Technology - S Influence On Student Comprehension

St.
John Fisher University

Fisher Digital Publications
Education Masters Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. School of Education
8-2015
Technology’s Influence on Student Comprehension

Jessica Clar
St. John Fisher University, jac02638@sjf.edu
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Abstract
This research question asked how can technology influence students’ comprehension? Research was
conducted in a first grade classroom. The data was collected by a student focus group, student work
samples, rubrics, and teacher field notes. Findings revealed that students are engaged while using
technology; however they are just as engaged when involved in a traditional read aloud. As for reading
comprehension students’ showed an increase in achievement when using the smart board as the primary
source of instruction. Overall, data shows that teachers should implement technology in the classroom to
promote student participation as well as increased achievement.
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
MS in Literacy Education
Department
Education
First Supervisor
Joellen Maples
Subject Categories
Education
This thesis is available at Fisher Digital Publications: https://fisherpub.sjf.edu/education_ETD_masters/347

By
Jessica Clar
Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree

M.S. Literacy Education
Supervised by
Dr. Joellen Maples
School of Arts and Sciences

St. John Fisher College
August 2015
TECHNOLOGY’S INFLUENCE ON STUDENT COMPREHENSION 2
Abstract
This research question asked how can technology influence students’ comprehension? Research
was conducted in a first grade classroom. The data was collected by a student focus group,
student work samples, rubrics, and teacher field notes. Findings revealed that students are
engaged while using technology; however they are just as engaged when involved in a traditional
read aloud. As for reading comprehension students’ showed an increase in achievement when
using the smart board as the primary source of instruction. Overall, data shows that teachers
should implement technology in the classroom to promote student participation as well as
increased achievement.
In education, and schools everywhere there is no denying the fact that main goal we want
for our students is to have them become well rounded citizens. They must be academically,
socially, and emotionally ready for any adversities that they may endure throughout their
educational and worldly journeys. There is no one right answer on what is the single most
important thing we can teach to our students or what techniques and strategies will be the most
beneficial. There are however, some tools that teachers can use to ensure that they are helping
their students strive to meet their full academic potential. This tool is through the use of newer
technologies that are being used in classrooms. This term is specifically known as new
literacies. Lankshear and Knobel (2010) refer to new literacies as “socially recognized ways of
generating, communicating, and negotiating meaningful content through the medium of encoded
texts within contexts of participation in discourses” (p. 64). Teachers no longer view literacy in
the tradition way of read a louds through paperback books, and paper-pencil responses. In
classrooms all over America there has been a large push for the use of technologies to drive
teacher instruction, as well as a tool for the students to use and self-teach. In the present culture
that we live in our students are surrounded by technology every day. Most of the time, some
students even know more about the technologies in their classroom than the actual teachers do.
New literacies give the teacher to student relationship an entire new dynamic. The student can
now use technology as an opportunity to teach one another, enhance their own learning, and
show the teacher the ways that they can use technology to enhance their learning (Jones &
Brown, 2011). With that being said, technology is something that truly excites our children in
school, and acts as a major contributor to their motivation toward instruction.

As educators it is our job to discover and implement new instructional strategies that our
students will find beneficial to their learning, and truly connect with on a personal level.
Teachers have found that technology is the way to connect with students while offering high
content based instruction through all content areas. These technologies range from the smart
board, to iPads, computers, and the use of e-books, iPods, blogs and other variations of new
literacies. This new wave of student learning is sweeping through schools, and teachers are
becoming aware of how crucial it is to implement technology into their instruction. The main
goal for schools is to make students become college and career ready. Since our society is
constantly changing and new literacies is the primary discourse in not only schools, but in most
workplaces it would be detrimental to our students if we did not provide them with the
opportunity to use technology within classrooms.
The use of multiple technologies is becoming almost a mandatory tool to facilitate and
drive instruction within classrooms. Children at a very young age are being exposed to different
types of technologies. Most children own an iPad, or smart phone. Children will follow their
own desires and passions, and while doing so they are developing their own set of skills; and
because of this they are driving their learning and text production (O’Mara & Laidlaw, 2012).
Since children are dependent on technology to inquire information and learn new things it only
makes sense that they are able to use their dominant skill set in schools. When teachers are able
to add tools that students are more familiar with they become instantly more engaged because
they have had previous experiences that they can connect it to. New literacies are truly a
powerful integral learning tool for promoting all components of social, cognitive and linguistic
development of children and ultimately impacting with academic achievement (Couse & Chen,
2010).
By further exploring the topic of the influence technology has on student comprehension
will help students achieve success within school, as well as prepare them for the future. It will
also give teachers a closer insight to whether these new literacies have an impact on students,
and how they can use it effectively within their own classrooms. There are few classrooms now
that do not have some sort of technology such as a smart board, iPad, computer etc. that are
available to students on a day-to-day basis. Technology in addition to helping support students’
primary discourse can also support them in developing new strategies that will support their
overall literacy skills. With the extra supports such as voice-overs, online immediate
dictionaries, highlighting words as they are read so students can keep track of the narration all
promote student success with literacy. When using such features it takes the pressures off the
students to decode word by word and allows them to focus on the overall contextual meaning of
the text (Ciampa, 2012).
Teachers must be mindful when thinking about what resources to use within their
classrooms and to drive their instruction. We live in a world where technology is becoming the
majority of the population’s primary discourse, and most used tool. Educators need to be ready,
willing, and knowledgeable about how to use these new literacies in a way that benefits the
overall needs of their students.
The main question of this research paper asked, how would technology influence
students’ comprehension? By incorporating technology into instructional practices teachers’ will
be able to connect with and engage students at a higher level, which will ultimately affect their
overall comprehension; allowing them to be successful in school as well as the workplace. The
theoretical framework was based on the idea that new literacies are everywhere as well as ever
changing. Students must be able to apply these new literacy skills to collaborate as well as create
authentic learning experiences which will enable them to become successful. The methods that
were conducted were rubrics to assess student engagement, student work samples, and a student
focus group. The findings and implications show that student engagement is increased when
technology is used within the classroom, which leads to higher participation and overall
understanding of the content. Technology not only has a powerful impact on student
engagement, however it also acts as a differentiation tool for all students to become successful
learners within the classroom. Lastly, teachers must realize that technology is a necessary skill in
all areas of life, therefore it is crucial to implement it in everyday instruction to overall benefit
student success for college and the workplace.
Theoretical Framework
When thinking about literacy as a whole many different ideas, theories, practices, and
strategies come to mind. These are all of course are being used to promote student success
within any content area. We know that literacy surrounds us in our everyday activities, and is
the fundamental building blocks on which education rests. In previous years it was thought that
literacy was strictly reading and writing. We now that that literacy is so much more than just
reading and writing and it used in our daily lives in school or the workplace. Although reading
and writing are a major part of literacy still, it is shifting toward using technology to help drive
instruction and further enhance the way we teach our students literacy.
Literacy can be described in many different ways according to many different people.
According to Gee (1989) defines literacy as a “control of secondary uses of language” (p. 23)
whereas discourses are the ways of using language, and the way that one acts and thinks within
ones community in which they can identify themselves. Lankshear and Knobel (2010) have a
similar view on what literacy is as Gee. According to them, literacy is “socially recognized ways
of generating, communicating, and negotiating meaningful content through the medium of
encoded texts within contexts of participation in discourses” (p. 64). When thinking of our
culture today it is obvious that it has become more of a social practice, and we are dependent on
technology and the advances it gives us such as the communication through e mails, instant
messaging etc. So, in schools we have implemented the use of more technology such as
computers, iPads, smart boards, computers and more.
When children are born they are not created with the knowledge to immediately articulate
and decode text. It is the parents’ job to supply their children with the necessary building blocks
are crucial to their learning. These are things such as making their children aware of different
texts such as books, and different print around them. However, in present culture those texts
have been traded for iPads, smartphones, and computers. Although these are not the traditional
forms of print children are still becoming aware of a certain type of discourse. Educators must
be aware of this new change in literacy so they are ready to teach children in a way that they are
familiar with. According to Kucer (2009) literacy acquisition can be greatly impacted by
multiple cultural variations. Students come to us from different social backgrounds, and
different strategies of acquiring information. A student’s background and prior knowledge can
greatly affect the way they absorb certain material, and the capacity in which they learn. Hence,
teachers’ must be aware of this large impact, and how it affects their students.
Since technology is so important to our students, one theory that lends itself well to this
new turn of instruction is the theory of new literacy practices. Literacy is no longer an individual
quest, however it is one that is evolving into a social and cultural practice. The purpose of new
literacies is to build on one’s knowledge and help them focus on becoming participants within
their learning process. Since literacy is continually changing, and becoming more future
friendly; as literate persons we must adapt to these new changes and become flexible when
learning, and experiencing these new literacies. It plays a role in everyone’s daily life, and now
without technology it would be foreign for the average person in today’s society to get by
without it. Lankshear and Knobel present new literacy perspective to push educators to think
about what a wonderful advantage technology can have on our students to shape their future
worldwide views and practices (p.15). This theory challenges educators to use these new
literacies within their classrooms to drive reading, and writing instruction to help students create
meaningful responses in which they communicate through iPads, iPhones, smart boards,
computers etc. By having these various devices available to students within the classroom we
are connecting to their primary discourse, and allowing them to practice the skills that will help
them succeed in the future.
Another theory that helps clarify how technology can influence student comprehension,
as well as goes hand in hand with new literacies perspective theory is the sociocultural theory.
This theory by Larson and Marsh (2010) defines the learner as “an active member of a constantly
changing community of learners in which knowledge constructs and is constructed by larger
cultural systems” (p.100). Since our culture is constantly evolving, as educators we must stay
updated and continually learning on what the new and improved strategies that will benefit our
students are. We expect our students to be lifelong learners, so as role models for our students
we must do the same and provide them with the opportunities that will help them succeed.
Teachers must provide and are challenged to provide their students with a community that fosters
a meaningful learning environment, and pulling from multiple teaching strategies such as those
that are socially, culturally, interactive, and historically beneficial. Students’ need the correct
skill set, as well as be able to determine which specific skills are needed to complete a specific
task in today’s literacy filled world. In order to do this, teachers’ must provide instruction in
which students’ are able to collaborate with one another using hands-on activities. Teachers’
must push their students’ to be critical thinkers by asking them to solve real word problems. By
using all of these techniques students as well as teachers’ will be able to reach students’ on a
more personal as well as academic level which in return will truly connect the students’ to their
learning.
Research Question
Given that students live in a technology based world, and a world that revolves around
the practice of new literacies, this action research project asks, how can technology influence
students’ comprehension?
Literature Review
Before conducting an action research study based on whether or not technologies
influence student comprehension, a review of literature needed to be written to find scholarly
studies that support the topic being researched. The literature review below reviews and
analyzes the effects that technology has on our students today inside as well as outside the
classroom. There are going to be three different themes that this review discusses. The first
theme that will be discussed is how technology effects student engagement. Student engagement
is directly correlates with how students’ are able to participate within class, and if they are able to
remain focused throughout instruction when technology is implemented. The second theme that
is going to be discussed is the importance of motivation directly relating to technology. As we

