Running head: USING TECHNOLOGY TO INCREASE READING ENGAGEMENT 1

Using Technology to Increase Reading Engagement and Completion of Assignments

Clarice Brazas

University of West Georgia

USING TECHNOLOGY TO INCREASE READING ENGAGEMENT 2

Purpose

Background

Reading and writing are commonly taught in tandem. Students in the secondary setting are given

a text to read either as a whole group or independently and then are asked to respond in some

way to what they have read. This response usually comes in the form of either an open ended

written statement or written responses to teacher generated questions. While it is necessary to

gauge students understanding of the reading, does it always have to be through writing? By

linking these two tasks, reading and writing, together, it is often difficult to measure if a student

struggles with just one or both.

Statement of Research and Rationale

As technology continues to become more ubiquitous in society, it is imperative to utilize it in the

way students are educated. The use of technology by secondary students is inescapable. Teachers

often do not take advantage of students expressiveness through non-traditional methods.

Students feel writing is time consuming and difficult. In low-socioeconomic contexts, students

often struggle with attentional issues and reading and writing disabilities or difficulties (Riva,

Marino, Giorda, Molteni, & Nobile, 2014), ( Ng, C. C., Bartlett, B., Chester, I., & Kersland, S.,

2013). These writing and reading difficulties often cause a sense of frustration and

disengagement in the classroom (Rodrguez, C., Grnke, M., Gonzlez-Castro, P., Garca, T., &

lvarez-Garca, D., 2015). Allowing students to quickly articulate their thoughts about writing,

should make them more engaged and more likely to complete the assigned reading. Additionally,

allowing students to be focused on one difficult task instead of splitting their attention should

also be helpful.
USING TECHNOLOGY TO INCREASE READING ENGAGEMENT 3

Objectives
Purpose

The purpose of the study is to determine if replacing writing from the assessment of reading with

audio and/or visual responses increases student engagement and completion of reading

assignments.

Research Question and Hypothesis

Question: Will students be more engaged in the reading process if the threat of writing about

what they have read is removed through the use of an audio or visual response?

Hypothesis: The hypothesis is that students will be more engaged when using vlog or

podcasts to illustrated what they have learned from the text in lieu of a longer writing assignment

or answering questions in a written format.

Definitions of Key Concepts

Readers Response Theory the theory that how a reader thinks and feels about a work of

literature is both valid and relevant; motivation students independent desire to complete the

assignment; engagement students actively participating in their learning; vlog video blog or

video post; podcast an audio only submission; Learning Disability a diagnosed difficulty

with learning in a specific way or learning some material; web 2.0 portions of the internet that

focus more on creation and less on consumption

Statement and Justification Study Type:

This will be a mixed-methods study utilizing a Likert-style survey directly administered to a

group at the beginning and end of the study to gauge students perceptions, correlational

observation of these students perceptions and overall scores and a qualitative instrumental case

study will be used to observe student submitted work and the rate of completion.
USING TECHNOLOGY TO INCREASE READING ENGAGEMENT 4

Literature Review

To isolate students reading ability from their writing ability, increase student engagement and

motivation, and completion of reading assignments, writing will be removed as a form of

response for some reading assignments and students will be permitted to submit non-text

audio/visual responses. The use of vlogs, podcasts, or YouTube videos may make it easier to

assess students understanding of the reading and give them a place to articulate their thoughts

without the burden of writing. Current studies often look at using written blogs as a way for

students to respond to reading and improve their writing. (Purcell, K., Buchanan, J., & Friedrich,

L., 2013). Writing, is often a lengthy process for students and teachers. If video and audio

responses remain brief, a more efficient way to display and assess knowledge may be gained.

Reading difficulties are a known problem in the United States. Moje and Young (2016)

point to these difficulties. Millennial students are looking for new and different ways to interact

with texts and require new best practices to be established to meet their needs. In addition to

reading difficulties, students also struggle with writing. In the article, How Do Students With

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorders and Writing Learning Disabilities Differ From Their

Nonlabeled Peers in the Ability to Compose Texts? (Rodrguez, C., Grnke, M., Gonzlez-

Castro, P., Garca, T., & lvarez-Garca, D. (2015), through a comparative study the authors

consider how students with disabilities specifically ADHD and writing learning disabilities use

their time. Students with these disabilities often do not take the same amount of care or time their

non-disabled peers do on the writing process which could greatly affect how they display their

knowledge of the material.

