Research article    |    Open Access
International Journal of Progressive Education 2025, Vol. 21(4) 9-26

The Importance of Self-Directed Reading Habits for University Education and Career preparation: The Case of Female Students of the College of Law of Haramaya University, Ethiopia

Jeilan Mohammed Tutturo, Jeylan Wolyie Hussein, Abera Admassu & Adinew Tadesse

pp. 9 - 26

Single/Total View: 0/0   |   Single/Total Download: 0/0


Abstract

This paper is based on a qualitative case study designed to investigate the experiences and viewpoints regarding the importance of self-directed reading habits for university education and career preparation of a group of female students studying at the Law College (LC) of Haramaya University (HU), Ethiopia. The purpose of the study was to explore the perceived use of their self-directed reading habits for their academic performance and readiness for the future workforce at Law College. This study employed qualitative research methods. In effect, FGD and one-on-one interviews and detailed self-completed written reflections were employed to secure data from purposively sampled participants. The data was then coded, categorized and thematically analyzed systematically. The findings show that the pre-university self-directed reading habits acquired over the years have a bearing on LC academic performance and self-preparation for the would-be jobs. Given the purposes of law and law courses reading requirements, the informants, however, viewed the self-directed reading habits reinforced in HU as having not much contribution to law academic performances and the legal professions of their interest. Our participants who felt no longer reinforcing desirable reading habits for the same or related goals, owing to the academic environment of the College/the University, constituted the majority. Based on the study we recommend the College to revisit course instructions and/or curriculum to ensure whether it addresses the intent of students’ self-directed reading habits, law education and legal posts adequately. LC should encourage students to read around and beyond its curricula, by creating opportunities alongside the regular, field-focused readings.

Keywords: Self-directed reading, qualitative case study, academic performance, professional self-preparation, law females


How to Cite this Article?

APA 7th edition
Tutturo, J.M., Hussein, J.W., Admassu, A., & Tadesse, A. (2025). The Importance of Self-Directed Reading Habits for University Education and Career preparation: The Case of Female Students of the College of Law of Haramaya University, Ethiopia. International Journal of Progressive Education, 21(4), 9-26.

Harvard
Tutturo, J., Hussein, J., Admassu, A. and Tadesse, A. (2025). The Importance of Self-Directed Reading Habits for University Education and Career preparation: The Case of Female Students of the College of Law of Haramaya University, Ethiopia. International Journal of Progressive Education, 21(4), pp. 9-26.

Chicago 16th edition
Tutturo, Jeilan Mohammed, Jeylan Wolyie Hussein, Abera Admassu and Adinew Tadesse (2025). "The Importance of Self-Directed Reading Habits for University Education and Career preparation: The Case of Female Students of the College of Law of Haramaya University, Ethiopia". International Journal of Progressive Education 21 (4):9-26.

References

    Abeyrathna, P. H. A. S., & Zainab, A. N. (2004). The status of reading habit and interests among secondary school children in Sri Lanka. Malaysian Journal of Library & Information Science, 9(2), 107-121.

    Akçay, A. (2017). A research on book reading habits of Turkish teachers. Journal of Education and Training Studies, 5(10). https://doi.org/10.11114/jets.v5i10.2526

    Ali, R. (2018). Challenges and opportunities of female students in secondary schools of Gulele Sub-City, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia[Master's thesis, Addis Ababa University]. Addis Ababa University Institutional Repository. http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/16898

    Andayani, U., & Maryam, S. (2018). The portrait of reading habit and interest of Tangerang City’s community. Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, 3(2), 177-182.

    Annable, J. (2017). Reading habits of adults: What drives the choice to read or not read? [Master's thesis, The College at Brockport]. Brockport Scholars. https://digitalcommons.brockport.edu/ehd_theses/765

    Ansari, S. (2015). Researching Sindhi and Urdu students’ reading habits and reading performance in a Pakistani university context [Doctoral dissertation, University of Bedfordshire]. CORE.

    Applegate, A. J., Applegate, M. D., Mercantini, M. A., McGeehan, C. M., Cobb, J. B., DeBoy, J. R., Modla, V. B., & Lewinski, K. E. (2014). The Peter effect revisited: Reading habits and attitudes of college students. Literacy Research and Instruction, 53(3), 188–204. https://doi.org/10.1080/19388071.2014.898719

    Azad, S. (2019). Reading habits and preferences of female collegiate students from Jalandhar Region: a survey. Library Philosophy and Practice, 3558. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/3558

    Baba, J., & Affendi, R. F. (2020). Reading habit and students’ attitudes towards reading. Asian Journal of University Education, 16(1), 1-15.

