The Effect of the Vocabulary Spelling City App on Student Performance in Spelling, Vocabulary, and Reading Comprehension in Grades 5-8 at Glenview Adventist Academy

Problem and Purpose Students in fifth through eighth grades at Glenview Adventist Academy (GAA) presented difficulties in the subjects of spelling, vocabulary and reading comprehension. The school had not followed the previous 10-year trend of technology implementation in the classroom, in spite of conclusive research on its advantages. This study was conducted to determine to what extent teaching methodology and the use of technology could affect academic performance in the areas of spelling, vocabulary, and reading comprehension. Research on the implementation of software and the use of tablets (iPad Minis) in the classroom has been scarce and contradictory in the past decade (Heinrich, 2012; Roser, 2017). Hence, the need to conduct a study which would provide input in this area to guide future curriculum and technology implementation decisions for GAA and the Arizona Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Department of Education. Method A quantitative quasi-experimental design was utilized. Elementary students from Grades 5 through 8, enrolled at GAA during school years 2013–2016 (the experimental or technology group), were exposed to the use of the software Vocabulary Spelling City (VSC) through a technology medium named iPad minis. Students from the same grades from the other schools of the Arizona Conference of Seventh-day Adventist were chosen to be the control group. All students from the Arizona Conference of Seventh-day Adventists were tested academically in the areas of spelling, vocabulary, and reading comprehension using ITBS (Iowa Test of Basic Skills) during September and again in April for three consecutive years. SPSS software was used to enter the test results, and to conduct a sample paired t test, an analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), and a repeated measures of covariance. Findings A significant difference between groups was found among the students who experienced the technology intervention when compared to their performance during the previous year when they were taught using the traditional methods of teaching spelling (p = 0.038). No group difference was found in both groups of students (experimental and control) between pretest and posttest in spelling (p = 0.652; η2 = 0.002) during the first year of technology and software implementation (iPad mini and VSC). After conducting a repeated measures ANCOVA to track the experimental group of students at GAA over a period of two years, there was no significant difference in spelling performance when compared to their counterparts from the other Seventh-day Adventist schools in Arizona (p = 0.702; η2 = 0.003). Furthermore, after conducting a repeated measures ANCOVA to track the experimental group of students at GAA over a period of three years, there was no significant difference in spelling performance when compared with the control group (p = 0.369; η2 = 0.027). No significant difference in growth was found among the GAA students who experienced the technology intervention when compared to their performance during the prior year when they were taught by using the traditional methods of teaching vocabulary (p = 0.331). No difference was found for the GAA students in vocabulary when compared to their peers in other Seventh-day Adventist schools in Arizona after the end of the first year of the technology implementation (p = 0.203; η2 = 0.014). After conducting a repeated measures ANCOVA to track the experimental group of students at GAA over a period of two years, there was no significant difference in vocabulary performance when compared to their counterparts from the other Seventh-day Adventist schools in Arizona (p = 0.572; η2 = 0.006). Furthermore, after conducting a repeated measures ANCOVA to track the experimental group of students at GAA over a period of three years, there was no significant difference in vocabulary performance when compared with the control group (p = 0.134; η2 = 0.073). No significant group differences was found among the students who experienced the technology intervention when compared to their performance during the prior year, when they were taught using the traditional methods of teaching reading comprehension (p = 0.735). No difference was found for the GAA students in reading comprehension when compared to their peers in other Seventh-day Adventist schools in Arizona after the end of the first year of the technology implementation (p = 0.362; η2 = 0.007 ). After conducting a repeated measures ANCOVA to track the experimental group of students at GAA over a period of two years, there was no significant difference in reading comprehension performance when compared to their counterparts from the other Seventh-day Adventist schools in Arizona (p = 0.181; η2 = 0.032). Furthermore, after conducting a repeated measures ANCOVA to track the experimental group of students at GAA over a period of three years, there was no significant difference in reading comprehension performance when compared with the control group (p = 0.073; η2 = 0.103). Conclusions and Recommendations Based on the results from this study, the use of tablets and educational software did not provide statistical significant academic benefits to GAA students in the areas of spelling and reading comprehension. Although, when looking to the unadjusted means between the technology group in comparison with the control group, an increase in academic performance can be observed. Hence, the recommendation for future research to use a more sensitive instrument for measuring intervention effects than the standardized academic test used in this study (ITBS). That students at GAA, who were part of the technology group for three years, were not at a disadvantage academically in the areas of spelling, vocabulary, and reading comprehension when compared to the fifth- through eighth-grade students from the other Seventh-day Adventist schools in Arizona provided valuable information regarding students’ academic performance when using tablets and educational software. These findings were consistent with several studies (ASCD & OverDrive, 2016; Moon et al., 2017; Schoology, 2017; Wang, 2017). Furthermore, the implementation of immersive technology in the classroom concurs with educational and curricular trend of equipping students with 21st-Century skills (Alliance for Excellent Education, 2016; Federal Communications Commission, 2012; Gross, 2013; US Department of Education, Office of Educational Technology, 2010). In summary, further research could investigate the degree of student involvement, engagement, self-motivation, teachers’ perception toward technology, impact of technology instruction and the workforce, and satisfaction in classrooms when tablets and educational apps are implemented. (Singleton & Simmons, 2001)