Moyo and Abdullah (2013) discuss the qualms often presented by administrators and

parents when students are asked to utilize social media style applications and interact with others
USING TECHNOLOGY TO INCREASE READING ENGAGEMENT 5

online. Moyo and Abdullah posit, however, that the benefits specifically in keeping readers

interested outweigh the inherent risks. The discussion of digital tools in the available literature

almost always devolves into students writing in various platforms. For example, in Groenke and

Laughters (2016) article, of the approximately 15 suggested tools listed, only one, YouTube,

involves students using self-generated audio and video to illustrate their understanding of the

text. While the article from Purcell, Buchanan, and Friederich looks primarily at the way digital

tools are used to improve writing (2013), problems like formality of language, understanding

voice, and a disparity of access for students in low-socioeconomic settings would all be issues to

address in this study.

When students in Parks (2012) study worked with a text in a communal setting utilizing

readers response theory they showed positive strides in engagement and motivation. Formats

like podcasts and vlogs allow students not only to display their own knowledge but to interact

with their peers providing a sense of community. Jeffery and Wilcox (2014), also find in their

research students prefer giving responses that hinge on their own perceptions of the material.

Applebee, Langer, Nystrand, and Gamoran (2003) show the use of discussion based approaches

to bring about improved reading abilities. Darrington and Dousay (2015), show increased

motivation among students who generally struggle with literacy when they are allowed to used

modes other than standard writing to illustrate their knowledge.

As evidenced by the available research, there is a need to observe and assess students

writing in ways outside of the norm. Students are missing opportunities to illustrate their

understanding because of writing difficulties or a lack of motivation. Increasing the methods of

response will allow all students to access the curriculum in a meaningful way.
USING TECHNOLOGY TO INCREASE READING ENGAGEMENT 6

Methods

This will be a mixed-methods study. The study will use a Likert-style survey directly

administered to a group of students to gauge their perceptions. The survey will be administered

to students after completing a reading assignment with a written assessment. The same survey

will be administered to students after completing a reading with an audio/visual assessment. A

correlational observation of these students perceptions and a qualitative instrumental case study

will be used to observe student submitted work and the rate of completion.

Sample

The sample will be a sample of convenience. The researcher will use their own

Accelerated/Honors English Literature class. The class is comprised of 24 students in the 12th

grade between the ages of 17 and 20. The students fall in the lower socio-economic status all

receiving free or reduced lunch. Further sampling data can be seen in figure 1. While it will not

exclude them from the study, for nine students their first language is not English which will be

something to monitor in the results.

Fig. 1

Total Students 24
Gender Gifted Race
Male 8 Male 1 Black/African-American 11
Female 16 Female 2 Asian/Pacific Islander 8
Latino 1
Multiracial 4
Instrumentation

As this study will look at both motivation and success there will be two instruments used.

The first, a Likert scale, will track students motivation and perception of the utilizing audio-

visual tools in place of written assignments. The second, a simple tally sheet, will track students

actual participation in the assignment.

USING TECHNOLOGY TO INCREASE READING ENGAGEMENT 7

Data Analysis

The proposition of this study is that students will be more engaged and likely to complete

reading assignments if the threat of writing is removed from the equation. The study is justified

as seen from the literature review that few studies discuss the effect of writing on the motivation

of students to read. Additionally, as the world becomes more technologically advanced use of

audio/visual tools will become more prevalent.

The Likert-scale survey will consist of ten questions using a five-point rating scale to

determine students motivation about reading and completing assignments after reading. A score

of five will show students strongly agree with a statement where a one will show students

strongly disagree. These results will be used in correlation with the tally sheet showing student

completion. Descriptive statistics will be used to determine the legitimacy of the proposal. If the

proposition is accurate, students will be more motivated to complete reading assignments when

they do not have to respond using writing.

As this is a case study, it will be difficult to determine if the outcomes are reliable and

valid. However, it will be posited that this research is a good starting point for further research. If

the data show an increased participation and motivation from students, even in this small study,

educators may be inclined to attempt permitting students to utilize audio/visual responses in lieu

of written responses.

Scholarly Significance and Limitations

Applications and contributions of this study would give teachers a meaningful way to isolate

students reading ability from their writing ability, increase student engagement and motivation,

and the completion of reading assignments. With writing removed as a form of response for
USING TECHNOLOGY TO INCREASE READING ENGAGEMENT 8

some reading assignments, students will be permitted to submit non-text audio/visual responses.