    Balan, S., Katenga, J. E., & Simon, A. (2019). Reading habits and their influence on academic achievement among students at Asia Pacific International University. Abstract Proceedings International Scholars Conference, 7(1), 1469–1495. https://doi.org/10.35974/isc.v7i1.928

    Belzer, A. (2002). I don't crave to read. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 46(2), 104-113. https://doi.org/10.1598/JAAL.46.2.2

    Bhattacherjee, A. (2012). Social science research: Principles, methods, and practices. University of South Florida. https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/oa_textbooks/3

    Birhane, A. (2020). Major challenges faced by female students and the role of the Yellow Movement in empowering female students: The case of Addis Ababa University [Master's thesis, Addis Ababa University]. Addis Ababa University Institutional Repository. http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/24512

    Buyukgoze, H. (2023). Linking beliefs in reading with lifelong learning tendencies among undergraduates: The mediating role of enthusiasm for reading. Psychology in the Schools, 60(10), 3995–4010. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.22951

    Chettri, K., & Rout, S. K. (2013). Reading habits: An overview. IOSR Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 14(6), 13-17.

    Chin Ee Loh, & Baoqi Sun. (2019). “I’d still prefer to read the hard copy: Adolescents’ print and digital reading habits”. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 62(6), 663-672. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaal.904

    Christensen, L. (2007). Legal reading and law school success: An empirical study. Journal of Legal Education, 57(3), 30.

    Creswell, J. W. (2009). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications.

    Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (4th ed.). SAGE Publications.

    Davidovitch, N., & Gerkerova, A. (2023). Social factors influencing students’ reading habits. African Educational Research Journal, 11(3), 351-359. https://doi.org/10.30918/AERJ.113.21.057

    Delgado, P., Vargas, C., Ackerman, R., & Salmerón, L. (2018). Don't throw away your printed books: A meta-analysis on the effects of reading media on reading comprehension. Educational Research Review, 25, 23–38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2018.09.003

    Du Toit, C. M. (2001). The recreational reading habits of adolescent readers: A case study [Doctoral dissertation, University of Pretoria]. University of Pretoria Institutional Repository. http://hdl.handle.net/2263/30417

    Erdem, A. (2015). A research on reading habits of university students. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 174, 3983–3990. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.01.1141

    Erikson, K., & Koppenhaver, D. A. (2007). Children with disabilities: Reading and writing the Four Blocks way. The Reading Teacher, 61(4), 324-332. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/230852758

    Ezeala, L. O. (2020). Bad reading habit: A cause of poor academic performance and low health standard among library and information sciences students, University of Jos, Nigeria. Kampala International University Journal of Social Sciences,6(1), 357–364.

    Flick, U. (2014). Qualitative data analysis. SAGE Publications.

    Foong, S. Y., & Khoo, C. H. (2015). Attitude, learning environment and current knowledge enhancement of accounting students in Malaysia. Journal of Accounting in Emerging Economies, 5(2), 202–221. https://doi.org/10.1108/JAEE-07-2012-0030

    Gipps, C. (1999). Sociocultural aspects of assessment. Review of Research in Education, 24, 355–392. https://doi.org/10.2307/1167274

    Graham, C. R. (2013). Emerging practice and research in blended learning. In M. G. Moore (Ed.), Handbook of distance education(3rd ed., pp. 333-350). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203803738.ch21

    Guba, E. G., & Lincoln, Y. S. (1989). Fourth generation evaluation. SAGE Publications.

    Hakemulder, F., & Mangen, A. (2024). Literary reading on paper and screens: Associations between reading habits and preferences and experiencing meaningfulness. Reading Research Quarterly, 59(1), 57–78. https://doi.org/10.1002/rrq.527

    Hassen, R. (2016). Reading habits of secondary school teachers: A study of selected secondary schools in Addis Ababa and Dessie. Journal of Education and Practice, 7(22), 1-12.

    Hatane, S. E., Setiono, F. J., Setiawan, F. F., Semuel, H., & Mangoting, Y. (2020). Learning environment, students’ attitude and intention to enhance current knowledge in the context of choosing accounting career. Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, 13(1), 79–97. https://doi.org/10.1108/JARHE-06-2019-0156

    Huang, S., Capps, M., Blacklock, J., & Garza, M. (2014). Reading habits of college students in the United States. Reading Psychology, 35(5), 437–467. https://doi.org/10.1080/02702711.2012.721200

    ILA. (2019). Creating passionate readers through independent reading (Literacy Leadership Brief). International Literacy Association.

    ILA. (2019, January 31). Independent reading is key to building lifelong reading habits [Press release]. International Literacy Association.

    Isaac, S., & Michael, W. B. (1995). Handbook in research and evaluation: A collection of principles, methods, and strategies useful in the planning, design, and evaluation of studies in education and the behavioral sciences (3rd ed.). EdITS Publishers.