Facilitating Comprehension and Motivation by Engaging Adolescents as iPad Readers

Technologies continue to transform the many ways that we read, write, and communicate, redefining what it means to be literate in the 21st century. For example, the explosive growth in tablet computers over the last few years has seemingly everyone embracing the new digital literacies without any real knowledge of the skills, strategies, and dispositions required to comprehend digital text. Given the newness of this technology, it\u27s hardly surprising that little empirical research has been conducted to examine the extent to which e-books can actually improve comprehension as well as the motivation to read among students. To help solve this problem, a randomized control trial was conducted in a Southern California middle school with four 6th grade classrooms––two that received a digital literacy intervention and two that did not. The 6-week intervention consisted of independent reading of an age-appropriate e-book along with instruction on how to use the technologies associated with the digital text; the non-intervention group read the same text in standard print format. All students participated in pre- and posttests that used the Qualitative Reading Inventory to measure comprehension proficiency and the Adolescent Motivation to Read Profile to measure the motivation to read. When analysis of variance techniques were used to compare the groups, results revealed that students that received the digital intervention improved significantly more (p \u3c .00 I) in both comprehension and motivation than those that read the printed text. In addition, regression analysis revealed that neither race, gender, standardized state test scores, nor changes in motivation were significant predictors of the change in reading comprehension; instead the only significant predictor was whether or not the student received the digital intervention. Taken together, the findings from this small sample study suggest that motivation and comprehension proficiency improved after students read an e-book on a tablet. Of course, these findings need to be replicated in larger samples, but if they are then schools clearly need to rethink resource all location decisions in an effort to promote and integrate e-books into their curriculum, which may include either leasing tablets, using bookless libraries, or all owing students to bring their own devices to class

An Examination of How Principals in Rural K-12 Schools Foster Technological Literacy Among Teachers: A Multi-Site Case Study

The purpose of this bounded multi-site study was to understand how the technological practices of principals in small K–12 rural schools in western Canada foster the technological literacy of teachers. Technological practice was defined as the ability to support the application of technology by guiding, managing, and developing different aspects of the organization to improve performance. The theory guiding this study was the social cognitive theory of Albert Bandura, based on triadic reciprocal determinism which involved personal, behavioral, and environmental experiences. The sample for this research study were principals and teachers in small K–12 rural schools in western Canada. Data were collected through documents, interviews, and two focus groups. One focus group included principals and the other included teachers. Data from individual cases were analyzed first followed by a cross-case synthesis. The central research question asked, How do principals in small K–12 rural schools in western Canada use their technological practices to foster technological literacy among their teachers? Five themes emerged from three sub questions. The themes support and connection developed from sub question one which asked about the personal leadership practices of the principals in fostering technological literacy. The two themes sub question two presented were the relationship skills of principals which was the ability to deal with the challenges of becoming technologically literate and the ability to give opportunities to teachers to become technologically literate. The theme that emerged from sub question three in regard to the type of environmental surrounding that was important to foster technological literacy in teachers was having the technological tools available to the teachers

Teacher Candidates\u27 Digital Literacy and Their Technology Integration Efficacy

The purpose of this study was to investigate perceived digital literacy levels and technology integration efficacy of preservice teaching (PST) candidates. The sample was comprised of PST candidates from two universities and one college in the southeastern United States that differ in size and culture. The study used a quantitative approach. PST candidates self-rated their digital literacy levels and technology integration efficacy using an online digital literacy survey. The relationship between PST candidates\u27 perceptions of their digital literacy level and their level of technology integration efficacy was investigated. The existence of a digital divide has recently been of concern to educational stakeholders. Because of this concern, several other relationships with digital literacy were analyzed: age, race, financial aid status; laptop/personal computer/Internet accessible device ownership, time of laptop/personal computer/Internet accessible device ownership and Internet access level. The results of this study will be important to both College of Education faculty and P - 12 public school systems because digital literacy and technology integration efficacy within both content and pedagogical knowledge are important requirements necessary for our PST candidates to successfully take the helm of their 21st Century classrooms