know in education, motivation is a major contributor for any content area in schools. This theme
will directly look at how motivation is increased due to technology. The last theme that is being
discussed within this literature review is technology’s impact on literacy. After taking a look at
the first two themes around engagement and motivation, it is clear to see how technology effects
each, and the benefits that are presented to students. However, the last theme will look at how
technology more specifically helps or possibly hinders students to achieve literacy success
especially focusing on comprehension.
Technology Affects Student Engagement
The students that come to us today are living in a 21st century world in which technology
is not just a new innovative tool for them to use to acquire a stronger base of knowledge, it is
their way of life. In schools today there is a major push for educators to be aware of the fact that
their lessons must not only reflect the thoughts of their district beliefs, as well as the specific
state standards at hand, however students need to be engaged throughout instruction. When
students are not interacting with the content of instruction they will not perform well, and begin
to lose focus easily.
In a study that mainly focused on literacy instruction with digital and media technologies,
researchers Barone and Wright found that student achievement and engagement spiked when
these new literacies were implemented in their daily instruction. Barone and Wright (2008) state
that:
What makes today’s kids really sit up and fires their neural fibers? Technology. Kids
don’t see laptops, MP3 players, cell phones, PDA’s, DVD players, and video games as
technology, it’s just life. Schools need to connect education to their students’ lives with
technology.. (p. 298)

Through the use of new literacies students will become more engaged in their learning.
Technology is a way of life for our students. It is their primary discourse, and if they are not able
to apply their interests and native learning style within a school setting they will become
disengaged. Lankshear and Knobel (2010) also believe that discourse plays a large part into a
child’s literacy development. They state that literacy stands as the “socially recognized ways of
texts within contexts of participation in discourses” (p. 64). This means that although literacy
has a different meaning to each individual and may not have an exact “definition” there is a
common theme that literacy is socially and culturally based. When students can use what they
know and have been brought up with from their home-life into the classroom their interest and
prior knowledge will be. Literacy is ever changing, and as educators we must be able to adapt
our teaching styles to best support our students interests and needs.
Since technology is such a crucial element of our societies learning we must implement
it within our instruction. Couse and Chen (2010) support this same idea by concluding that since
technology is evolving rapidly, as educators we must explore the new tools that are being
presented to us. One example of a modern instructional tool is different types of tablets. These
sources of technology foster student participation as well as add a different dimension of literacy.
When our students are able to use technology as a supplementary learning tool to aid their
natural discourse they are not only engaged; however they are strengthening their literacy skills.
Larson (2010) concurs by also pointing out that these new literacies truly extend the connection
between engagement and overall student achievement. The students are expressing their
enthusiasm by showing interest through their positive responses to reading. In other words,
when students feel that they are able to personally connect with the instruction it alleviates the
pressures of higher-level work. In the study that Couse and Chen (2010) conducted while
looking at the benefits that tablets have on early childhood education they found that even
though many children experienced a few technical difficulties throughout the lesson, they were
able to persevere through the problems with ease showing little to no frustration. In classrooms
today that is such an important piece of learning that we must teach our students. Throughout
any type of instruction or life situation they must be able to preserve through issues and become
problem solvers. By using new literacies students are able to practice this important skill set
while simultaneously being engaged with the instruction at hand.
In a fourth grade classroom technology (laptops specifically) was a major contributor to
student instruction. From a study observed by Barone and Wright (2008), they were able to
showcase how a teacher used instant messaging as a means to implement student
participation/engagement within the classroom. The students were able to share their thoughts,
ideas, and answers to their assigned instant messaging partners. Through the use of instant
messaging the sense urgency was provided to the students by quick feedback, constant
communication, and ultimately a raised level of engagement. These various forms of quick and
convenient communication further proves Larson’s (2010) sociocultural theory. Students are
able to create a collaborative environment that not only fosters the way we are communicating
with each other to become more literate but they are simultaneously doing it through the use of
new literacies. Since we live in a world of quick response, and immediate reaction students are
accustomed to this fast paced life style. With the use instant messaging students are able to
obtain this same style of living within their own classrooms. Jones and Brown (2011) also
support this idea of immediate form of support and raised engagement through the use of
different amenities that new literacies can provide. When students are using technology they
have the ability to use pop-up definitions, voice-overs, automatic turn pages, pronunciation of
words etc. to help build constant participation and engagement with the text. These new
literacies are providing students with differentiated learning, so every student can be engaged
with the text at hand.
Since engagement is such a key to success in our schools, Enriquez (2010) argues that the
idea of traditional instructor centered learning is long gone, and research shows it to be an
ineffective learning environment for students. She continues to state that active participation and
interactive learning models are the most effective way for students to become engaged and
achieve higher in schools. A portion of the study focused on the positive attitudes that students
demonstrated while using tablets. Students displayed increased attentiveness and focus, ability
to obtain quick assistance which in return lead to reduced frustration, and overall a more positive
interaction between student and teacher. When students are able to feel excited about their
learning, as well as how the material is being presented in a way that makes them feel confident
in their abilities they are ultimately going to participate more. Dale and Pymm (2015) have this
same idea by looking at the use of iPods within the classroom. They found that technologies
(such as the iPod) lead to a sense of “self-empowerment and autonomy to the individual” (p. 93).
By using technology that students are familiar with it creates a very encouraging learning climate
for students. Through the use of the technology the students feel as if they can take a more
creative approach to their learning, and think more critically about the subject matter at hand.
Enriquez (2010) supports that same idea by explaining that when students are in control of their
learning it leads to higher participation. A specific statistic took from the study also validates
that theory by showing the number of absences/times students skipped class in an interactive
learning group (ILN) versus those whom were not involved in an interactive learning group.
Those who were a part of the ILN averaged a number of two point three days absent compared to
those who were not a part of an ILN group who averaged seven point five days absent. Another
statistic that demonstrates the engagement of students who were a part of the ILN, and non-ILN
group show the amount of time spent on assigned tasks outside of the school day. Those who
were a part of the ILN group spent an average of six point eight hours per week, whereas the
non-ILN group only spend five point four hours per week. Through these statistics it is easy to
see that student engagement through the use of technology truly empowered students to perform
with not only positive attitudes, however they demonstrated stronger work-ethic as well.
When discussing student engagement and work ethic researchers’ Enriquez (2010), and
Dale and Pymm (2015) found that there are a few commonalities and various factors that play a
large role. One of which is how students can engage in instructional technological activities
inside and outside of the classroom. O’Mara and Laidlaw (2011) look deeper into this idea
through a study which looks at young children in out-of-school settings and how they engage
daily with technology as well as the affects it has on them. They have found that in fact children
do interact daily with technology, and even implement it in their play. O’Mara and Laidlaw
quoted a parent from the study:
Our children were playing at the dollhouse and the 3-year-old realized that a tiny pretend
laptop was missing. After everyone looked around for a bit, he returned to play and sat
the mother doll at the computer desk. She’s going to Google to find out where the little
computer is. (p. 153)
By looking at this quote it is easy to see that even in the earliest years of child development
technology is a key component to their learning, play and lifestyle. For children, one of the
largest problem-solving strategies is turning to technology. Since it is so accessible to most

