Differences in Elementary Students’ Self-Regulated Processes for Computer Versus Printed Reading Assignments

The purpose of this study was to investigate metacognitive self-regulated learning (SRL) differences in computer- and paper-based reading assignments across elementary students. Students in two after-school programs in a southeastern U.S. public school district were recruited. The final sample consisted of 48 students in Grades 2–5 who participated in two counterbalanced conditions involving a computer- and a paper-based reading assignment. The study employed a 2 x 4 (condition-by-grade) mixed-model analysis of variance (ANOVA) and followup tests to examine metacognitive SRL differences between conditions and grades. The results indicate that elementary students used various metacognitive SRL skills across both conditions. The mixed-model ANOVA results show a significant interaction in control processes in paper-based reading for students in fifth grade, a significant main effect of condition in evaluation practices in computer-based reading for all grades, and a significant main effect of condition in conditional knowledge in the paper reading assignment for all grades. The results suggest that students can benefit from focused instruction to apply metacognitive SRL skills between the two reading formats. Keywords: self-regulated learning, metacognition, online reading, reading strategies, elementary grade

Digital Print Concepts: Conceptualizing a modern framework for measuring emerging knowledge

This dissertation sought to produce and empirically test a theoretical model for the literacy construct of print concepts that would take into account the unique affordances of digital picture books for emergent readers. The author used an exploratory study of twenty randomly selected digital story applications to identify print conventions, text features and book handling methods present across digital picture books which were then mapped against the traditional paper reading experience. Combining study results with existing research in the reading literature, a structural model of digital print concepts as a second order measurement model accounting for five factors of concept of words, directionality, non-alphabetic sign systems, navigation and interactivity was proposed. Next, a static digital story assessment written to parallel Clay’s Concepts About Print instrument was coupled with dynamic assessment for all items addressing novel affordances. This Digital Print Concepts (DPC) assessment was administered to 122 kindergarten students, and dynamic assessment was found to play a role improving student task performance in the short term. The originally proposed theoretical model of digital print concepts did not describe the data well, with item factor analysis revealing that the best fitting model was a freely correlated three-factor model of sign systems, navigation and interactivity. Advisor: Guy Traini

Year Five of Implementation—2008-2009 Nebraska Reading First Annual Report

The 2008-2009 Annual Reading First Progress Report reflects on the final year of implementation for Round I schools and the third full year of implementation for Round II schools. This report focuses on the effect that Reading First implementation has had on selected schools across Nebraska with a special focus on vulnerable populations: English language learners, students of different ethnicities, special education students, and economically disadvantaged students