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Exploring the Effectiveness of Actively Learn on Reading Comprehension and Student

Attitudes
ECI 546 PBI Project
By
Briana Bennett
Katherine Hennenlotter
Shannan Kitchen
Yuanyuan Fang
North Carolina State University

The Link for PBI Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHISaspo2Zo

Rationale
Teachers of the 21st century have the responsibility of preparing their students to
participate in a literate society. Readers who have strong comprehension skills are able to draw
conclusions about what they read, what is important, what is a fact, and what caused an event to
happen. Thus, comprehension involves combining reading with thinking and reasoning.
Engaging all students in active thinking through reading is vital. Yet, given the complex nature of
comprehension, it is not surprising that students who have difficulty in this area demonstrate
different patterns of abilities and difficulties. For some, it is the reading of words that presents
the greatest challenge; for others, language including vocabulary and background knowledge is
problematic, and then there are students who have difficulty with both. Although word
recognition, decoding, and fluency are building blocks of effective reading, the ability to
comprehend text is the ultimate goal of reading instruction. Comprehension is a prerequisite for
acquiring content knowledge and expressing ideas and opinions through discussion and writing.
Actively Learn provides comprehension strategies that work together like a finely tuned
machine. Actively Learn is a digital reading platform that provides educators with new tools to
get every student reading closely. This interactive method for students allows teachers to scaffold
learning experiences to support and improve the performance of students before, during, and
after reading. Teachers can integrate comprehension questions, hyperlinks to supplemental online
resources and the program gives students immediate feedback on the comprehension questions,
requiring them to answer the questions before moving on. Such experiences help students
develop essential skills for understanding and extracting meaning from text and boost their
performance on reading comprehension assessments. In addition, students who benefit from

scaffolded learning are better able to function as independent readers and to express ideas in a
variety of ways. These benefits of Actively Learn led/prompted/drove/motivated us to investigate
how Actively Learn effects reader engagement and comprehension for high school English
students.
A number of distinct theories increasingly refine the skills needed for 21st century
learners by setting the foundation for how effective Actively Learn can elevate engagement and
comprehension. The implementation of Blooms Revised Taxonomy, TPACK, and Situated
Cognition ground our study in emphasizing the importance of blending specific skills, content
knowledge, expertise and literacies with innovative support systems to help students master
multi-dimensional abilities (Framework, 2002, Internet). Blooms Revised Taxonomy is a
revised version of a powerful tool to represent student progression in learning. Each level is a
continuum of knowledge that transitions from concrete to tangible. The higher-level thinking
skills embedded in Blooms Revised Taxonomy targets the 21st century skills needed today by
taking the knowledge and understanding students have and using it in critical, creative, flexible,
and innovative ways. In like manner, our questions for A Modest Proposal, are designed to first
gauge what students remember and then make transition to finally reach the innovation of
developing a solution.
Equally important, TPACK enforces pedagogy by aligning content with the technology
actively learn. Mishra and Koehler (2009) describe TPACK as, flexible kind of knowledge that
lies at the intersection of all three of these knowledge bases, allowing the creative repurposing of
the traditional approaches (p.16). Teaching requires the transformation of content in ways that
make it intellectually accessible to students. Our activity in Actively Learn provides our content
knowledge by students engaging with the text in an innovative 21st century approach.

In the traditions of Jean Lave (1990), Situated Cognition argues for the importance of
practical experience in learning. Situated cognition is the theory that people's knowledge is
embedded in the activity, context, and culture in which it was learned. With the implementation
of Actively Learn, culturally relevant allusions and new vocabulary are learned because they are
encountered in the moment that they are needed. It emphasizes the context and application of
knowledge rather than memorizing facts.

PBI Lesson Implementation and Inquiry Methodology

Katherine, whose classroom was the laboratory for our lesson, developed a module in
Actively Learn for Jonathan Swifts A Modest Proposal. The module features questions asking
students to interact with the text at every level of Blooms Revised Taxonomy. It also has key
vocabulary defined, teacher comments, notes, and background information for added context
while reading. The Actively Learn module was used for the two test classes, one comprised of
35 Honors English IV students, and the other comprised of 18 AP English IV students. A third
class, comprised of 24 Honors English IV students, served as the control class and were given
textbooks from which to read the text. The textbooks featured background information,

footnotes, and embedded questions for students to answer on a separate sheet of paper while
reading.