people it is the most efficient way to obtain necessary information to help us throughout our
daily lives. When students are able to use technology within the classroom it feels natural to
them and comfortable. In a similar study conducted by Davidson (2009) results showed that the
use of technology in both classroom and out of classroom settings provided students with a
strong sense of engagement. He concurs that this new multimodal world that we live in directly
affect how students especially in the early emergent stages of literacy experience meaning
making much differently to that of strictly print based texts. Clearly, the shift in how we engage
students and provide quality literacy instruction is such a significant change in the way we have
viewed education and reading instruction in previous years. The students in our classrooms have
a whole other discourse and skill set than those children who were learning these same skills 10
to 15 years ago. Students are now developing new strategies that enable them to acquire an
overall understanding or meaning of the text rather than decode and decipher. All of these new
strategies are being presented in schools through the use of new literacies. The demand for the
use of new literacies is especially true for our elementary students who are surrounded by
technology daily, and when implemented into instruction they see it as a game almost.
Cumming and Rodriguez (2013) present this same idea when examining the use of iPads in a
special needs elementary classroom. Many of the students were excited to complete academic
work on iPads simply because they felt they were easy to maneuver, and the pictures excited
them to continue to stay on task. Teachers agreed and felt that they had to prompt students less
to make sure that they were staying on task and working toward their goals.
Engagement is a crucial piece to success in any aspect of life. When looking specifically
at education we must find a way to hook our students into making personal connections with the
content and instruction. Through the use of technology teachers are able to reach out to more
students. Being a part of society today means constantly needing the ability to be flexible and
adapt to new situations. As educators we realize that it a natural part of life, so we must be
willing to apply that same strategy to our classrooms for our students. By allowing the use of
technology in the classroom we are allowing students to feel more at ease by allowing them to
use what they know best to solve problems, think crucially, and become lifelong learners.
Motivation Increases Due to Technology
Educators know many beneficial strategies to help students become successful, well-
rounded, lifelong learners. We want our students to have an intrinsic desire to perform well
academically. When students are able to motivate themselves to persevere through difficult
problems it truly enables them to become a stronger learners. Research has shown that
technology is a major contributor to the motivational increase in students. Research has also
shown that motivation is a critical component to student success. The motivational factor is not
only true for just the students at the elementary level. However, students in all grade levels
elementary, middle, high school, and even collegiate levels have shown an increase motivation
when they are able to use new literacies within the classroom. Yet another major motivation
factor aside from connecting students to their primary discourse and out-of-school experiences,
is it helps struggling readers. New literacies have the convenience of offering multiple aids to
support students with their learning, ultimately making literacy instruction a positive experience
and increasing their motivation.
McQuillan, Northcote, and Beamish (2015) verbalize their belief in which “Technology,
when used effectively, has the potential to contribute to the creation of effective learning
environments and can greatly assist educators in their efforts to obtain and maintain students’
attention, and improve student achievement” (p. 7). When taking into consideration on how
important student motivation directly correlates with student success, it is clear that schools must
obtain materials and tools that will aid teachers in finding supports that will allow them to make
this gain. New literacies is the way in which students can feel connected and motivated to their
instruction. Ortlieb, Sargent, and Moreland (2014) support this claim by explaining that it is the
teacher’s job to make sure they are connecting to the students on a personal level to create an
authentic learning experience. The different tools that can be used to make these gains in student
motivation and student success are those that come from new literacies. When students are able
to take their in-home literacy practices and apply them to in-school situations they will then feel
more comfortable from these previous experiences. It is an educator’s job to make sure that they
are connecting the student’s literacy practices in, and out of school.
One strategy which provides students with the opportunity feel motivated and connected
to their instruction is to acquire knowledge through authentic learning experiences. Students are
motivated when they know that what they are learning, and how they are learning can be applied
to real life situations. Students learn by doing. According to Lombardi (2007) an authentic
learning experience can be described as one in which students are being asked to construct
meaning to produce knowledge, use inquiring strategies to produce meaning, as well as reflect
and discuss ideas found all of which are revolved around real-life problems, and problem solving
strategies. One way that teachers often incorporate authentic learning experiences within their
classrooms is through the use of technology. Since our students are using it in out of school
settings to problem solve and become well rounded citizens it only makes sense that it is used for
education purposes as well. Using technology as part of our daily pedagogical practices offers
our students with the opportunity to motivate them through authentic learning experiences.
Carey (2005) supports this idea by stating “students develop this competency through integrative
learning which fosters students’ ability to make connections between new and existing
knowledge, skills and experiences, needed to respond to changing needs of society” (p.69) . By
allowing students to be exposed to such new literacies they are able to connect it to their personal
lives, and enables them to work with ease. By allowing students to use tools that create mobility
between home, school, and the workplace it ultimately effects their motivation causing it to
increase, which in return creates increased student success. Student motivation and their
attitudes toward instruction have been major topic of discussion in the education world. In
addition to the idea of making sure that students are offered the opportunity to make those
connections Hess (2014) also points out that the term “disengaged” learner has been one in
which describes our students today. She goes on to state that one of the largest motivators to
encourage our students to want to read is to simply provide them with the experiences that will
connect their in-class experiences with out-of-class ones. When teachers are able to do so
interests and motivation increases which again, directly effects student achievement.
Research shows that motivation can be manipulated through various types of
instructional practices. As long as there is a motivation element woven into a teacher’s
instructional practice students will not only succeed; however they will want to succeed. Falter
(2015) claims that there are five different domains of self-motivation that instruction must obtain
in order to be effective.
One of the domains is the “self-worthy theory” (p.28). This theory states that students
must feel that they can accomplish the tasks at hand and feel confident within their abilities to do
so. Enriquez (2010) proves the self-worthy theory to be valid from her results gathered within
her ILN control group. Through the use of technology, student quiz and homework scores
increased by not only the way the students were able to learn the new material through
technology, but how they gained the confidence and motivation which allowed them to be
successful, as well as feel prepared to complete the tasks at hand.
Falter (2015) presents the second domain, which is the “locus of control” (p.28). Within
this idea students must be able to understand the concept that they are the ones who are at the
forefront of their success within situations, as well as their failures. Pittman (2003) states that
students have many approaches to learning, and that they alone are the only ones able to make
the critical decisions that will directly affect their academic growth. Teachers are there to help
guide; however students must be able to problem-solve on their own and be responsible for those
actions. Pittman goes to further say that technology enables students to be “intellectually
playful” (p. 274), open to new learning tasks, and take the necessary risks to be successful
without frustration. In other words, students must be able to take responsibility for their own
learning. Although teachers are there to help guide students throughout this process, we must
supply our students with the skill set to do so independently. Through the use of new literacies
implemented in our classroom teachers will be able to help students self-direct and motivate
themselves to be responsible for their own learning.
The third domain is the “control-value theory” (p.28). This element talks about the
notion of cause-and effect. If a student has as preconceived idea on how an action will turn out
and what the likelihood of that outcome will be (especially if it is a negative one) has a major
effect on student motivation. The control-value theory insists that students must be able to
accept challenges as they come and not dwell on the predicted result. Couse and Chen (2010)
support the idea of the cause-and-effect theory through their observations when looking at
students who were working with tablets. The students were able to see the end result of their
work, and had an idea of the outcome that would happen. Since the children had familiarity with
the technology that was being presented to them (or technologies that were similar in
comparison) they felt more comfortable using them and taking risks. They were aware of the
outcome that was going to be produced and were able to connect the in-school task to tasks
similar to them in their personal lives. Since the students were able to be a part of such a strong
authentic learning experience they were able to persevere through the task. Since the students
were demonstrating such perseverance with the instruction at hand through the use of tablets they
were able to complete the work with ease. Couse and Chen point out that they did have a few
issues that arose, however since they were motivated through the use of technology and had their
outcome visualized they were able to experience success.
The fourth domain is the “self-determination theory” (p.28). This theory is what drives
motivation in others the most. This theory states that people need to have a sense of belonging
and connection to the specific task at hand in order to be motivated. When they have that they
obtain the knowledge as well as independence to complete the task with confidence. When
others, specifically our students are able to exhibit self-determination they have an intrinsic
motivation that prepares them to feel that they have mastered, or are highly competent in a
certain skill set. Mckenna (2012) is able to demonstrate this theory through the results of a study
that focused on how iPads lead to enhanced student learning and achievement. Directly within
the results of this study Mckenna claims that “students today live in a world where digital
technology is part of the texture of their daily lives. They have never known a world without
technology. It is their native language and they expect to use it in schools” (p.139). When
students are able to connect their native language in school it supports self-determination theory.
By allowing students to make this connection it creates an environment in which they feel the
most comfortable because they are able to use their primary discourse; and for our students that
is the use of new literacies. Students feel compelled and motivated when they are connected
with the task at hand. Since technology is such a large part of their everyday lives like Mcennka,
as well as so many other researchers state it is obvious that their overall determination to produce
quality work will increase.
The last domain is “recognizing individual differences” (p. 28). This theory talks about
educators being aware of students’ diversified needs and interests. When students feel that their
teacher truly cares about their academic and personal well-being they are much more likely to be
motivated to try their best. Personalized learning is one the best ways teachers can reach out to
students to motivate them. Dale and Pymm (2009) exhibit this claim in their findings from a
group of students who worked with new technologies to enhance their learning experience. It
was found that technology worked not only worked as a differentiation factor because the
students were able to pick and choose how they wanted to complete and communicate with
others throughout the duration of the project; however, more importantly it worked as a major
motivational drive because students were able to be truly connected with the project. It was done
so in a way that the task was personalized to them as well as their specific needs as a learner. By
allowing students to work with different tools that showcase their strengths as learners they will
be more motivated and interested in completing a task. Students will also take into account that
the teachers are aware of their strengths and care about their academic and personal growth.
When a teacher is able to do that for their students the ideas of recognizing individual differences
is truly being practiced Jones and Brown (2011) agree with Dale and Pymm (2009) by stating
that their main central findings from the data that they collected on reading motivation between
e-books and paper text was one of the main components that lead to raised student motivation.
This rise in student motivation was directly correlated to the freedom students had when
choosing their texts to read, as well as having a choice within instruction. When students are
allowed to have the autonomy to choose their texts/instructional practices research shows that
student motivation increases, which leads to an increase in student success. As educators we
recognize that no two students are the same, so in return we must take into account that lessons
we produce should reflect that as well. By allowing the students to have a choice in what/how
they would like to go about a task raises their motivation and academic achievement.
When thinking about technology as a tool for not only supporting and fostering quality
instruction but for driving motivation, researchers have found the students interests are spiked
when being able to work with these new literacies. Cimpa (2012) states that motivation has
different variables such as choice, curiosity, feedback, interest, involvement, and control. All of
which strictly correlate with cognitive reading process’s as a whole which ultimately effects
achievement. It is clear to see that Falter (2015), and Cimpa (2012) both agree that there are
many things that a teacher must unpack into their lesson to make sure that the motivation factor
is reaching to all students in the classroom. From the study that Cimpa looks at, the results
indicate that when activities are differentiated to students’ specific needs, and choice is involved
that student motivation increases, as well as their overall success. By allowing technology into
the classroom specifically tablets (in this study’s case) the teacher was able to allow students the
choice in which electronic books (e-book) they could read as well as what follow up activities
that they could choose from. By allowing the students to choose which e-book interested them
they were much more willing to put all their effort into reading and understanding the text at
hand. Falter (2015) supports these findings by explaining that yet another motivation factor for
students is to give them more autonomy with the classroom. It is proven that when students are
in control of their own learning, and are allowed the freedom of choice their levels of interest
turn into a stable long-term catalyst to their overall success. Cimpa (2012) agrees that by
allowing the students this freedom throughout their learning would promote positive attitudes;
specifically towards those working with online literacy skills. From the questionnaire answered
by the students’ researchers were able to gather that the students truly enjoyed the diverse
opportunities that the e-books had given them. These various opportunities provided a wide
variety of genres to choose from, the option to have the books read aloud to them, and
highlighted words that support the narration if so chosen. Similarly, Handsfield, Dean, and
Cielocha (2009) agree that student motivation increases when students are able to use online
resources to help them assist them while completing tasks in an authentic manner that is
meaningful to them. The study specifically looks at students who use technology to create blog
posts in response to the reading material provided within the classroom. Before the students
simply had to complete a written response in regards to these books. Handsfield, Dean, and
Cielocha realized that what the teacher was lacking was the motivation through social interaction
around the response. The results show through student surveys that they felt they truly benefited
from blogging their responses online and pushed them to produce quality work. Furthermore,
practically three years later the students were interviewed again. The students claimed that they
still to this day use blogs to engage in the use of new literacies and expressing their ideas.
Nearly 80% of students interestingly maintain their own online spaces and blogs. Cimpa,
Handsfield, Dean and Cielocha all demonstrate the central idea that students show a massive
increase of motivation when they are given the opportunity to use technology within the
classroom. It is also evident from their studies that these lessons are providing the students with
authentic learning experiences and helping them to become problem solvers as well as lifelong
learners. When students are motivated and captivated enough to take what they are learning and
apply it their own personal lives they are becoming not only critical thinkers however, active
members of society.
It is clear to see that student motivation is one of the key factors when looking at student
success within the classroom. Students must have the drive, and inartistic motivation to
complete the tasks at hand. One of the best ways for teachers to help students gain this intrinsic
motivation is to provide the students with the authentic learning experience that allow them to do
so. When teachers connect the content to the lives of students the learning then becomes much
more believable. Through research presented in this theme it is obvious to see that one way in
which teachers can do this is through the implementation of technology within the classroom.
Technology’s Impact on Literacy
As new literacies are becoming a more popular tool within classrooms to guide
instruction we are aware of some of the obvious benefits such as students are able to be fully
engaged within content area lessons, and a severe increase in student motivation. Researchers
are also focusing in on if technology truly promotes student academic success. Throughout the
last two themes it is proven that student engagement, and motivation directly affect student
success; however this theme will look at studies that show how technology itself directly effects
students’ performance within the classroom.
One of the major components to literacy is student comprehension. Teachers presently
have been grappling with different strategies that lead to an increase in student comprehension,
and critical thinking. Comprehension can be defined as being able to understand for meaning,
and visualize the text while reading. It is proven that there are numerous factors that contribute
to a student’s success or distress in this area. However, there are many different things that
teachers can do that involve new literacies to help improve student comprehension.
A study that was conducted on a group of fourth graders who were struggling with
reading comprehension helped to clarify this wondering. Ertem (2010) looked at a group of
fourth graders who had weak comprehension skills. He believed that through the use of
electronic story books the students reading comprehension as well as other areas of literacy
would show growth. According to Ertem (2010) he states that “computer technology has a role
to play in the remediation of children with reading problems and successes in reading
instruction” (p. 140). The idea of how technology positively impacts student success is found to
be truthful from the results of this study. Ertem found that electronic texts showcase new
supports as well as new challenges that can greatly affect a learner, as well as have a major
impact on the individual’s ability to comprehend texts. He also found from the study that
original printed texts are highly non-interactive as well as contain no adaptable features. Since
traditional paper texts lack these new advances it of course makes decoding very difficult for
especially a struggling reader to gain fluency as well as comprehend the text at hand.
Fortunately however, through the use of animated illustrations, and the narration of texts,
struggling readers are able to grasp higher-level texts. Ertem, proves that through these
technological advances in new literacies students are able to build their schemas of stories. It
also serves as a wonderful scaffolding tool for both the teacher as well as the student. Coiro
(2015) found similar results when directly looking at the benefits of online reading and how they
affected comprehension as well as reading strategies. Coiro is in agreement with Ertem’s (2010)
findings by stating that technologies offer different ways to make meaning clear to students.
They way that the information and text is being presented through new literacies promotes highly
effective scaffolding strategies. Coiro also states that the way web-based learning is presented
students must be able to pull from a variety of strategies that include locating, evaluating,
synthesizing, and being able to communicate the information that is being found. Through the
use of technologies students are able to do this with confidence. She agrees that features such as
narration, voice-overs, highlighted word, and animations help students become more cognizant
to their reading and comprehension skills.
One major topic of discussion when looking at the effectiveness of technology
implementation within the classroom is not only the aid it brings to those students who are
struggling readers, but to students with varying levels of competence as well. Since technology
has the ability to diversify its support to all learners it makes it all the more valuable tool to place
into any classroom regardless of the student population within. One population of students it
directly helps is those students with special needs. According to a study conducted by Gonzalez
(2014) technology can help this specific pool of learners the most; as well as aid in pushing
others groups of students past their potential levels. Gonzalez argues that most would think that
students with learning disabilities would benefit from an intense reading instruction program
such as an exclusive guided reading setting to help them gain the necessary strategies to be
successful in school. However, this is not the case. Students with disabilities have a difficult
time staying engaged with lessons, and often work with educators that who “lack sufficient and
accurate knowledge to teach that certain population” (p. 2). Educators realized the specific need
for certain interventions that deal specifically to literacy, and are now turning to technology as
the answer. Whitby, Leininger, and Grillo, (2012) agree with Gonzalez (2014) that these
students need certain interventions as well. They also suggest that since students with
disabilities are being moved to more inclusive settings more often they (as well as their teachers)
are being pressured to keep up with the rigor of assessments and the fast paced curriculum that is
mandatory to move forward. In a sense they expected to academically compete with their peers.
Whitby, Leininger, and Grillo, (2012) believe that through the use of technology students with
disabilities will be able to participate at a level playing field equal to their peers. Gonzalez
(2014) was specifically looking at the positive benefits that e-books have for students with
learning disabilities. The major elements that seemed to support the students learning was
similar to those of Ertem’s (2010) findings which were the convince of animation, music, sound
effects, highlighted text, dictionaries, and modeled fluent reading to help enhance the reader’s
experience. The other commonality between studies was the excellent assistance in which
technology can provide scaffolding to students and gives them a chance to build upon their
problem solving strategies. In addition, Whitby, Leininger, and Grillo, (2012) also note that
when students do not contain the receptive language abilities to gather the whole meaning from
text-based instruction they miss out on different learning opportunities causing them to lag
behind. This is yet another example of how technology can directly affect instruction in a
positive manor. Through the use of the digital features that are available to students with
disabilities as well as the ability to scaffold to promote student prior knowledge and problem
solving skills students with debilities will be able to participate in more inclusive classroom
lessons with confidence that they will be able to succeed and learn through the different
instructional tools that are offered to them without feeling neglected from the class.
As mentioned before, students who struggle with reading, and students with disabilities
are not the only ones who are benefiting from these new literacies. Although, it is becoming
more evident through current research and professional discussions that more students who come
to us every day demonstrate some sort of reading deficit we must remember that technology can
benefit all students through its ability to be easily differentiated. One of the best ways to do so
is to make sure that the students are truly connected to the instruction. Hill (2014) states that one
way in which students are really struggling with literacy in present days in through literal
comprehension skills. Students who are in our schools today do not possess the skill set to
necessarily think through problems literally, and the same goes for texts that are being provided
to them at school in any content area. Some of the new standards that are being implemented
into our curriculums are outdated and do not reflect the values, customs, and beliefs of the
students in our schools today. Unfortunately, because of this students are falling behind when it
comes to literacy, and more specifically reading comprehension. Hill states that the teacher from
her study (Allison) was flustered in the sense that she had to provide quality instruction to a
diverse group of learners with various needs, and sometimes she felt stuck and unsure if it would
be possible. Similar to Gonzalez (2014), Allison also felt of pressures of making sure the
students felt that they could understand the material that their equal counterparts understood.
Allison wanted to use interactive whiteboards to promote student success when it came to
comprehension, deep understanding and peer-led discussion groups. In the study, Hill (2014)
proves that Allison was able to achieve all of those key components that she felt was so
necessary to her instruction as well as her students learning through technology. By using
technology Allison was able to differentiate tasks for all her students. By using the interactive
smart board Allison felt that she could reach to even her lowest achieving students. When the
students watched the book on the smart board the pressures of decoding words, and using
multiple strategies to help them read fluently vanished. The students then were able to listen and
visualize for overall meaning, ultimately raising their comprehension levels that were previously
almost non-existent. Jung, Won Hur, and Suhyun (2012) also side with Hill (2014) on the
general idea that presenting technology into socially engaged setting such as one like a peer-led
discussion group can help any student become more mindful of the content that they are trying to
understand. Just like how Allison gave her students the opportunity to simply listen to
understand for meaning, students will reap the same benefits to a large group discussion. When
students are able to listen to one another’s idea collectively within a large group it is obvious that
more ideas will generate. By allowing all students in a large group setting watch an interactive
story on a smart board, discuss whole group all levels of learners are able, and encouraged to
participate. Jung, Won Hur, and Suhyun (2012) also went onto state the students did not view
these extra new literacy features such as the voice overs, narrations, animations, colorful and
attractive images, etc. to be work that they had to do. The students saw this learning opportunity
as a game instead of an educational tool. The students were able to problem solve through issues
and become critical thinkers and truly grasp the deep meaning of the task. In addition, according
to the sociocultural theory created by Larson and Marsh (2007) students are able to collaborate
with each other which incorporates interactions between culture and peers with learning.
Educators must be able to use these new literacies in the classroom in a way that enhances the
students’ overall learning experience, and helps them become prepared for the future.
However, on the other hand there are some researchers that thought the use of technology
would be distracting to students, and cause a decrease in student achievement because of all the
different applications that are used to “help” them. According to Seyit (2010), technology such
as e-books and interactive stories would be over stimulating for students. The advanced features
such as the vibrant animations, and various voices that the narrations offer would not benefit
students. Although his initial claim was they would not understand the overall story, his results
showed differently. The students actually responded better to the animated picture, rather than
those of traditional storybooks. The students viewed this new wave of read aloud as more of a
movie and much more entertaining. The results showed that the students we in fact able to relay
the story elements back to the teacher. Similarly Ertem (2010) study showed the same reactions
from the students as Seyit (2010). Both researchers found that the students viewed using the
technology as a form of enjoyment. By having all of the advanced features that make these new
literacies come to life students become excited. Moreover, they are able to relate them back to
their own personal lives where they use technology for enjoyment.
Although much of the research continues to prove that technology truly does help student
achievement there are still some researchers who are not quite buying into it. Wright, Fugett and
Caputa (2013) had the same initial thoughts as Seyit (2010), in which they were looking to see if
technology actually affected student comprehension in a positive or negative way. The study
included participants that were on grade level, and had average academic performance. The
students were asked to read a printed book, an e-book. From the results one could see that the
students did in fact take advantage of the different on-line features such as the voice-overs,
highlighting words at they are read, and the dictionary. However, these same results also show
that there was little to no increase in comprehension scores when comparing those of the e-books
and printed books. The students stated that they found some of the factors to be somewhat
distracting. It should be taken into consideration that again these students are not struggling
readers, however it is still data that disproves the main claim being made. Murray and Olcese
(2011) agree with Wright, Fugett and Caputa (2013) in the overall idea that technologies may not
always prove an increase in student comprehension or achievement. Murray and Olcese (2011)
argue that based on their study they do not believe that the iPad will help with educational
advances within classrooms. The study also specifically looks at how these technologies impact
the teacher’s delivery to their students. Murray and Olcese state that these new technologies are
of little use to educators and their classrooms; they believe that the iPad does little to help
teachers with instructional making processes and there are far better strategies in the education
world that can aid in supporting student success. From these linking studies we can see how
technologies may not offer the sense of support that many other researchers claim new literacies
to do.
Through the use of new literacies schools around the world are rethinking their
educational pedagogy’s to ensure that technology is a part of everyday life. However, some
researchers do in fact argue that new literacies show little to no increase in student
comprehension and achievement. It should be taken into consideration that these students were
ones of an average academic level. In other words these extra supports are of little to no value to
them. Consequently, struggling readers have shown great improvements when it comes to the
use of new literacies during instruction. It is however, shown through numerous studies that
technology does directly affect student achievement scores, specifically looking at those that deal
with reading comprehension, problem solving skills, critical thinking, and being an over-all well
rounded learner. Being a literate being in our society today is so important and crucial to being
successful in any aspect of life. It is our job as educators to make sure that we are providing our
students with opportunities to help them grow and learn strategies that help them to become
successful within our ever-changing literate world.
Conclusion
Throughout this literature review three major themes were discussed. All of which have
a direct effect on our students today. As we know we are living in a twenty first century world,
and everywhere we turn we will encounter some sort of device, gadget, and technological tool
that will help aid us with any questions we may have, problems that we need to solve, or even for
the pure enjoyment to better ourselves as an ever-learning being. Many researchers have
concluded that having electronic devices, and different technologies in school supports literacy
learning and also acts as a successful learning tool. Eventually, technology will be the forefront
in which literacy is taught. Teachers must realize that technology does not act as just an
entertainment factor, however it serves as portal to knowledge. In order to prepare our students
to be college and career ready we need to equip them with the necessary skill set to use these
devices correctly and efficiently.
The first theme that was discussed was how technology effects student engagement. It is
clear to see that students must be engaged and willing to participate within classroom activities.
Technology allows them to do this by allowing them to participate interactively and freely
practice the skills that they know best within the classroom. The idea of the teacher being the
sole instrument in delivering instruction is slowly going away. Students are becoming less
engaged with traditional practices. They are in desperate need of engagement and interaction
within the classroom. New literacies help to make students become more interested in their
learning.
The second theme that was discussed is how motivation increases due to the use of
technology within the classroom. It is a known fact that when students are motivated to learn
they do are able to produce a higher quality piece of work. Students who are able to use
technology in the classroom daily and have the freedom of choice through authentic learning
experiences are proven to demonstrate a higher academic level of achievement. Technology
caters to students’ native language in which they feel much more comfortable taking risks within
the classroom. By allowing students to express the five different domains of self-motivation
students are bound to show success within the classroom.
The last theme that was discussed in this literature review was how technology impacts
on literacy specifically looking at comprehension. With new literacies being the major push
within schools it is clear to see how technology can directly affect students’ growth when it
comes to literacy skills and how they are being used within the classroom. In research where
there were struggling readers the results offered great results that impacted student
comprehension. However, there are some studies in which students show little to no
improvement when using new literacies and looking at student comprehension. These students
are ones that at grade level, or above. Ultimately it is clear that students today only know life
through the use of technology, it is the world that they live in. As educators it is our
responsibility to make sure that we are providing them with everything that they need to succeed
in this new technological world. We need to make sure that all students, low and high achieving
know how navigate technology and use it to their advantage.
Methods
Contexts
Research for this study took place in a suburb elementary school located in the city of
Rochester. According to the New York State Report Card data for this school the total
population of students is 548. Of those 548 students, 40 are in the special education setting, 191
are economically disadvantaged, 18 speak limited proficient English, and the remaining 299
students are considered average students in general education settings. There are 289 males and
259 females that attend this school. The racial make-up of the school is as follows: 10% are
Black or African American, 5% are Latino or Hispanic, 3% are Asian or Native Hawaiian/Other
Pacific Islander, 77% are White, and 5% are Multi-Racial.
The classroom that is being used for this study is a first grade class room. Within this
classroom there are 20 students. Of these 20 students there is one Black/African American
student, one Multi-Racial, one Asian, and the remaining 17 are White. There are 10 males, and
10 females within this classroom. Six of these students receive free/reduced lunch. Seven of
these students are below the average reading level (below I). The remaining 13 are at or above
grade level.
Participants
The participants from this study included four children from the school listed above.
This group of students contains two boys, and two girls. These students all come from diverse
cultures, and all but one student receive free or reduced lunch. The ethnic make-up of these
students consists of one Black/African American, one Asian, and the other two are White. Of
these four students, one currently receives reading recovery support, and two others had been
pulled for reading intervention services for the first twenty weeks of school.
Veronica (pseudonym) is a Black or African American female. Veronica is seven years
old. She is a very imaginative student. She loves to talk and tell stories about what she does at
home, past experiences, and what she is looking forward to do. To gain attention from peers she
often times throws tantrums, or tries to “one-up” another student by comparing experiences or
materialistic items. She receives free lunch as well. Her instructional reading level is below
grade level, as she is reading at a level H. In the duration of the first 20 weeks of the school
year, she was pulled out every day for 45 minutes to gain more reading instruction. She is also
receiving math services. Veronica is pulled out three times a week for 25 minutes to receive
extra support in mathematics.
Steven (pseudonym) is an Asian male. Steven is seven years old. He is a very active
student with a lot of energy to bring to the classroom. He can become distracted very easily and
unmotivated at times. He loves to work with technology, watch Netflix, and play with Pokemon
cards. Steven receives free lunch as well. His instructional reading level is below grade level.
He is at a reading level H. For the entire 40 weeks of school Steven has been receiving reading
recovery services every day for 45 minutes a day.
Walt (pseudonym) is a White male. Walt is six years old. He is a role model for the
class. Walt is always helping others in need, and following directions. He enjoys playing
basketball and baseball. Walt’s instructional reading level is below grade level he is at a level H.
For the first 20 weeks of school he was pulled out every day for 45 minutes to gain more reading
instruction.
Emily (pseudonym) is a White female. She is seven years old. She loves to draw, and
make new friends. At times she can have issues dealing with her emotions and cannot regulate
her temper to keep herself calm. Emily’s instructional reading level is right on grade level. She
is able to read at a level I.
Researcher Stance
I am currently a graduate student at St. John Fisher College Fisher College. I am
working toward a Master’s of Science in Literacy Education, and a certification for teaching
literacy birth through grade 12. I currently hold a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Childhood
Education grades one through six, as well as a degree in Special Education earned at St. John
Fisher College. As a researcher for this study I will serve as an active observer (Mill, 2013) I
will act as a facilitator to an activity the students are completing by explaining directions of the
activity and prompting students when necessary. The student activities will all be done while I
am simultaneously observing the outcomes of the study (Mill, 2013).
Methods
For this study I will be looked at how student comprehension is affected through the
use of technology within the classroom. This study took place over the span of three days. This
study was conducted with the small group of the four first grade students previously mentioned.
The study took place during center time while the rest of the class is working on their center
jobs. This made pulling them for the study manageable.
On the first day of this study the teacher read “Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon” by Patty
Lovel to the small group of students. This book was about a little girl who had unique features.
At first she was shy and unsure of her special qualities but her grandmother told her to stand tall
and the world will smile back at you. Molly Lou Melon had to move to a new school and make
new friends. All of the kids were very nice to her except one boy; he made fun of all of her
unique qualities. Molly Lou Melon stood tall and knew that although her qualities were unique
that is what made her so special. The little boy realized that he was wrong and they became
friends. The teacher presented the book to them in the form of a traditional interactive read
aloud (IRA). After reading the book, students went to the back table and filled out a graphic
organizer that focuses on the comprehension of the text.
On the second day the students interacted with an e-book on “Book-Flix” called
“Amazing Grace” by Mary Hoffman that is at the same difficulty, and has the same theme as the
IRA. This book was about an African American little girl named Grace. Grace loved to act, and
took on the role of many different people and things. One day in school her teacher told her
class that they were going to put on the play of Peter Pan. Grace immediately raised her hand
and said that she wants the role. One little boy said she couldn’t be Peter Pan because she was
black, another litter girl said that she couldn’t be better Peter Pan because she was a girl. Grace
went home very distraught that day and told her grandmother about it. Her grandmother was
very upset and took Grace to the ballet. She told Grace that she could be anything she wanted to
be, just like that ballerina. Grace practiced and practiced for the part of Peter Pan, and she got
the role. All of the children in her class were very impressed at what an amazing job Grace did.
Grace knew she could do anything she put her mind to. The teacher explained the directions on
how to use the e-book, and navigate through the pages. At the end of the book the students went
to the back table to complete the same graphic organizer that focused on comprehension as the
one they used on day one.
On day three, the students came down to the carpet and watched an interactive read-aloud
using the interactive white board. This read aloud was called the “The Bad Case of the Stripes”
by David Shannon. This story will portrayed the same themes/topics as day one and day two.
This book was about a little girl named Camilla. Camilla loved lima beans but she never ate
them because she was the only one in her school who enjoyed them. She was so worried about
what her friends who think of her that she broke out in stripes. Her crazy stripes wouldn’t go
away, not even after the doctors and the specialist came to visit her. Soon after, a lady came to
her house and offered Camilla some beans. Camilla asked if the beans were magical and the
lady explained to her that they were just lima beans, and they are exactly what she needs.
Camilla eats the lima beans and her stripes go away. She learned that it is okay to be who you
are. After the story on the interactive white board was over, the students went to the back table
to complete the same graphic organizer that focuses on comprehension as day one and day two.
On the fourth day the teacher asked the students 10 different questions within a focus
group. The students’ all took turns answering the teacher’s questions. Some students did not
answer the questions or said pass if they were not sure of the response that they wanted to give.
Quality and Credibility of Research
Since this study is one of active research, it is crucial to make sure that it obtains the
four criterion to ensure trustworthiness (Mills 2013). Credibility is one the four criterion that
supports active research. Mills (2013) describes credibility in a way that researchers must
realize that their data results may not present a direct correlation to their hypotheses. One way in
which my study uses credibility is through the use of triangulation.
Another criterion is transferability. When looking at transferability Mills (2013) states
that the data being gathered cannot be generalized for other circumstances. The data that is
being collected is only relevant to the specific participants and demographic. The environment
and classroom make-up will also be taken into account when looking at transferability.
The third criterion is dependability. Mills (2013) claims that “dependability refers to
the stability of the data” (p.116). When thinking about research this simply means that the
researcher’s data collected directly reflects the proposed idea(s) of the study. Mills (2013)
introduces the overlap method. When using this method the researcher will be able to use two or
more methods to contribute the researcher’s understanding of the observations made throughout
the study.
The last and fourth criterion is confirmability. Mills (2013) explains the definition of
confirmability as one in which the researchers ideas or beliefs have zero influence on the
participants that were active within the duration of the study. To ensure confirmability within
my study I will be sure to incorporate the use of triangulation. Mills explain this kind of
triangulation as “A variety of data sources and different methods that are compared with one
another to cross-check data” (p. 116). My data sources include active observation, a focus
group, and student-based evidence.
Informed Consent and Protecting the Rights of the Participants
To ensure that the rights of all participants were protected several measures were taken.
One of which was gaining the assent of the students that I wanted to use for my study. I verbally
explained to the students what the study was about and their specific roles within the study.
Since the students are young, parent permission was mandatory for them to participate in this
study. I sent home permission slips asking parents if they would allow their children to
participate in a study that focused on the influence technology has on comprehension skills.
Throughout this document each student was given a pseudonym to protect their identities.
Data Collection
In order to effectively gain the necessary data used to find a representation of my
research question, I need to gathered data in multiple ways. Through the use of triangulation I
will be able to do so. The three different ways that collected my data was through my role as an
active observer, focus groups, and student based evidence.