The use of vlogs, podcasts, or YouTube videos may make it easier to assess students

understanding of the reading and give them a place to articulate their thoughts without the

burden of writing. In future studies, it would be useful to look at the rigor of written assignments

and compare it to the rigor of audio-visual assignments.

The limitations for this study are the number of students being studied as well as the way

it is difficult in the school setting to create a control group. An additional limitation is the length

of the study. Students may be interested at first by the newness of using vlogs, podcasts, and

YouTube videos and this may cause a spike in their work completion. Over time, the level of

participation may drop off as it becomes just another task.

USING TECHNOLOGY TO INCREASE READING ENGAGEMENT 9

References
Applebee, A., Langer, J., Nystrand, M., & Gamoran, A. (2003). Discussion-Based Approaches to

Developing Understanding: Classroom Instruction and Student Performance in Middle

and High School English. American Educational Research Journal, 40(3), 685-730.

Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/3699449

Darrington, B., & Dousay, T. (2015). Using Multimodal Writing to Motivate Struggling Students

to Write. Techtrends: Linking Research & Practice To Improve Learning, 59(6), 29-3.

Groenke, S. L., & Laughter, J. (2016). Tech Tools for Reader Response, Communal Engagement,

and Effective Writing. ALAN Review, 43(3), 73. http://www.alan-ya.org/wp-

content/uploads/2015/06/k73-78-ALAN-Sum15.pdf

Ng, C. C., Bartlett, B., Chester, I., & Kersland, S. (2013). Improving Reading Performance for

Economically Disadvantaged Students: Combining Strategy Instruction and Motivational

Support. I, 34(3), 257-300

Jeffery, J., & Wilcox, K., (2014). 'How do I do it if I don't like writing?': Adolescents' stances

toward writing across disciplines. Reading & Writing, 27(6), 1095-1117.

Moyo, M., & Abdullah, H. (2013). Enhancing and enriching students' reading experience by

using social media technologies. Mousaion, 31(2), 135-153.

Park, J. (2012). Re-imaging Reader-Response in Middle and Secondary Schools: Early

Adolescent Girls Critical and Communal Reader Responses to the Young Adult Novel

Speak. Children's Literature In Education, 43(3), 191-212.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10583-012-9164-5
USING TECHNOLOGY TO INCREASE READING ENGAGEMENT 10

Purcell, K., Buchanan, J., & Friedrich, L. (2013). The Impact of Digital Tools on Student

Writing and How Writing is Taught in Schools. Pew Research Center: Internet, Science &

Tech. Retrieved 19 September 2016, from http://www.pewinternet.org/2013/07/16/the-

impact-of-digital-tools-on-student-writing-and-how-writing-is-taught-in-schools/

Riva, V., Marino, C., Giorda, R., Molteni, M., & Nobile, M. (2014). The role of DCDC2 genetic

variants and low socioeconomic status in vulnerability to attention problems. European

Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 24(3), 309-318. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00787-014-

0580-5

Rodrguez, C., Grnke, M., Gonzlez-Castro, P., Garca, T., & lvarez-Garca, D. (2015). How

Do Students With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorders and Writing Learning

Disabilities Differ From Their Nonlabeled Peers in the Ability to Compose Texts?.

Learning Disabilities -- A Contemporary Journal, 13(2), 157.

 USING TECHNOLOGY TO INCREASE READING ENGAGEMENT 11

Section Not Evident Emerging Proficient Exemplary

I. Introduction (1 page) 3 points

This section should include: 0 1 2 3
Background Information Information Information Information
not provided. is provided is relevant is relevant,
but is and sufficient,
unclear, adequate for and clearly
insufficient, the proposed supports the
or irrelevant. study. proposed
study.
Statement of the Information The research The research The research
research problem and not provided. problem is problem is problem is
rationale for the study stated, but is clearly stated clearly
unclear, too and is stated,
broad/narro researchable relevant, and
w or . Strong researchable
irrelevant. rationale . Rationale is
The provided. extremely
rationale for The clear,
the study is rationale compelling,
unclear or statement and clearly
weak. generally supports the
justifies the research
research questions.
questions. There is a
clear link
between the
rationale
and the
research
questions.
Objectives (1 page) 3 points
Purpose 0 1 2 3
The goals are Purpose is Purpose is Exceptionall
not stated. not clearly clearly y clear in
described. described. purpose.
Goals are Goals are Goals are
stated but realistic, realistic,
are unclear, adequately clearly
irrelevant, or stated and stated, and
too generally clearly
broad/narro aligned with aligned with
 USING TECHNOLOGY TO INCREASE READING ENGAGEMENT 12