    Jamaludin, R., McKay, E., & Ledger, S. (2020). Are we ready for education 4.0 within ASEAN higher education institutions? Thriving for knowledge, industry and humanity in a dynamic higher education ecosystem? Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, 12(5), 1161–1173. https://doi.org/10.1108/JARHE-06-2019-0144

    Johnson, D., & Blair, A. (2003). The importance and use of student self-selected literature to reading engagement in an elementary reading curriculum. Reading Horizons, 43(3), 181-202.

    Kabir, F. S., & Jeromes, I. (2022). The influence of internet and digital media on the reading culture of secondary school students in Nigeria. Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, 10(2), 154-169. https://doi.org/10.1108/JARHE-12-2021-0498

    Kamhieh, C. (2017). Female Emirati university students’ book reading choices: An investigation. International Journal of Linguistics, 9(6), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.5296/ijl.v9i6.12095

    Kim-brough. (1972). A study of the recreational reading of fourth, fifth and six grades [Doctoral dissertation, University of Alabama].

    Koch, T. (1994). Establishing rigor in qualitative research: The decision trail. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 19(5), 976–986. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2648.1994.tb01177.x

    Kumar, S., Agarwal, M., & Agarwal, N. (2022). Defining and measuring academic performance of HEI students: A critical review. Education and Information Technologies, 27, 13075–13098. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-022-11166-5

    Lamme, L. L. (1976). Are reading habits and abilities related? The Reading Teacher, 30(1), 21-27.

    Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. SAGE Publications.

    Lowe, B. (2016). Australian girls’ reading in the first half of the twentieth century. History Compass, 14(8), 339–347. https://doi.org/10.1111/hic3.12327

    Lowe, J. L. (1984). A comparative analysis of reading habits and abilities of students in selected elementary schools in North Louisiana with and without centralized libraries [Doctoral dissertation, Denton, Texas].

    Mack, N., Woodsong, C., Kathleen, M. M., Guest, G., & Namey, E. (2005). Qualitative research methods: A data collectors’ field guide. Family Health International.

    Mansor, A. N., Rasul, M. S., Rauf, R. A. A., & Koh, B. L. (2013). Developing and sustaining reading habit among teenagers. The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher, 22(4), 357–365. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40299-012-0017-1

    Mbhele, S. P. (2016). Reading habits of first-year students at a university of technology in Kwazulu-Natal [Master's thesis, University of KwaZulu-Natal].

    McKinney, R. A. (2020). Reading like a lawyer (2nd ed.). Carolina Academic Press.

    Medina, G., & Alberto, M. (2020). Reading promotion, behavior, and comprehension and its relationship to the educational achievement of Mexican high school students. Cogent Education, 7(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2020.1844850

    Mersha, Y., Bishaw, A., & Tegegne, F. (2013). Factors affecting female students’ academic achievement at Bahir Dar University. Journal of International Cooperation in Education, 15(3), 135–148.

    Mitchell, J. A. (2012). Reading (in the clinic) is fundamental. New York City Law Review, 19(1), 297–318.

    Mokhtari, K., Reichard, C. A., & Gardner, A. (2011). The impact of internet and television use on the reading habits and practices of college students. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 52(7), 609-619. https://doi.org/10.1598/JAAL.52.7.6

    Moniek, M. K., Douglas, D., & Kuiken, D. (2020). Capturing the ways we read: Introducing the reading habits questionnaire. Scientific Study of Literature, 10(1), 94-131. https://doi.org/10.1075/ssol.19010.kon

    Moore, T., & Morton, J. (2015). The myth of job readiness? Written communication, employability, and the ‘skills gap’ in higher education. Studies in Higher Education, 42(3), 591–609. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075015.2015.1067602

    Moore, T., & Morton, J. (2017). The myth of job readiness? Written communication, employability, and the ‘skills gap’ in higher education. Studies in Higher Education, 42(3), 591–609. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075015.2015.1067602

    Nalusiba, P. (2010). Strategies for the development of a reading culture in Uganda primary schools: Case studies of four selected universal primary education schools in Kampala District, Uganda [Master's thesis, Makerere University].

    Nathanson, S., Pruslow, J., & Levitt, R. (2008). The reading habits and literacy attitudes of in-service and prospective teachers: Results of a questionnaire survey. Journal of Teacher Education, 59(4), 313–321. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022487108321685

    Nicolos, G., & Reiter, L. (2024). The leisure reading habits of undergraduate business students. Journal of Education for Business, 99(6), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1080/10691316.2024.2391736

    Nowell, L. S., Norris, J. M., White, D. E., & Moules, N. J. (2017). Thematic analysis: Striving to meet the trustworthiness criteria. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 16, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1177/1609406917733847

    Oliver, M. B., & Raney, A. A. (2011). Entertainment as pleasurable and meaningful: Identifying hedonic and eudaimonic motivations for entertainment consumption. Journal of Communication, 61(5), 984–1004. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.2011.01585.x

    Owens, M. E. (2016). Reading as a resource: Exploring reading habits and multicultural awareness and acceptance in undergraduate students [Master's thesis, East Tennessee State University]. Digital Commons. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/3095

    Pallant, J. (2011). SPSS survival manual: A step by step guide to data analysis using the SPSS program (4th ed.). Allen & Unwin.

