Dr. Shahar Dotan

My research examines the complex relationship between digital technology and literacy development, focusing on how screen-based reading influences cognitive processes and emotional responses. I investigate the impact of different text formats on comprehension, and how early digital exposure patterns shape subsequent literacy acquisition across diverse learning contexts.

Research Interests

Digital media’s influence on reading acquisition
Text format optimization for maximizing comprehension in both digital and print environments
Educator roles for effective literacy promotion in technological contexts
Cognitive and emotional consequences of digital and print-based reading.
Longitudinal impacts of early screen exposure patterns on subsequent academic and emotional performance.

Educational Background

2017 – 2024 Ph.D., Department of Learning Disabilities, Faculty of Education, University of Haifa.
2015 – 2017 Special education teacher certification, specializing in behavioral and emotional disorders, Department of Special Education, University of Haifa.
2014 – 2017 MA in diagnosis and treatment of learning disabilities, Department of Learning Disabilities, University of Haifa.
2011 – 2014 B.A. in Psychology and Counseling and human development, Faculties of Social sciences and Education, University of Haifa.

Recent Publications

Dotan, S., & Katzir, T. (2024). The effect of modality on reading comprehension of struggling and typical readers in the second and third grades. Journal of Research in Reading, 47(3), 292-308.
Shaul, S., Lipka, O., Tal-Cohen, D., Bufman, A., & Dotan, S. (2024). The impact of school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic on reading fluency among second grade students: Socioeconomic and gender perspectives. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, 1289145.‏‏
Segal, A., Dotan, S., & Katzir, T. (2023). Development over time of the reading self-concept in fourth-and fifth-grade students. Current Psychology, 42(32), 28611-28622.‏

Dr. Shahar Dotan

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