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Technology, instructional change, and the effect on reading achievement
DISSERTATION

, Illinois State University, United States

Illinois State University . Awarded

Abstract

The search for instructional methods that are correlated to increased student achievement is an on-going process. Numerous educational philosophers and practitioners stress the need to actively engage students in the learning process and create a learning environment that provides real-world scenarios where authentic learning can take place. Engaged learning activities in the cooperative learning setting have the support of hundreds of research projects that consistently report a significant correlation between the use of these instructional methods and increased student achievement. Other research projects present findings in which the students increase their circle of friends, indicate they enjoy school more, and improve their verbal skills even when achievement levels do not increase.

The use of technology, especially computers, to enhance the learning process has evolved rapidly since computers were introduced into the educational setting 20 years ago. Research has shown a correlation between the use of computers as support tools for instruction that engages the students in the learning process. Research also indicates that the use of computers in the cooperative learning setting results in higher student achievement. Students report they like to use computers, will stay on task longer while using computers and increase their ability to access, understand and communicate ideas.

The focus of this study was the correlation of the reading achievement of fifth grade students with the level of engaged learning and technology support for instruction these students received. Students in Large Unit District Schools (LUDA) that were the recipients of the Literacy Technology Grant and had poverty student populations between 31% and 50% were the focus of this study. A teacher survey provided the level of engaged learning and technology use for each teacher. Student demographic information included race, gender, and poverty level. Reading achievement was the dependent variable, and the correlation of all of the other independent variables with reading achievement was analyzed.

The results did not show a significant correlation between the level of engaged learning use supported by technology and increased reading achievement. A significant correlation existed between reading achievement and the poverty level of the students and this correlation was maintained through a bivariate-correlation, a partial correlation, and three separate linear regression analyses. This research did not support the research that found a significant correlation between student achievement and the use of engaged learning and computers. This research did support those projects where poverty was the factor that significantly affected student achievement.

Citation

Bogle, L.R. Technology, instructional change, and the effect on reading achievement. Ph.D. thesis, Illinois State University. Retrieved March 28, 2024 from .

This record was imported from ProQuest on October 23, 2013. [Original Record]

Citation reproduced with permission of ProQuest LLC.

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