For my role as an active observer I will be jotted down anecdotal notes I observe about
the students’ behaviors. Every time I noticed that a student was off task I will provided them
with a tally on my data recording sheet. I recorded behaviors for all three days while the
students were listening and following along with the stories.
Through the use of focus groups, I was able to facilitate a student-lead discussion. This
discussion explored their thoughts and ideas on all of the stories, as well as how easy or difficult
they thought each graphic organizer was to complete. I also probed the students’ thoughts on
what technology was to them, and how they thought that we used it in our classroom daily. I
concluded the focus group with questions that asked the students if they did or did not think
technology helped their learning.
Lastly, I will analyzed the student-based evidence to see if there was a direct correlation
showing increased comprehension from the worksheets they completed to which type of
technology was used. I looked at students’ comprehension worksheets and took into account the
different ways that the information was presented to them to see if one way had more of an
impact on the student than the other.
Data Analysis
The data collected for this action research includes a rubric which assessed if the students
were engaged or disengaged throughout the read aloud, student work samples to check for
comprehension, a focus group to discuss the technology used, and field notes. Student work
and rubrics were analyzed to find trending themes to support the action research question.
Student work samples were reviewed and assessed to see if students were able to comprehend
one read aloud easier than another. Specifically taking into account how the read aloud was
presented to the students via traditional read aloud, iPad, or smartboard. Student rubrics were
analyzed by looking at the student behaviors throughout the various read a-louds. Tallies were
given, and totaled to students who were engaged or disengaged during the read a-louds. The
tallies were divided up into separate sub components that specifically looked at which behavior
the students were displaying. The student focus group was transcribed and coded to find any
matching themes on how the students felt about using technology inside and outside the
classroom. Lastly, field notes were taken throughout the entirety of the study. The majority of the
field notes derive from how the students transition to their graphic organizers after the read a-
loud and how easily they are able to complete the graphic organizers. The field notes were
analyzed by viewing common themes/frustrations that came from the students after each specific
type of read aloud.
Findings and Discussion