Technology Instruction in the Classroom: Effects on Struggling Writers\u27 Success

Technology use within the writing classroom for writers who struggle can offer independence and lead to success. This literature review examines the use of technology with struggling writers, the effects of technology use of student engagement, specific strategies used for the implementation of technology, and the professional development opportunities presented to educators for this implementation. The research affirms the benefits of assistive technology within the writing classroom and the importance for the training of educators to properly utilize and engage technology within their classrooms promoting student success and achievement

Teacher Mo'olelo (Stories and Perspectives) on an iPad Rollout: A Narrative Inquiry Within a Hawaiian School Setting

D.Ed

The Digital Classroom in the 21st Century: A Study of K-12 Physical Educators Use of Instructional Technology

This qualitative study focuses on the use and implementation of instructional technology in K-12 physical education classes in suburban school districts on Long Island, New York. Novice (less than three years teaching experience), intermediate (four to fourteen years), and veteran (more than fifteen years) public school educators were interviewed on their knowledge and use of instructional technology in their current teaching methods. Factors influencing or limiting use of instructional technology among K-12 physical educators was examined. The study includes demographics, such as gender, years of professional teaching experience, instructional technology training, computer proficiency skills, and types of instructional technology used in their teaching practices. Examined in this study was K-12 physical educators’ implementation of instructional technology throughout their district’s curriculum. Results indicated some challenges with implementing instructional technology which were keeping up to date with changing software and hardware, district budget constraints, participant’s training in and use of instructional technology. Benefits and opportunities with implementing instructional technology included enhancing student learning and strengthening teacher effectiveness

Teachers and Digital Literacies: Mixed-Methods Investigation into 1:1 Technology-Enhanced Learning Environments

Despite the bustling technological landscape in which we live and learn, technology is still limited in its integration within classrooms. The current drive in education to promote 21st-century skills and digital literacies appears to remain relatively idle for a variety of reasons. This mixed-methods study examines the impact 1:1 technology has on digital literacies and the barriers faced by teachers with its incorporation into secondary classrooms. It explores the extent to which instructors within 1:1 environments perceive their technology integration and investigates how this indirectly impacts the acquisition of digital literacies within the classroom. By gaining more insight into how technology and digital literacy skills are integrated into 1:1 classrooms, we may gain insight into current integration practices as well as barriers to implementation, furthering literature in this area. Moreover, this research may enable educational systems to effectively align beliefs, research, and practice to support teachers in meeting newly adopted technologies and digital literacy standards

Effective iPad Integration in the Kindergarten Literacy Curriculum Through Creation-Based Literacy Tasks: An Action Research Study

In the current educational landscape where the use of technology is prominent, the present study was designed to examine how to effectively integrate iPads and open-content applications into early literacy instruction through the use of creation-based tasks: digital experiences where students have the opportunity to be creators of content and demonstrate knowledge in a multimodal way. To this end, the central research question is as follows: In a 1:1iPad classroom environment, how are creation-based learning tasks that utilize the iPad and related open-content iPad applications effectively integrated into literacy pedagogy to facilitate literacy learning in the kindergarten classroom? Through the process of teacher-action research, these questions were also explored: How do creation-based literacy tasks engage kindergarten students in digital literacy practices? How do these literacy tasks foster the development of students’ agency and promote engagement? How has my teaching practice been impacted by these experiences? A technology integration framework was developed to guide effective iPad integration in the kindergarten literacy curriculum, specifically related to using open-content applications for creation-based tasks. Aligned to this framework, a series of lessons and creation-based tasks (guided, independent, collaborative) were designed, purposefully linked to learning goals, then incorporated into small group instruction. Through observations, focus-group interviews, collection of digital artifacts, a reflective journal and audio-recordings, this action research study examined how creation-based literacy tasks impact three key aspects of early years learning: digital literacy practices, agency, and engagement. Findings indicate that integrating iPads in these specific ways into a coherent framework not only provided kindergarten students with expanded opportunities to interact with literacy learning and transform understandings into a creation using a digital pathway – but it promoted engagement with digital literacy practices, provided a foundation for student agency, and fostered student engagement and collaboration. Furthermore, findings point to the importance of an active teacher role in facilitating and scaffolding these learning experiences. These findings have significant implications for the understanding of how to improve the quality of iPad integration and capitalize on its pedagogical potential to facilitate early literacy learning. Continued efforts are needed to translate this research into accessible, high-quality professional development opportunities