Course:LIBR559A/Ciampa, K. (2012)

Citation

Ciampa, K. (2012). Electronic storybooks: A constructivist approach to improving reading motivation in grade 1 students. Canadian Journal of Education / Revue canadienne de l'éducation, (4). 92.

Purpose of article

To investigate the effectiveness of online storybooks on eight, first-grade students’ reading motivation.

Main Argument(s) and supporting evidence

This study shows that when combined with motivational aspects and constructivist methods of instruction, online reading software may facilitate the reduction off-task behaviour and increase sustained levels of attention, competence, and engagement. Stimulating literacy activities and motivating students has become a concern because the trend in some of the elementary schools shows students’ decreased motivation to read. In conjunction with direct, systematic instruction in the classrooms online reading programs may offer the opportunity for these students to practice and improve their reading skills

Method(s) (e.g., case studies, interviews, thought piece, survey)

The studies incorporated a qualitative research method, specifically questionnaires, interviews, observations, and field notes, in two elementary schools located in the same southern Ontario school district. Four grade one teachers volunteered and the families of eight students, four boys and four girls aged 5-6 years, gave permission for their children to participate. The children are English-speaking and of Caucasian decent. Three of the eight students were informally identified by their teachers as having learning disabilities and behavioural disorders. The study contained three activities: Pre-program, interim-program, and post-program. The pre-program consisted of receiving written consent from students’ families and receiving their completed questionnaire. Throughout the schools’ first two terms provincial report cards were obtained from the students’ teachers. The Interim-program consisted of 18 weekly regularly scheduled classroom observation sessions. During the first observation session the teachers briefly introduced the researchers to their classes and stated the purpose of the observations. The post-program consisted of administrating the final student questionnaire during recess or lunch hour. The interviews, field notes, and questionnaires were transcribed and coded.

Author(s)’(s) understanding/definitions of key concepts

The author believes that gaining knowledge requires a constructivist framework that allows students to be actively involved in their own learning, rather than being passively receptive to information, because they derives meaning from the process.

Theoretical frameworks followed by the author(s)

Constructivist framework. The author believes that gaining knowledge requires one to be actively involved (in learning), rather than being passively receptive (to information), because one derives meaning from the process. The framework counters the reductionist theory of technological determinism that assumes technology, itself, can solve social and cultural problems.

Novel ideas introduced by this article

The article suggests that some student task engagement can improve as a result of computer-assisted reading instructions, especially those who exhibit behavioural and reading difficulties and others who possess academic and/or motivational problems.

Pitfalls, blind spots, and weaknesses of this article

The study had ongoing technical problems and relied on a small sample. The results may not have captured the children’s reading attitudes, specifically, or can be representative of grade one students, teachers, and parents, in general.

Potential Contribution to the scholarship of Social Studies of Library and Information and to the practice of Librarianship

Informational professionals need to question academic studies that claim technology alone can fix literacy problems. This study shows that constructivist methods of instruction was a priority and that online reading software, by itself, could not reduce off-task behaviour and increase sustained levels of attention, competence, and engagement. Only in conjunction with direct, systematic instruction in the classrooms can online reading programs offer the opportunity for these students to practice and improve their reading skills.

Areas / Topics / Keywords

Literacy, Primary Education, electronic storybooks, constructivist framework

Page Author: Vivian McCollor