All footnotes from the print text were replicated in the Actively Learn module and the questions
embedded in the print text were also replicated so that the information that the students
interacted with was essentially the same, but the mechanism of interaction was different. For
example, the control group answered questions from the text on notebook paper as they
completed the reading. They did not get feedback on whether or not their answers were correct
while they read. The Actively Learn students, on the other hand, got that immediate feedback as
a feature of Actively Learn. Students cannot continue reading until they answer the question and
then Actively Learn immediately lets them know if they were right or wrong, and what the
correct answer is. This really tests the efficacy of the unique features of the technology itself.
After the reading, all students immediately took a quiz on the reading. The questions on the quiz
covered all levels of Blooms Revised Taxonomy. The students who read the text with Actively
Learn completed a survey gauging their attitudes of that technology. The students who read using
standard text completed a survey assessing their beliefs about print text. The quiz results of the

Actively Learn classes were compared with those of the print text class to ascertain depth of
reading and comprehension. The survey results were also compared to contrast levels of student
engagement with the different types of texts. From these comparisons, observations during the
experiment, and student feedback, we developed conclusions about the efficacy of Actively
Learn based on the principles of T-PACK, Blooms Revised Taxonomy, and Situated Cognition
theory.
Challenges and Successes
Group challenges and successes
The challenges faced by our group were nothing beyond the typical obstacles of
coordinating a group of people electronically. While we were initially a bit disjointed and unclear
about our focus and methodology, once we met face-to-face, all of those challenges dissipated.
This highlighted that while technology has many, many wonderful tools for coordinating people,
being physically together was more efficient.
In addition, our group is rich with cultural diversity. Considering this, we stayed open and
responsive to new and diverse perspectives each time we communicated, collaborated and
created. We leveraged each of our unique perspectives, experiences, and knowledge-bases to
diversify our inquiry in a way that added value, not only to our final product, but to the entirely
of our project. Our groups greatest successes came from our individual work ethics.
We all developed quality materials for the experiment, met deadlines, maintained
communication, and attended group meetings. One other element contributing to our success was
the amazing collaborative and data collection tools provided by Google. Google docs, Google
Drive, shared folders, Google forms, and Google Analytics kept us all organized and efficient.
Student challenges

According to the outcomes of the Google Form surveys, 73% of students report being
more engaged in close reading with deep understanding and extended knowledge through the Etext in Actively Learn, compared to Standard text and regular E-text. However, based on other
data from the surveys, we also discover that some students seem resistant to using the application
of this digital learning tool in reading class. It is hard for them to embrace and celebrate new
literacies embedded in Actively Learn.

Students Attitude to New Literacies

The survey based on E-text reading in Actively Learn indicates that more than 35% of
students didnt feel motivated or eager to keep up reading through Actively Learn. During the
digital reading process about this question, we find that some of them were not active or patient
to read and think about the critical questions, hyperlinks or notes embedded in the E-text that

help them read closely. They think it is time-consuming. That said, the majority indicate that
Actively Learn does motivate students to complete their reading.

We also discover that 38% of them could not be immersed in the instructive reading
strategies or environment offered up by Actively Learn. The challenge we encounter about this
question is that some of them may have ignored and skipped some notes, some visual images or
videos to help extend their knowledge, or overlooked the comments/responses given by their
peers or teachers while reading. It may also be, though, that the term instructive strategies was
not familiar to them. Also, we should not overlook that 62% students said that Actively Learn did
teach them instructive strategies for close reading.
Students Resistance to Change
According to our experience, observation in classes and the data we collected from the
surveys, we find that while admitting that technology like Actively Learn is beneficial, 54%
of students reported that theyd rather read print texts. Surprisingly, students resist using
digital devices unless they are forced to use them. According to their responses, printed texts
are easily accessible, and they can highlight or take notes without having to go to a wifi
environment or without having access to an expensive digital device. They told us that they
are accustomed to reading the standard, print-based texts and take physical, rather than online

quizzes, that E-reading is not efficient although they think comments are very helpful. The
biggest challenge for us is that some of the students report not liking the technology tool used
in this lesson plan. They commented through the survey: more time in front of a screen, and
sometimes the questions are more confusing, Looking at screens hurts my eyes. I like the
reading to be in front of me, and its painfully boring in front of screen, and I will get
headache.
According to our groups data, using Actively Learn will require stretching students
openness and curiosity to new digital tools, which are very important to learning and teaching
in the 21st century. If students just stay in their own comfort zone, that will not be helpful
for them to prepare for the future life and career in this new age where their teachers and
future colleagues and bosses are learning to be digitally competent. So exercising different
ways of learning in a digital world is not just following a transient trend, but is imperative to
prepare 21st century students for the digital world.
Technical
Onedifficulties
of the confounding issues that plagues technology is reliability, often plagued by the
well-known technical difficulty. Sometimes these difficulties are the result of the technology
design. Sometimes, they are the result of operator error. Both difficulties occurred in this
inquiry. The log-in process is cumbersome for Actively Learn. There are multiple modes of
account creation. One can create an Actively Learn account, one can sign in through Google
Accounts, or one can use another educational social media account to sign in. At the time of the
experiment, students had interacted with Actively Learn once before, so many forgot their
passwords, or which account they used. This was easily remedied by password retrieval options
on the Actively Learn tool, but it was time-consuming. More frequent use of Actively Learn
would probably mitigate this a bit.

