Abstract
This study evaluated
the impact technology had upon at-risk middle school students' learning
in language arts and reading using technology. A cohort of 24 eighth
grade repeaters in a small public school was isolated from the rest
of the student population for 27 weeks of the school year. Technology
(hypermedia, online research, PowerPoint™, and word processing) was
integrated within the curriculum as an intervention strategy. Students
had significantly higher CRCT test scores in language arts and reading
(p < .05) over the previous year's scores resulting in a 29 point
percentile gain in reading and a 23 point percentile gain in writing.
Findings suggested that when students accepted ownership of their work
and were able to use a variety of technology methods to demonstrate
comprehension they became more invested in their own writing and spelling
skills.
Introduction
Research offers evidence that
integrating technology within the curriculum improves students' overall
academic achievement as well as learning in literacy, spelling, and
writing. A technology-integrated curriculum seems to provide more results
than traditional instruction in relation to student achievement (Liao,
1998). Elbourne (2002) finds information and communication technology
(ICT) motivational as well as effective for students learning to spell.
This action research project explored the question of whether a technology-based and integrated classroom curriculum would be more beneficial to student learning in language arts than traditional instruction. The author was charged with creating an effective, motivating, technology-based curriculum for low achieving eighth grade repeaters that would increase students' academic skills.
Literature Review
Hypermedia
One of the main strategies
used in this project to create a motivating technology-based curriculum
involved the use of hypermedia. Liao (1999) pointed to the confusion
that exists in definitions of hypermedia and multimedia and how the
terms have come to be used synonymously in the literature. Hypermedia,
a combination of multimedia and hypertext (Chen & Ford, 1997), is
defined by Nunes & Fowell (1996) as, “non-linearity and information
retrieval by association. The interaction with the hypermedia system
is based on a web of links, which associate all stored chunks of information,
and allow the user to navigate within this informational body by creating
his own path.”
Research has been inconclusive on the effectiveness of hypermedia instruction. Liao (1999) suggested that hypermedia instruction proved more beneficial than non-hypermedia instruction. Trotter (1989) contended that hypermedia employed beneficial strategies for discovery learning that enabled students to be in charge of their own work and to express their learning through multimedia. Moore (1994) described four advantages for students using hypermedia: interactive learning, self-directed learning, self-controlled learning, and the ability to make cross-references. Hammond and Allinson (cited in Chen & Ford, 1997), on the other hand, found four disadvantages associated with hypermedia learning: disorientation; lack of comprehension; problems with access, and inefficient learning strategies.
Current hypermedia research focuses on the user rather than the system. “There is evidence to suggest that learners may often adopt differing, but equally valid, effective, and navigational approaches to learning” (Chen & Ford, 1997). Additional research needs to determine the types of technology instruction most beneficial to students. Chen & Ford (1997) acknowledge, “Research on individual differences may help us create systems that can adapt to learners according to their needs. It may help the development of hypermedia learning environments that are useful to a wide range of users with differing abilities, styles and preferences.”
Challenges of Implementing Technology Integration
The researcher considered several challenges before implementing technology in the curriculum as an intervention strategy for at-risk students. Wong (2001) found that while literacy skills in reading comprehension, word recognition, writing, and spelling improved with the introduction of technology as a teaching tool, different computer-assisted instruction (CAI) software yielded different results. No one perfect software existed.
Another consideration was the selection of students to receive the instruction. While computer software designers attempted to accommodate an array of students beyond one target population in addressing improved literacy instruction, a program that worked for one student might not necessarily work for all. In addition, at-risk children would not necessarily respond to the same type of CAI as students that were not in the at-risk category. At-risk students might not respond readily or willingly and might be more resistant to instruction. Therefore, an instructional method that delivered longer, more intense practice might prove more helpful for at-risk students who were often more resistant to help (Wong, 2001).
Students with learning disabilities could benefit from a technology-integrated curriculum which supports diverse learning styles as well. As these students entered middle and high school, the achievement gap and learning difficulties increased. Swanson (2001) asserted that multiple approaches of instructional delivery were needed with learning disabled students.
Purpose of Study
The purpose of this study
was to evaluate the effectiveness of integrating technology into academic
instruction in language arts. The researcher believed that by integrating
technology into the curriculum for students who were repeating eighth
grade, students would perform better academically than if they participated
for a second time in traditional instruction. Reading and language arts
scores on the eighth grade Criterion-Referenced Competency Test (CRCT)
were used to measure changes in academic achievement.
Methods
Participants
The participants in this
study included 24 students all repeating eighth grade. All students
were considered at-risk of academic failure or dropping out. The purposive
sample had 11 boys and 13 girls; 12 black and 12 white. The study took
place in a small town public school with approximately 630 students
broken down demographically as 47% black, 45% white, and 8% Asian/Pacific
Islander or Hispanic.
Procedures
Initially a three-teacher team discussed better ways to teach a class of eighth grade repeaters. Among the instructional ideas considered for intervention were integrating technology and separating students by gender for 27 weeks of school. It was determined to use technology as the primary intervention, however, in the group of 13 girls and 11 boys, all collaborative work was done in same gender groups. Student repeaters received the same curriculum from the previous year from one team of teachers with the exception that technology was integrated into the curriculum and some instruction involved gender segregation.
Technology integration involved
student use of the Internet to conduct online research; authentic student
hypermedia products done in PowerPoint™; and word processing reports
generated in Microsoft Word™. Creating authentic products in electronic
data format facilitated students' abilities to store, revise, edit,
and reflect on their work.
Design & Data Analysis
This study incorporated a pre-experimental design since no control group was available. Student achievement as a result of intervention (after integrating technology as a part of the curriculum) was measured by collecting the current year and the previous year's CRCT scores in reading and language arts. Data was collected anonymously. Parental permission to use the test scores was not deemed necessary since this was an overall curriculum improvement intervention. Test scores were compared by using a paired t -test, setting the alpha level at .05. Passing rates were also compared using Chi-Square tests.