The data from this action research has been pulled from teacher observation, student
work samples, and a discussion from a student focus group facilitated by the teacher. After
coding the data there were three major themes that appeared. The first theme is student
engagement and appeal of using technology in the classroom. The second theme is technology
as an instructional tool and its effect on student comprehension. Finally, the third theme is
technology as a primary discourse.
Student Engagement with Text
After examining the data it became clear that student engagement, as well as
student appeal should be something that must be observed and recorded. Below are
some findings that show the levels of student engagement throughout the different types
of read a louds, as well as student appeal that represent the students’ feelings on
excitement and attraction to using either technology or traditional books within the
classroom.
Table 1
Technology Level of Engagement Percentages
______________________________________________________________________________
Engaged
Sitting attentively 100%
Doing exactly what was asked to do 100%
Staying on task (not wiggling around, touching neighbor, etc.) 100%
Answering/asking higher level questions when needed 100%
Disengaged
Not on task 0%
Goofing off on carpet/back table 0%
Not doing what was asked to do 0%
Talking to or touching neighbors 0%
______________________________________________________________________________
Student levels of engagement seem to be very high for all students who participated in
this study. During the read a louds that included technology the students were very engaged.
You can see that the students were not talking at all for the duration of the read a louds; they
were sitting attentively; they did everything that was being asked of them; and they also were
able to add input when instructed. Also during the activities you can see that the students were
not disengaged at all.