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Challenges that arose with the program design itself included the placement of the notes
in the margin. Multiple key terms notes within one paragraph are all coded the same color and
the note tab doesnt mention the highlighted word. To overcome this, some key terms had to be
coded with colors that corresponded to different types of notes, like comments, background
knowledge, etc, which werent accurate representations of the type of note. The colors helped
students navigate, but if they noted the keyed meaning of the note based on color, they may have
been confused about what type of information the note was providing. Another issue with design
was the placement of the in-text questions. Questions that referred to specific words did not
attach to those words, despite the option for the common core skill of define words within
context. Most students figured it out without any additional input, but some needed
clarification. Also, oddly, theres no ability to insert a question within a text without highlighting
a portion of the text. This is strange since the question itself doesnt show students the
highlighted text. While these obstacles probably did not have undue negative effects on our data,
theyre still a bit annoying. Teacher feedback to the developers, however, would probably help
the developers to remedy these issues.
Educational successes
Student successes and challenges based on Blooms Revised Taxonomy
This inquiry looked at three groups of students: two Honors English IV and one AP Eng
IV. One Honors English IV completed the reading assignment utilizing the traditional print text.
The other Honors English IV and the AP English IV used Actively Learn to read e-text versions
of the text. After students completed their reading of A Modest Proposal, either as an e-text
using Actively Learn or as a traditional print text, they completed a questionnaire designed to
assess comprehension across all six levels of Blooms Revised Taxonomy. Student responses

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were then codified on a three-tiered scale as either Fully Meets Objective, Somewhat Meets
Objective, or Does Not Meet Objective. A sample questionnaire, as well as visual representation
of data can be found in the appendix.
Three questions were designed to assess student comprehension at the level of
remembering and understanding by asking students to recall stated details within the given text.
At this level, students who completed the reading using Actively Learns e-text format showed a
higher percentage from each group of remembering and understanding basic points from the text
than those who read the traditional print text version. The print text groups percentage of people
who fully met the objectives of understanding and comprehending ranged from 60%-75%. In
contrast: the Actively Learn group at the Honors level showed 80-85% of participants
remembering and understanding key details of the essay. The AP level scored higher than that at
100% of participants meeting the designated objectives in two of the three questions.
The remaining series of questions in the student questionnaire showed insignificant
differences in the four higher levels of Blooms Revised Taxonomy of subject comprehension
between the Honors-level students who read from the traditional print text and those who read
from an e-text format via Actively Learn. Students in the AP class group using Actively Learn to
read the lesson text did have a higher percentage of students meeting the higher comprehension
objectives. However, because this does not correlate with the Honors level Actively Learn
group, it is likely that their performance was unrelated to the technological tool.
Thorough analysis of the data produced from these questionnaires lead to the conclusion that the
technological tool Actively Learn significantly increases the students comprehension of
literature texts at the level of remembering and understanding. However, at the higher levels of

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comprehension described by Blooms Revised Taxonomy: analyzing, applying, evaluating, and

creating, Actively Learn has no discernible effect.
Student successes and challenges based on the TPACK paradigm
Our inquiry into the effectiveness of Actively Learn on student comprehension combined
the three content knowledges of the TPACK paradigm. We leveraged our content knowledge
(CK) to create an activity in which students refined and demonstrated proficiency in the
following common core standards prescribed for English grade 12:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.6: Analyze a case in which grasping a point of view

requires distinguishing what is directly stated in a text from what is really meant (e.g.,
satire, sarcasm, irony, or understatement).

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.10: By the end of grade 12, read and comprehend

literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, at the high end of the grades 11-CCR text
complexity band independently and proficiently.
Our pedagogical knowledge (PK) is demonstrated in the scaffolding provided through the

Actively Learn tool and the interactive elements throughout designed to clarify or address any
barriers to learning the students may encounter as they interact with A Modest Proposal. Lastly,
our technological knowledge is evident in the choosing of Actively Learn as a technological tool
which allows students to engage with texts in an interactive way to support their understanding
of literature.
As we progressed through our inquiry, we engaged in recursive planning process in
which we carefully considered all aspects of TPACK. That we have done so is demonstrated
above and supported by the comprehension levels demonstrated in our student questionnaire. In
addition, students who participated in the Actively Learn reading lesson were asked: Do the

