictor of post-test performance. No overall intervention effects emerged across conditions. However, for older students (Grades 9–10), a significant interaction indicated that the combination of embedded questions and corrective feedback was associated with comparatively stronger post-test outcomes, particularly for students with higher baseline competence. These findings highlight the importance of considering learner characteristics and instructional design when developing digital reading interventions and provide insights for refining literacy practices within Multi-Tiered Systems of Support frameworks.