According to Larson (2010) technology is a tool in which students can feel personally
connected to because it relates to their out of school experiences. When the students are able to
use new literacies within the classroom their engagement increases, as well as their achievement.
By using technology this study is proven to be accurate as shown above in table one since all
students were engaged and on task while listening to the interactive read a louds that the
technology provided.
The students were also able to see how new literacies impacted their engagement as well.
Through the use of a focus group the students were able to speak freely about how technology
affected their engagement and learning overall. When asked about which way the students
enjoyed the read a-louds presented to them the best Emily answered:
The smart board because I I got to see what it what is doing, and when you’re reading I
can’t see what it’s doing like it moves when its reading but when you read the picture just
like stays there. (Student, June 24, 2015)
Emily clearly indicated that she preferred using technology as the primary source for interactive
read a louds. Her reasoning for favoring the smart board over the traditional read aloud seems to
derive from the fact that she enjoyed the digital animations rather than the stagnant pictures from
the traditional book. From her statement it is clear to see that Emily is a visual learner. By using
the smart board she is able to understand the story better. Through the use of the smart board
the story was able to come alive for Emily, as well as the other students. She enjoyed how the
book seemed more like a movie because of its unique animation features as opposed to a book
where the pictures are just stagnant. The interactive story that was read aloud to the students
was “The Bad Case of the Stripes” and it was read by a famous celebrity. Throughout the
duration of the story the students were able to feel as if they were watching a movie because of
the animation and effects. According to Lacina and Mathews (2012), “the storybooks on
Magic Keys (an interactive website), for example, display text and pictures and students are
responsible for turning the pages “(p. 158). On this website there are also famous celebrities
that read the story books a loud to the children such as “The Bad Case of the Stripes”. Lancina
and Mathews (2012) state that when books are presented to students in a manner that is exciting
as well as engaging specifically through the use of new literacies students are going to be fully
engaged throughout instruction.
Consequently, the study showed that although the students were completely engaged
throughout both read alouds that dealt with technology, they were equally as engaged with the
traditional read aloud “Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon”. The table below shows the levels of
student engagement.
Table 2
Traditional Read Aloud Level of Engagement Percentages
______________________________________________________________________________
Engaged
Sitting attentively 100%
Doing exactly what was asked to do 100%
Staying on task (not wiggling around, touching neighbor, etc.) 100%
Answering/asking higher level questions when needed 100%
Disengaged
Not on task 0%
Goofing off on carpet/back table 0%
Not doing what was asked to do 0%

