Do history students prefer digital or traditional learning resources?

By Student Voice AI

Published May 16, 2024 · Updated Oct 12, 2025

learning resources history

Both, when digital access complements physical collections and staff support rather than replacing them. In the National Student Survey (NSS), the Learning resources theme records 67.7% Positive vs 29.3% Negative and an overall sentiment index of +33.6 across providers, signalling that core provision works for most students. Within history, tone around learning resources sits at +28.4 and the library at +25.9. These sector groupings track student views on access to libraries, digital platforms and equipment and allow like-for-like comparison across disciplines.

Starting a new academic process can be a significant transition, especially in the area of history, where the richness of available learning resources forms a cornerstone of educational success. In this blog, we scrutinise how history students across UK universities perceive and interact with these resources. It is key to understand that, while textbooks and academic papers continue to hold substantial importance, the rise of digital platforms and archives has significantly changed the landscape of historical education. Addressing student voices through surveys and interviews reveals a mixed response towards this shift. For instance, while some appreciate the accessibility and breadth of digital resources, others remain staunch supporters of traditional, tangible materials, arguing they instil a deeper sense of connection to the past. Moreover, feedback suggests that methods like text analysis tools have begun to find favour among students for their ability to dissect large volumes of data efficiently. However, integrating these modern tools without overshadowing traditional learning methods presents a complex challenge for university staff. This exploration aims to highlight these distinctive challenges and preferences, thus providing a balanced viewpoint on evolving educational needs in historical studies.

How do traditional and digital resources compare?

Students benefit when programmes combine the depth and context of print and physical archives with the reach of e-books, online journals and digitised collections. Humanities subjects, including history, tend to report strong experiences with this blend. Digital search and analysis increase efficiency and breadth of reading, but staff should curate routes through core materials to avoid overload and variable quality. The imperative is not replacement but integration: align reading lists, VLE structure, and library holdings so that digital and physical formats reinforce one another across modules.

How should students use primary source materials?

Primary sources remain central to disciplinary learning. Digitalisation expands access, but students still require structured guidance to locate, appraise and interpret materials. Embedding source evaluation workshops and scaffolded exercises early in the programme builds interpretive confidence. Accessibility matters: disabled students are typically less positive about resources than their peers, so provide alternative formats by default, signpost assistive tools at the point of need, and ensure digitised images, transcripts and metadata support different modes of engagement.

What role do libraries and archives play today?

Libraries and archives anchor the research culture for historians. Their hybrid offer now spans special collections, digitised repositories, reading list services and expert staff who guide discovery. Students value this combination when navigation is intuitive and support is timely. Programme teams can strengthen the student experience by aligning assessment briefs with library skills sessions, ensuring print and e-access align with set tasks, and publishing short “where to find what you need” guides each term. Regular readiness checks before peak assessment periods reduce bottlenecks.

How does technology shape historical research?

Digital tools change the scale and speed of analysis—text mining, newspaper databases and reference managers enable broader, more systematic inquiry. Students need explicit development of these skills alongside traditional heuristics such as close reading and provenance analysis. Treat digital methods as complementary: design assessments that require both critical engagement with a small number of core texts and efficient use of large digital corpora, with marking criteria that reward method selection and transparency.

How should lectures and seminars work for history?

Lectures supply structured overviews and historiographical framing; seminars provide the space to test interpretations using evidence. Students respond best when sessions connect directly to reading lists and primary materials, and when tutors make explicit how session content prepares them for assessments. Publish session aims and required resources in advance, include short extracts or sample sources, and use seminar time for applied work that mirrors assessment tasks.

What does effective group work and discussion look like?

Well-facilitated discussions help students practise argumentation, evaluate evidence and engage with diverse perspectives. Mix in-person seminars with asynchronous discussion for flexibility, and secure equitable participation with roles or short preparatory prompts. Online forums should link directly to readings and archives, with staff presence that models scholarly dialogue without dominating it.

What should universities do next?

Close the accessibility gap by auditing core systems and reading lists against accessibility standards, offering alternative formats by default, and making assistive routes visible at the point of need.
Transfer practices that work for students who study flexibly to the wider cohort: extend access windows where feasible, centralise signposting to core platforms, and provide quick-start guides at module launch.
Run resource readiness checks before term and before peak deadlines so high-demand items (databases, specialist software, study spaces) meet need; assign an owner to capture and resolve issues visibly to students.
Reduce friction for off-campus users with simple step-by-step access instructions, screenshots and timely helpdesk options during assignment peaks.

How Student Voice Analytics helps you

Track Learning resources comments and tone over time for history and the wider institution, and drill from school to programme and cohort.
Compare like-for-like across subject groupings and demographics to spot where the experience diverges (e.g. disabled, mature, international, part-time).
Provide concise, export-ready summaries and representative comments that help library, digital and programme teams prioritise fixes and demonstrate impact.
Evidence change with consistent, year-on-year topic and sentiment benchmarking.

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