w. the research the research

problem. problem.
Research Questions Information Questions/ Generally, Research
and Hypotheses/ not provided hypotheses/ questions questions
Propositions or no basis propositions have proper are clear,
for judgment. are missing, scope, are concise,
weak, or realistic, feasible, of
unclear. feasible, and proper
Questions adequately scope, and
not of phrased. answer the
sufficient purpose.
scope or are
not feasible. Each
research
question is
correctly
phrased, and
addresses
only one
aspect of the
research
problem.
Definitions of key Key Definitions Definitions
concepts used in the concepts/ter for key for key All key
research questions ms are not concepts/ter concepts/ter concepts/ter
defined. ms are ms are ms are
provided but provided clearly
are and defined/
inaccurate or generally explained.
unclear. adequate.
Literature Review (2 pages) 3 points
Criteria: 0 1 2 3
Critical review of literature Information Findings Some Evidence of
Relevance is not from leading evidence of sound
Conceptual/Theoretical provided, researchers satisfactory knowledge
framework irrelevant, are included knowledge and critical
Alignment incomplete, with with limited review of the
and or minimal critical literature
inaccurate. critical review of the relevant to
commentary. relevant the study.
literature,
Cited but with Developed a
literature gaps and or clear,
may not be omissions. appropriate,
 USING TECHNOLOGY TO INCREASE READING ENGAGEMENT 13

relevant to and justified

the study. Conceptual/ conceptual/
theoretical theoretical
framework is framework
included; for the
however it is research.
not fully
developed or
justified.
Methods (1.5 pages) 16 points
Type of study and research 0 1 2 3
design No selection Research Research Research
or approach approach approach
justification and design and design and design
of research are unclear, minimally are realistic,
approach and inappropriat address the feasible,
design. e, or research clearly
underdevelo questions described,
ped. and goals. and aligned
with the
research
questions
and goals.
Sampling 0 1 2 3-4
Little or no Limited Reasonable Sampling
evidence of a evidence of evidence of a procedure is
sampling an feasible optimally
procedure. appropriate sampling chosen, fully
sampling procedure. justified, and
procedure. feasible.
Instrumentation 0 1 2 3-4
No Information Instrumenta Instrumenta
information is limited or tion is tion is
provided. instrumentat described optimally
ion is and can chosen,
inadequate. provide the clearly
information described,
needed to and feasible.
respond to
the research
question(s).
Data Analysis 0 1 2-3 4-5
Little or no Limited Reasonable Clear
evidence of a evidence of evidence of a evidence of
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data analysis an realistic data applying

plan. appropriate analysis appropriate
data analysis plan. data analysis
plan. procedures,
A general which
The description adequately
description of the data address
of data analysis research
analysis procedures questions
procedures is provided. and goals.
is Procedures
incomplete Criteria for are
or contains the adequately
inaccuracies. interpretatio described.
n of results
Criteria for are The type of
the incomplete. results
interpretatio provided by
n of results these
are incorrect methods is
or are not indicated
provided. and criteria
for
interpretatio
n are fully
and
accurately
explained.
Scholarly Significance and Limitations (1/2 pages) 3 points
Criteria: 0 1 2 3
Practical and No Minimal Recognition Recognition
theoretical information recognition of some and
implications provided. of the contribution adequate
Limitations contribution s and/or explanation
s and limitations of the
limitations of the study. practical and
of the study. theoretical
contribution
s and
limitations
of the study.
Presentation and Writing - 2 points
Criteria: 0 1 2
Clarity Generally Reasonably Clear and
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Writing mechanics poor use of clear and correct use

APA English correct use of English
characterized of English characterize
by numerous characterize d by a clear
errors, d by style of
unclear, generally expression,
incorrect clear with few
and/or expression, imprecise
illogical with and/or
statements. relatively incorrect
few statements.
imprecise
and/or
incorrect
statements.
Total: /30