High school students' comprehension of expository text presented on the iPad

High school students comprehension of expository text presented on the iPad: A Research Proposal

Cecile McVittie ETEC 500 University of British Columbia April 2012

High school students' comprehension of expository text presented on the iPad

Introduction
In early 2012, the Apple Company began its foray into the e-textbook market with the introduction of iBooks Author, a program allowing owners of Mac computers to create digital textbooks. At the time of the software release, Apple also released a biology text to demonstrate how multimedia information for courses would function on computers and, in particular, on the iPad tablet.. The discussion about technology in schools and education reform increased significantly in the time around the much publicized release event. Discussions heightened in education blogs, on Twitter and in the media around the need for new ways of engaging students with technologies they already use outside of school hours, the inexpensive nature of e-textbooks and how easily updates could be created to ensure information was current. What wasnt discussed, in my observation, was whether student achievement and comprehension of expository text would improve, given the multimedia nature of textbooks created for the iPad or other tablet computers. In the last three years as a teacher librarian at the secondary school level, I have worked with many students as they search for and read information text online. To my frequent dismay, students ranging in age from thirteen to eighteen years, struggle with the key skills in comprehending printed text as defined by Coiro and Dobbler (2007): engaging prior knowledge, inferential reasoning, self-regulation and employment of positive affective variables. Further, these students also struggle with the cognitive strategies necessary for successful reading when finding information after a general browser search or what has been defined as open Internet text environments. (Coiro and Dobbler, 2007). In Maryanne Wolfs, Proust and the Squid, (2007) she posits that we must ensure that immersion in digital resources does not stunt our childrens capacity to evaluate, analyze, prioritize and probe... I have often wondered whether students would comprehend course materials more deeply if the information was presented in a digital format that allowed for multimedia presentations. Students in high school today are popularly referred to as digital natives thanks to their birth after the onset of the digital age. Research into childrens reading and comprehension of e-books and multimedia resources has met

High school students' comprehension of expository text presented on the iPad with mixed results as cited in Coiro and Dobler, yet little research has been conducted in regards to adolescent comprehension of multimedia information, particularly focused on expository e-texts. An etextbook is considered a closed hypertext environment due to the curated and contained nature of the

information presented, but will students struggle with making sense of the complex nature of multimedia materials? In particular, would students experience cognitive overload impairing comprehension and retention of core concepts in social studies, a subject area with intensive reading requirements at the secondary school level?

Literature Review
Cognitive load theory, as presented by John Sweller in 1998, has had significant impact on instructional design. It holds that for knowledge to be retained by learners, the level of complexity of information (and number of sources of information), must be at a manageable level to transfer into the schema of the learner. Information can only be effectively moved into long-term memory when working memory is not overly taxed. This is particularly important when using working memory to solve problems that are new to the learner. Further clarification of cognitive load theory was undertaken by Schnotz and Krschner (2007), who introduced new understanding of the impact of various kinds of extraneous load on learning. Scnotz and Krschner also differentiate between comprehension and learning, pointing out that comprehension can take place in working memory without learning occurring in long term memory. In considering the implications for instructional design, the authors propose that performance aids (multimedia presentations, for example) must closely match the learners level of expertise or zone of proximal development and slightly challenge the learner, otherwise learning is impeded. When applying the further refinements of cognitive load theory proposed by Schnotz and Krschner, e-textbook designers for high school level courses must consider the

High school students' comprehension of expository text presented on the iPad

wide range of reading abilities and prior knowledge students bring to the learning experience, as well as the motivation for completing activities required by core curricula as set out by provinces or states. Student motivation to learn material that is required for government exams, but of no personal relevance will likely be low, even when the information is presented on a high-touch technology device like the iPad. Unfortunately, as Wolf (2009) points out, cognitive neuroscience sees reinforcement of multi-tasking behaviours with multiple sources of input impeding the development of deeper comprehension as envisioned in cognitive load theory. Reading behaviour has changed thanks to the digital environment. Liu (2005) surveyed adults and college students to determine their perceptions of general reading behaviour in both print and digital environments. Participants reported a decline in sustained attention to reading and an increase in reading in a nonlinear fashion, in large part due to hypertexts. In a short 2011 study, though, Jessica Moyer investigated comprehension of three different reading modalities and leisure texts with female college students and found no statistical difference across print, ebook and audiobook modalities. While this is important for teacher librarians and those focused on increasing teen leisure reading, the implications for acquisition of knowledge from expository text in various modalities is limited. In another limited study, Davis and Neitzel (2011) examined middle-schoolers abilities to collaborate to determine meaning from expository text in print and digital format. While a very limited study, the authors note that previous reading achievement continues to be the highest indicator of success in comprehending digital text and that sensemaking strategies did not appear to have an impact on successful comprehension of digital text. The implications for integration of digital text into regular course work based on the literature examined to this point appear to indicate that students will struggle to learn new concepts and

High school students' comprehension of expository text presented on the iPad

information, unless they are well supported with instruction in strategies for making sense of multimedia expository text.

