Digital Text vs Print Text: Effect on Reading Performance of Elementary Students
Location
Hamilton A
Proposal Track
Practice Report
Session Format
Presentation
Abstract
Digital literacy is expected of all students today with increasing availability and accessibility of digital technology everywhere. It is imperative that teachers learn how to effectively use digital literacy technology in the classroom. The purpose of this action research project is to examine the effect of digital text versus print text on reading performance in a third grade class. Using a pretest-posttest group comparison design, twenty students were selected to participate in the study. Participants in the digital group were instructed using digital text from new literacy technology and those in the text group used traditional print text during the study of one literacy unit. Upon analyses of pretest, posttest scores, and pretest-posttest gains, noticeable difference, although not statistically significant, was found in reading performance between the two groups. Digital text appears to have slightly more positive effect on student reading performance. Teachers must continue to seek effective strategies for incorporating multimedia technology in literacy education.
Keywords
literacy education, reading achievement, instructional technology, elementary school
Recommended Citation
Pendleton, Felicia and Feng, Jay, "Digital Text vs Print Text: Effect on Reading Performance of Elementary Students" (2017). Georgia Educational Research Association Conference. 9.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/gera/2017/2017/9
Digital Text vs Print Text: Effect on Reading Performance of Elementary Students
Hamilton A
Digital literacy is expected of all students today with increasing availability and accessibility of digital technology everywhere. It is imperative that teachers learn how to effectively use digital literacy technology in the classroom. The purpose of this action research project is to examine the effect of digital text versus print text on reading performance in a third grade class. Using a pretest-posttest group comparison design, twenty students were selected to participate in the study. Participants in the digital group were instructed using digital text from new literacy technology and those in the text group used traditional print text during the study of one literacy unit. Upon analyses of pretest, posttest scores, and pretest-posttest gains, noticeable difference, although not statistically significant, was found in reading performance between the two groups. Digital text appears to have slightly more positive effect on student reading performance. Teachers must continue to seek effective strategies for incorporating multimedia technology in literacy education.