Talking to or touching neighbors 0%
______________________________________________________________________________
According to the table above the students were equally as engaged in the traditional read aloud as
the two read alouds that dealt with technology. All students were highly engaged, on task,
sitting attentively, and doing what they were asked to do. There were no students who were
off task, disengaged, or disruptive. There are many different factors that could be taken into
consideration on why and how a student is engaged throughout a lesson. As research shows one
major contributor to a student’s engagement is how the student can relate to a text, or their level
of enjoyment from the text. A conversation between the teacher and Walt during the focus group
shows how Walt found “Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon” to be the most interesting book out of the
three selections. The teacher posed the question about which book seemed to the most interesting
to the students. When it was Walt’s turn to speak he answered “Molly Lou Melon because she
can stack pennies on her teeth!” (Focus Group Interview, June 24, 2015). One interpretation on
why this was Walt’s favorite could be he found that part of the story to be funny, since most
school aged students would not be stacking pennies on their teeth during recess time. When
students enjoy the book being read to them, and in Walt’s case may find it hilarious the context
of the book can be more of an appeal to the students rather than the way it is being presented.
According to Falter (2015), it does not necessarily matter how the information is presented to
the students, the important aspect of engaging kids is making sure they feel a connection and a
sense of belonging to the specific task at hand. In Walt’s case his feelings toward the book is
evident from his response when asked the question which story was most interesting to you.
From tables one and two you can see that students were in fact equally engaged in both
the read a-louds through technology, as well as the traditional read a-loud. With that being said,
one can also see from the focus group interviews that both Emily, and Walt were engaged in both
the stories for different reasons. This main reason being that they were connected to the text in a
way that was relatable and came to life for them.
Technology as an Instructional Tool and its Effect on Students
Throughout this study it was evident to see how much the technology that was used in
the classroom affected student performance in addition to their overall attitudes toward literacy.
After each read aloud the students had to complete a graphic organizer to demonstrate their
overall comprehension of what lesson the story was trying to teach us. In figure 1 Veronica, a
struggling student completed the graphic organizer on the book “Amazing Grace” which was
read to her via Book Flix on the iPad.
Figure 1. Veronica’s Graphic Organizer for “Amazing Grace”
Figure 1. That you can be how you want to be. It does not matter what people say. You
can’t be peter pan because you are a girl.
Veronica is able to capture the overall lesson of the story with ease. Veronica usually
struggles with graphic organizers such as these since she is below grade level for reading and
writing. Veronica may have enjoyed the narration of voice over and as well as the highlighting
of words as the narration was read. By using these various features, her understanding of the
story may have increased which lead to an overall higher comprehension of text, which in return
helped her fill out the graphic organizer easily. According to Ertem (2010) this reasoning is
valid because he states that traditional paper books lack the advances in which the new literacies
such as iPads contain. The iPads have many different interactive features that keep students
engaged while they are reading. One of which Etrem says is extremely beneficial is the feature
that helps students decode difficult words, and then provides them with a definition to that
word. When a student is unable to understand how to say a word, as well as identify what is
means the students’ comprehension will be lost. By using the decoding and dictionary feature it
will eliminate and issues that may arise for students while reading a book.
Walt like Veronica also was able to fill out a graphic organizer with ease after watching
and listening to “A Bad Case of the Stripes” on the smartboard. Although all of the read alouds
were the same level of difficulty “A Bad Case of the Stripes” was the longest of all the read a
louds approximating in 12 minutes of length. Since the duration was a little bit longer than the
rest of the read alouds it can make listening for the moral and lesson of the story a little more
difficult. In figure 2 Walt does a good job of trying to decipher the lesson that story was
relaying as well as give supportive details to back up him claim
Figure 2. Walt’s Graphic Organizer for the “Bad Case of the Stripes”
Figure 2. That you can like lima beans and your friends don’t. She did not eat lima
beans so she turned into stripes. She turned back to normal when she ate the lima beans.
From the lesson that Walt provided you can see that he has a grasp of the overall moral
that the author David Shannon wanted his audience to know. He also gives specific details from
the story that support his lesson. The first key detail Walt describes the part in which Camilla
does not want to eat the lima beans because her friends will make fun her. The second key
detail that Walt describes is when Camilla eats the lima beans after she has tried everything to
get rid of the stripes. When she ate the lima beans she is able to turn back to normal. Walt’s
explanation supports the author’s lesson because according to Walt the author wants us to know
that you can like things that your friends do not. There are many different factors that may have
helped Walt come to these conclusions. One of which could have been the format that the
interactive story was presented to the students. It comes off “movie-like” which interests the
students.
Similarly to Veronica and Walt, Steven also enjoys instruction through the use of new
literacies in the classroom. Steven verbalizes his enjoyment and comfortability with technology
in the focus group when talking about how technology was or was not useful for them (the
students’) personally within the classroom. With that being said, Steven is aware of his reading
and comprehension abilities. He knows that it is very hard for him to stay on task, even during
group activities. One reason for this behavior is, since he does struggle so much within the
classroom, it is hard for him to pay attention and feel connected to the instruction. From the
quote below it is clear to see why he prefers using technology within the classroom. Steven states
“Uh technology reads it for us when we don’t want to read. Technology helps us learn better, it
gives you more learning. (Focus Group Interview, June 24, 2015). From this quote, and knowing
Steven’s academic background one can infer that Steven is clearly an auditory and visual learner.
He enjoys when the narrations are being played back to him. This in part may possibly be from
the different voices the characters take on from the narration. Another interpretation from
Stevens quote may be that he enjoys the animations that technology has to offer since “it gives
you more learning.”
In the image below, there is a picture of Steven’s graphic organizer from the book “Stand
Tall Molly Lou Melon”. Steven needs much prompting when completing this graphic organizer
and he needs it scribed for him as well because he would not complete it otherwise. You can also
see from the image that the central message Steven tells us that the author is trying to present is a
very basic answer, with no critical thinking involved.
Figure 3. Steven’s Graphic Organizer of “Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon”

Figure 3. Being small is okay. She can stack pennies on her teeth. She caught the ball and scored
a point.
After viewing figure 3 from above, one can see that Steven’s claims on what the central message
that the author David Shannon was trying to relay to us through his story “Stand Tall Molly Lou
Melon” are rather undescriptive. Although Steven was able to relay one important part of the
story which was “being small is okay”, does not justify the intentional theme of the entire book.
Furthermore, one of Steven’s supporting reasons does not match with his central claim. Although
Molly Lou Melon was able to stack the pennies on her teeth, that does not support how being
small is okay. Steven also refused to fill out the graphic organizer independently and would not
write out this thoughts. He also had a very difficult time coming up with a central claim, as well
as supporting details. It is displayed at the top of his graphic organizer that he needed this
thoughts scribed, as well as prompted throughout the entirety of the activity.
By looking at Steven’s work from above, taking into consideration that this was a
traditional read aloud, and his previous comments about how he truly enjoys using technology, it
could be inferred that Steven was not able to connect with the material as well through a
traditional read aloud. Couse and Chen (2010) also have observed similar behavior in a study
that they conducted that dealt with students using technology to promote literacy skills. It was
found that when students were given the opportunity to use technology as their primary source of
instruction that the students’ comprehension scores were increased. You can see again, from the
image above that Steven’s graphic organizer response was sub-par, especially when comparing it
to Veronica and Walt’s responses. New literacies truly help students become more motivated
when receiving instruction, and completing assignments.

Smartboard Effectiveness versus iPad
Although it has been evident that students enjoy using technology within the classroom,
and their scores reflect their positive attitudes toward new literacies; during this study it clear
that some types of technology better benefited the students than other types. It was observed, as
well as documented through student work samples, and verbalization that the smart board was
the favored piece of technology within the classroom.
The smart board seemed to be the piece of technology that engaged the students the most,
which directly affected their comprehension to the text that was presented. From anecdotal notes
collected by the teacher it was evident that read aloud from the smartboard created an
environment in which students were able to discuss the question “what is the central message”
compared to the environment of the iPad which was strictly an individualized activity. The
teacher recorded “students’ are able to feed off each other’s ideas which will promote confidence
when completing the graphic organizer” (Teacher Field Notes, June 23, 2015). From this
statement it is clear to see that the teacher was able to observe the students’ in an instructional
social setting. The teacher heard good discussion revolving around the central message of the
read aloud. According to Lankshear and Knobel (2010), literacy is “socially recognized ways of
texts within contexts of participation in discourses” (p. 64). When looking at this quote, and
taking into consideration the teacher’s anecdotal notes of the students’ reactions to the smart
board read aloud, it is clear that the students were in a social setting in which they were able to
express and communicate their ideas in a way that made sense for them to gather and process
necessary information to answer the question at hand. Since the students’ were placed in an
environment that allowed them to communicate they were able to gain a better understanding of
the text.
After looking at the socialization factor dealing with the smartboard, the other key piece
of technology in this study was reviewed also; specifically looking at the socialization
component. From looking as the anecdotal notes the teacher took after viewing the students’
work with technology it was clear that there was no discussion, or socialization that took place
with the iPad. The teacher stated “students’ came directly off iPads and started on their graphic
organizers. Students’ seemed frustrated while trying to complete the graphic organizer” (Teacher
Field Notes, June 22, 2015). Since each of the students were allowed their own iPad it could be
inferred that the students’ felt this was an isolated activity. From the quote above the teacher was
able to see the students’ clear frustration when trying to complete the activity. Although the
students’ were sitting next to one another, and the teacher did not discourage them to discuss
after the text on the iPad was read; one could conclude that since the iPad was given to each of
the students’ it did not allow the opportunity to create a collaborative environment. According to
Larson and Marsh (2010), they believe that a true learner is one that is an active member of an
ever evolving community. As stated above the students may have viewed the iPad as an isolated
activity, and because of this there was not an opportunity for them to be active members in a
community that promoted their learning. Furthermore, this lack of socialization caused
disconnect with the text which directly effective their comprehension, as well as their confidence
to complete the graphic organizer.
Upon reviewing the graphic organizers that were collected from the students after the
study was taken place, it can been seen that the students had difficulty putting their thoughts on
the paper. In the figure below, Emily had the most difficult time completing the graphic
organizer. On her paper the teacher wrote a note commenting on how difficult this was for her to
complete. It should be noted that Emily was the highest achieving in the study, and her other two
work samples were very easy for her to complete.
Figure 4. Emily’s Graphic Organizer of “Amazing Grace”
Figure 4. You can be anything. You can’t be peter pan yes I can. When Grace proved that she
can be Peter Pan.
As you can see from figure four it Emily has a difficult time completing the graphic organizer.
From her text based evidence responses it is shown that she has somewhat of an idea that
supports her claim, however her answers are not strong. By saying “you can’t be Peter Pan, yes I
can” does not show a specific section of the book that directly proves that she can be anything
she wants to be. Also, from the teacher notes, it is documented that Emily shows much
frustration when trying to complete the graphic organizer because she kept forgetting what
happened throughout the story, and that she could not focus. Wright, Fugett and Caputa (2013),
found similar frustrations with students’ working with e-books that participated in their study.
The students, like Emily verbalized that the various factors that were meant to help the students
gain a better overall understanding just left them distracted and frustrated. When looking at this
specific study it is noted that the students who were participating were not struggling readers,
just like Emily.
Overall, it is the results of this study show that student comprehension increased when
using the smartboard to present the read aloud to them compared to the iPad. Various factors
contributed to this increase in comprehension such as the socialization factor, and the elimination
of distracting features that were offered to the students throughout the duration of the read aloud.
Implications
This action research question asked given that students live in a technology based world,
and a world that revolves around the practice of new literacies, how can technology influence
students’ comprehension? Throughout this research there have been three various implications
that were found that will further help teachers with their instructional practice within the
classroom. These three implications were, why participation and engagement is increased when
technology is used within the classroom, how technology is a resource for differentiation, and
why it is crucial to teach students this 21st century skill.
Findings revealed that through the use of technology, student participation and
engagement increase. Teachers should implement these new literacies into their classrooms
because it truly excites their students to expand their horizons when learning new material due to
their increased participation and engagement. The study conducted by Barone and Wright (2008)
support this implication when examining a group of fourth grader’s using instant messaging
within the classroom to support their instruction. Their research showed the improvements in
comprehension raised when technology was used. One major contributing factor that lent itself to
the raise of comprehension according to Barone and Wright, was strictly because of the gains in
engagement, motivation, and the participation that led to critical thinking strategies. If teachers
want to hook their students’ into learning any material across the curriculum technology is
proven to support them throughout their academic journey in a positive way.
In addition to technology supporting student engagement, teachers should also be aware
of how technology is such a wonderful tool to have in the classroom when it comes to
differentiating instruction within the classroom. As shown throughout this action research study
students’ express their feelings on how they enjoy being able to manipulate the features when
using technology to fit their personal needs. Corio (2015) shows this to be beneficial when
discussing how important it is for students to be able to have different resources available to
them while reading such as, online dictionaries, voiceovers, animations, hyperlinks, etc. When
teachers allow these devices into their rooms throughout the day, they are letting the students
take control and be responsible for their own learning. The students will then know exactly what
they need to understand the material, and have those resources at their fingertips.
Lastly, teachers must understand the importance technology plays into an educational
setting, and how it will affect students’ out of school. Based on the student interviews the
children expressed how they enjoyed being able to relate to the technology being used in school
to the technology that they use at home. It is crucial for teachers to allow opportunities for
students to make those connections to their primary discourse. Technology is used not only at
home and within schools, however it is also used in the workplace as well. The need of being
able to use technology correctly is becoming a vital skill to be successful in the global market, or
any other workplace in general (Karchmer, 2001). Teachers must make sure that we are allowing
our students to apply their technology skills in everyday instructional practices to make them not
only college ready, but career ready as well.