    Parlette, M., & Howard, V. (2010). Personal growth, habits and understanding: pleasure reading among first-year university students. Evidence Based Library and Information Practice, 5(4), 48-60. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/49613368

    Parodi, G., Moreno-de León, O., Julio, C., & Burdiles, G. (2019). Google or Gutenberg Generation: Chilean university students’ reading habits and reading purposes. Media Education Research Journal, 58, 85-94. https://doi.org/10.3916/C58-2019-08

    Rabaud, C., Mamode Khan, N., & Rampat, S. (2018). Independent and digital reading among undergraduates: The case of the university of Mauritius. Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, 10(3), 296–310. https://doi.org/10.1108/JARHE-09-2017-0117

    Ramos-Navas-Parejo, M., Cáceres-Reche, M. P., Marín-Marín, J. A., & Victoria-Maldonado, J. J. (2022). Validation of the questionnaire on reading preferences and habits of primary school pupils at risk of social exclusion. Education Sciences, 12(5), 332. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12050332

    Rani, M. (2022). Metacognitive reading strategies awareness and usage in reading practices of law students. Journal of Positive School Psychology, 6(2), 4293–4302.

    Rosli, N. A., Razali, N. F., Zamil, Z. U. A., Noor, S. F. M., & Baharuddin, M. F. (2017). The determination of reading habits among students. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 7(12), 791-799. https://doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v7-i12/3710

    Ruterana, P. C. (2012). The making of a reading society: Developing a culture of reading in Rwanda [Master's thesis].

    Singh, Y. K. (2006). Fundamentals of research methodology and statistics. New Age International Publishers.

    Spencer, L. (2004). Motivating law students to do the reading before class. Legal Education Review, 14(2), 163–182.

    State, O., Adeniji, M. A., & Omale, A. (2010). Teaching reading comprehension in selected primary schools. Library Philosophy and Practice, 419.

    Suresh, N., & Thanuskodi, S. (2022). A survey on reading habit of law students in Tamil Nadu during Covid-19: A case study. Library Philosophy and Practice, 6819. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/6819

    Tadesse, B. (2017). New media influence on newspaper reading habit; the case of Addis Ababa University academic staff[Master's thesis, Addis Ababa University].

    Tadesse, S. D. (2009). Understanding female students’ academic performance: an exploration of the situation in South Nations Nationalities and Peoples Regional State–Ethiopia [Master's thesis, International Institute of Social Studies].

    Te Maro, P., Lane, C., Bidois, V., & Earle, D. (2019). Literacy, achievement and success in a Māori Tourism Certificate Program. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 38(4), 449–464. https://doi.org/10.1080/02601370.2019.1643033

    Tiruneh, W. A., & Petros, P. (2014). Factors affecting female students’ academic performance at higher education: The case of Bahir Dar University. African Educational Research Journal, 2(4), 161–166. https://doi.org/10.30918/aerj.24.14.043

    Tobin, G. A., & Begley, C. M. (2004). Methodological rigour within a qualitative framework. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 48(4), 388–396. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2648.2004.03207.x

    Umeh, I. A. (2016). Analysis of internet utilization and its influence on undergraduate students reading habits and reading comprehension [Doctoral dissertation, Nnamdi Azikiwe University].

    Waghmare, P. (2018). Reading habits among the undergraduate students of Government First Grade College Bidar. Library Philosophy and Practice, 2050. http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/2050

    Wielkiewicz, R. M., & Meuwissen, A. S. (2014). A lifelong learning scale for research and evaluation of teaching and curricular effectiveness. Teaching of Psychology, 41(3), 220–227. https://doi.org/10.1177/0098628314537971

    Winberg, M., Tegmark, M., Vinterek, M., & Alatalo, T. (2022). Motivational aspects of students’ amount of reading and affective reading experiences in a school context. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 66(4), 577–590. https://doi.org/10.1080/00313831.2021.1925695

    Yallappa. (2022). Reading habit among post graduate female students and its effect on academic performance: A case study on a government degree college, Sindhanur. Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research, 9(10), 57–65.

    Zare, M., Kozak, S., Rodrigues, M. L., & Martin-Chang, S. (2023). The roots of reading for pleasure. Literacy, 57(3), 173–182. https://doi.org/10.1111/lit.12328