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teacher-provided questions (integrated throughout the Actively Learn text) guide and enhance
your understanding throughout the text? 90% of students who completed the Actively Learn
reading activity responded in the affirmative. One student responded, Actively Learn really
helps the reader comprehend what they are reading and makes sure they understand the text. It
also allows the reader to define words or look up a topic they are not familiar with which
enhances the reading experience. This student-provided feedback continues to support the
effectiveness of the integration of the TPACK paradigm through the use of the Actively Learn
Tool.
Situated cognition theory
Situated Cognition Theory emphasizes the importance of learning information in the
moment that it is relevant. Notes presented prior to reading may provide students information
about a text, but students often dismiss those notes because at the time they are given, they are
not relevant and are therefore not learned. Once a student is reading and finds themselves in
actual need of the previously given information, he/she may not have that information
conveniently located, or more likely, does not even realize that the information was provided in
the first place. Actively Learn gives students information when they need it. Because of this,
they are more likely to learn, not only the background information to the text, increasing their
cultural literacy, but also the content of the text itself.
Overall benefits of this program
The benefits of Actively Learn are numerous. One concern about e-text literacy is the
wormhole of information that students can get lost in due to the ubiquity of hyperlinks. These
hyperlinks can ostensibly direct students to bad information and/or distract them with irrelevant
information. Actively Learn addresses this concern and allows teachers to control students web

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access to online reading supplements, allowing students to interact with information that is
accurate and relevant. It also allows teachers to so finely tailor questions and notes with the
texts context within all texts within a unit that it is an amazing tool for helping students interact
with reading on a multitude of levels.
Another notable benefit is the immediate feedback that students get for the in-text
questions. This allows them to self-monitor their own comprehension, correcting their
perceptions in the moment rather than waiting for pen and paper book questions to be graded and
returned, when their wrong answers are no longer relevant. It also has applications for
interacting with classmates, gauging their own conclusions in comparison to what their peers
have said, etc. In addition, the program gives the teacher this same information, helping him/her
to more clearly address reading problems and provide timely solutions.

Future Suggestions
Going forward, Actively Learn is clearly a beneficial tool for increasing students reading
comprehension. It should be used with more frequency across a wider range of classrooms and
teachers should share this technology with their colleagues so that student growth in
comprehension will be more widespread. Additionally, more consistent use of the program may
help those students who currently still prefer print-text, despite admitting the helpfulness of
Actively Learn, feel more comfort with the program, shifting their own attitudes towards the role
of e-texts in comprehension.
Reflection on our findings in the project, for teachers who are using or will use Actively
Learn in reading class, we would like to give some suggestions that will be helpful to activate
and engage students more as participants:

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In addition to classics, the e-articles teachers select for classroom use are very decisive
and should be more related to our young teens to make reading more interesting and
engaging;

The questions embedded in the texts should be more connected with young teens life,
environment, or the issues they need to pay attention to in real world, or else, students
may feel bored or resistant to keep up reading;

Apart from reading the data from Actively Learn, please attach more attention to our
young readers response to the e-readings in time to supplement online readings. They
could articulate their response through oral discussion or online forums.

Teachers can create differentiated lessons using Actively Learn by embedding two or
more sets of questions and definitions into multiple Actively Learn reading selections.

Notes embedded in the text could be mainly on more factual or objective information.
Please try not to insert more teachers personal interactions or responses to the assigned
E-texts;

After the grading, teachers should talk or address the problems students of different
reading levels encounter in time and offer some professional and helpful advice for future
reading. This is very helpful for students who dont like reading.

Please try to encourage students to create their reading class-shops in Actively Learn to
share good readings and exchange thoughts with their peers and teachers.

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References:
Framework for 21st Century Learning. (2002). The Partnership for 21st Century Skills.
Retrieved November 18, 2014 from http://www.p21.org/our-work/p21-framework.
Koehler, M., & Mishra, P. (2009, May ). Too Cool for School? No Way!. Learning and Leading
with Technology, (36)7. 14-18. Retrieved 18 November 2014 from ERIC database.
Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1990). Situated Learning: Legitimate Peripheral Participation.
Cambridge. UK: Cambridge University Press.
Revised bloom's taxonomy (2009). Slideshare. Retrieved December 3, 2014 from
http://www.slideshare.net/007aud/revised-blooms-taxonomy

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Appendix
Here follows the questions that constituted the comprehension assessment given to all students in
this study. Parenthetically noted are the specific levels of the Blooms Revised Taxonomy
targeted by each question.

What national problem is the author trying to solve? (Remembering, Understanding)

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What is his proposed solution? (Remembering, Understanding)

Describe 3 positive outcomes the author describes as a result of implementing his

Proposal. (Remembering, Understanding)

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Given the overall tone of this essay, describe the authors true purpose in writing A Modest
Proposal. (Understanding, Analysing)

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Does this relate to present day events in any way? If so, how? (Applying)

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Given what youve learned about the troubles in 1729 Ireland, what solution would you propose
and why? (Evaluating, Creating)

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