Conclusion
Overall, this action research asked given that students live in a technology based world,
and a world that revolves around the practice of new literacies, how can technology influence
students’ comprehension? The research was conducted in a first grade classroom. The data for
the research was collected through student observation of engagement/disengagement based on a
rubric, student work samples, and a student focus group. Findings showed that student
engagement was consistent throughout the use of technology based read a louds, as well as a
traditional read aloud conducted by the teacher. Furthermore, comprehension was not decreased
nor when looking at student work samples. Lastly, through the use of student focus groups
students expressed how much they truly enjoyed technology within the classroom, not only
because it was engaging; but it truly helped them understand the material better.
The main question of this research paper asked, how would technology influence
students’ comprehension? By incorporating technology into instructional practices teachers will
be able to connect with and engage students at a higher level, which will ultimately affect their
overall comprehension, allowing them to be successful in school as well as the workplace. The
theoretical framework was based on the idea that new literacies are everywhere as well as ever
changing. Students must be able to apply these new literacy skills to collaborate as well as create
authentic learning experiences which will enable them to become successful. The methods that
were conducted were rubrics to assess student engagement, student work samples, and a student
focus group. The findings and implications show that student engagement is increased when
technology is used within the classroom, which leads to higher participation and overall
understanding of the content. Technology not only has a powerful impact on student
engagement, however it also acts as a differentiation tool for all students to become successful
learners within the classroom. Lastly, teachers must realize that technology is a necessary skill in
all areas of life, therefore it is crucial to implement it in everyday instruction to overall benefit
student success for college and the workplace.
If I were to do this study over again there would be many different things I would do to
better support my research question. First, I would have liked to plan my research within the
classroom at a different time in the year. It was very difficult for students to stay on task during
the comprehension graphic organizers as well as the student focus group. Since these were
performed during the last few days of the school year I feel that students were rather distracted. I
strongly believe that if this research took place at a different time of the year, the data would
show different results. Second, I think that if I used a larger group of students, with varying
levels I would have had better quality data. I used four students with somewhat varying
instructional levels, and the answers that they provided me with during the student focus group
were interesting; however that is the only place I saw their levels vary. I think that it would be
very interesting if I could use a larger pool of students I would have gained better results.
After reviewing my action research, there are a few questions that I have for myself as
well as other teachers. My first question would be, do you think that we would see better results
of student comprehension if this study was conducted in the beginning of the year, middle and
end? From my research it was difficult to see the difference between student comprehensions
gained from a read aloud done with technology as opposed to the read aloud conducted by the
teacher. My second question would be do you think that the quality of data would improve if
research was done throughout varying grade level. Although first graders grow so much
throughout the school year, it is still difficult for them to do some tasks such as graphic
organizers on their own. If this research was conducted throughout multiple grade levels, we
might be able to see more success with comprehension when using technology.
In our current society, technology is the staple of our everyday lives. Technology does
not just serve a way to gain quick information or as a secondary source to communicate with
others. Technology is now used to help us with everyday issues, and tasks in not only our
personal lives, but in school and work as well. Children are now even using technology, and
incorporating it into their main source of play. Technology has truly rooted itself into daily lives,
and without it life would seem such more difficult. It is clear to see that since technology is so
important, it only makes sense to implement it into instruction at school. By allowing students to
have the opportunity to authentic learning experiences that not only connect to their personal
lives, but engage them as well; we will be able to ensure that our children will become successful
in and out of school.

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Appendix A- Rubric for Read Aloud Observation- One per Read Aloud
Behavior: Engaged: Disengaged:
Sitting attentively
Doing exactly what was

asked to do
Staying on task (not wiggling

around, touching neighbor,
etc
Answering/asking higher
level questions when needed
Appendix B- Focus Group
1. What does the word technology mean to you?
2. How do you think we use technology in our classroom?
3. Thinking about the technology we use in school, and home what is your favorite type
of technology? Why is it your favorite?
4. Out of all the read a-louds we listened to in the past week: “Bad Case of The Stripes”,
“Amazing Grace”, and “Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon” which one was your favorite?
Why was it your favorite?
5. We already discussed our favorite read a-loud book, now I want you to think about
which book was the most interesting to you. Why do you think it was the most
interesting?
6. How do you think technology did or did not help us with reading those books? Why
do you think that?
7. How do you think technology did or did not help you fill out your graphic organizers?
What specifically helped or did not help you?
8. Out of all the read a-louds which way did you like the best? Did you like the smart
board best, the iPad best, or when I read it out loud to you? Remember it is not which
book you like, it is which way the book was presented to you and why?
9. So do you like books through technology better, or books through read a-louds (like
actual books I read to you) why?
10. Why do you think you would (or would not) like to read books better through
technology better more often than regular read a-louds?

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St.

John Fisher University

Education Masters Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. School of Education

Technology’s Influence on Student Comprehension

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Dr. Joellen Maples

School of Arts and Sciences

should implement technology in the classroom to promote student participation as well as

Technology’s Influence on Student Comprehension

school, and acts as a major contributor to their motivation toward instruction.

opportunity to use technology within classrooms.

available to students on a day-to-day basis. Technology in addition to helping support students’

the text (Ciampa, 2012).

overall needs of their students.

students’ comprehension? By incorporating technology into instructional practices teachers’ will

student success for college and the workplace.

of generating, communicating, and negotiating meaningful content through the medium of

computers, iPads, smart boards, computers and more.

them succeed in the future.

changing community of learners in which knowledge constructs and is constructed by larger

Before conducting an action research study based on whether or not technologies

influence student comprehension, a review of literature needed to be written to find scholarly

is going to be discussed is the importance of motivation directly relating to technology. As we

especially focusing on comprehension.

Technology Affects Student Engagement

to lose focus easily.

technology.. (p. 298)

while simultaneously being engaged with the instruction at hand.

In a fourth grade classroom technology (laptops specifically) was a major contributor to

showcase how a teacher used instant messaging as a means to implement student

with the text at hand.

quoted a parent from the study:

computer is. (p. 153)

largest problem-solving strategies is turning to technology. Since it is so accessible to most

Motivation Increases Due to Technology

and increasing their motivation.

Research shows that motivation can be manipulated through various types of

instructional practices. As long as there is a motivation element woven into a teacher’s

successful, as well as feel prepared to complete the tasks at hand.

themselves to be responsible for their own learning.

outcome visualized they were able to experience success.

quality work will increase.

student motivation increases, which leads to an increase in student success. As educators we

Technology’s Impact on Literacy

students’ performance within the classroom.

One of the major components to literacy is student comprehension. Teachers presently

to their reading and comprehension skills.

One major topic of discussion when looking at the effectiveness of technology

successful within our ever-changing literate world.

devices correctly and efficiently.

experiences are proven to demonstrate a higher academic level of achievement. Technology

students are bound to show success within the classroom.

know how navigate technology and use it to their advantage.

Pacific Islander, 77% are White, and 5% are Multi-Racial.

Veronica (pseudonym) is a Black or African American female. Veronica is seven years