Methodology for Research Proposal

Purpose The purpose of this study is to compare high school age learners reading comprehension of expository text in print and in a digital multimedia format on an iPad, in particular, their ability to analyze, synthesize and apply learning about a historical situation to a current event. To explore these issues, a qualitative study of how high school students comprehend one unit of study from a Social Studies 10 curriculum when presented in either textbook format or multimedia format on an iPad. Intact grade 10 classes from two different high schools will be chosen, based on similar student demographics and academic capabilities. Pretesting for reading capabilities will be completed using an online commercial exam bank of questions appropriate for the grade level. Instructors for both classes will be given two sessions to plan instruction for the lessons accompanying the unit to ensure similar instructional strategies for reading of course materials. One class will work with the required social studies textbook for grade 10 in British Columbia - Horizons. The other class will work with a digital version of the Horizons text which incorporates video, audio and hyperlinks to related articles and materials. Upon completion of the unit, students will be given a post-test which will test recall of information from the unit, as well as student ability to compare a historical situation to a similar current situation and propose possible solutions or outcomes. Post-test interviews will be completed with instructors and students to determine engagement with the subject and reflections on the use of iPad technology. Participants

High school students' comprehension of expository text presented on the iPad

The participants in the study will be chosen from two Kamloops area high schools of similar size and socio-economic demographic. The grade ten classes chosen will be approximately 25-30 students, with approximately equal split between genders. The two high schools are both considered average in Canadian socio-economic status, with few English Language Learners (ELL) and few First Nations students. Each high school has approximately 700 students ranging from grade eight to twelve with a mix of rural and suburban population. Also being considered is the instructional style of the teacher, with both classes having teachers considered engaging and open to class discussion and use of technology. Instruments Instruments to measure comprehension for this study will be teacher/researcher designed to reflect the standards examined on provincial exams in British Columbia. The teachers and researcher will plan and design the pre and post tests over a two day period prior to the school year commencing with support from a BCTF Action Research grant. The pretest will measure general reading capabilities of grade 10 students using grade 10 level practice exam questions from the British Columbia Exambank. The iPad unit will be designed by the the instructor and researcher using iBook Author and will include the same text as the Horizons textbook, but will be supplemented by hypertext and multimedia representations. The post test will concentrate more specifically on the social studies content covered by the unit and will require students to engage in synthesis and analysis of the historical events and apply possible solutions to a current event of a similar nature. Procedure Both groups of students will begin the unit of study on the building of the Canadian Railroad in October. The nonexperimental group will be taught with the Horizons textbook and

High school students' comprehension of expository text presented on the iPad

traditional lecture methods and supplemental videos. The experimental group will receive the same instruction, but will receive the iPads for use in class when reading, viewing or working on assignments. As the schools operate on slightly different timetables, teacher instructional time will be scheduled in minutes to ensure a balance for both groups. The unit will take five class periods, not including pre and post testing. Data Analysis Statistical analysis of the pretest and post test will carried out using standard procedures, while open-ended questions from the post test will be evaluated using the BC Performance Standards for Reading. The analysis and synthesis of data for various themes should take approximately one month after the data collection has finished. Results The final results from this study will be shared with the teachers involved in the study and presented for publication in the BC Teacher Librarians Association journal, The Bookmark. Results will also be shared with school district administrative and technology staff for further discussion in planning of technology purchases.

High school students' comprehension of expository text presented on the iPad

References
Coiro, J., & Dobler, E. (2007). Exploring the online reading comprehension strategies used by sixthgrade skilled readers to search for and locate information on the internet. Reading Research Quarterly, 42(2), 214-257. doi: 10.1598RRQ.42.2.2 Davis, D. S., & Neitzel, C. (2011, March 6). Collaborative sense-making in print and digital text environments. Retrieved March 29, 2012, from http://http://www.springerlink.com.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/content/w266221443180145/ doi: 10.1007/s11145-011-9302-2 Gay, L. R., Mills, G. E., & Airasian, P. (2009). Educational research: Competencies for analysis and applications (9th ed.). Columbus, Ohio: Merrill/Pearson. Li, J., Baer, M., & Walt, N. (2009, April 28). Quick scale: Grade 10 reading for information. BC Performance Standards. Retrieved April 01, 2012, from http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/perf_stands/reading_g10.pdf Liu, Z. (2005). Reading behaviour in the digital environment: Changes in reading behavior over the past ten years. Journal of Documentation, 61(6), 700-712. doi: 10.1108/00220410510632040 Moyer, J. E. (2011). What does it really mean to "read a text? Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacies, 55(3), 253-256. doi: 10.1002/JAAL.00031 Schnotz, W., & Kurschner, C. (2007). A reconsideration of cognitive load theory. Educational Psychology Review, 19, 469-508. doi: 10.1007/s10648-007-9053-4 Sweller, J., Van Merrienboer, J. J., & Paas, F. G. (1998). Cognitive architecture and instructional design. Educational Psychology Review, 10(3), 251-296. doi: 10.1023/A:1022193728205 Wolf, M., & Barzillai, M. (2009, March 01). The importance of deep reading. Educational Leadership, 66, 32-37. Retrieved March 29, 2012, from http://http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=5758c8d42ee1-4c13-8311-6cd483dd2524%40sessionmgr13&vid=2&hid=12 Wolf, M., & Stoodley, C. J. (2008). Proust and the squid: The story and science of the Reading Brain. New York: Harper Perennial.