Literature Review
Introduction
P. Kim et al (2011) recorded that Technology can be a powerful means to increase access to learning opportunities and to a broaden information society .However the reaches have not satisfactorily studied the role of technology in the effects to reading and comprehension. Therefore this is a literature review that considers role of technology in reading and understanding comprehension, phonology, and the roles of the teachers in asking, answering questions and storytelling and retelling.
High teachers’ role resulting in story retelling
Many researches have been conducted on the effects of technology in reading comprehension in various groups of learners of different levels of development. Kim, p. et al (2011) conducted such a research which technology was paired with adult instructions using the ‘teacher mate’ mobile device in two schools to determine the influence the technology has on comprehension and retelling of a story. A control group which did have any mobile devise was set up and paired adult instructions where provided. The results indicates that the teachers capability to retell stories increased when the instructions where attached to a technological platform. This was also found by Wang, Wei (2008) and Mitchell, M. J., & Fox, B. J. (2001) who undertook a research on the effects of different software in reading and understanding comprehension.
A repeated research evidence by Caroline connel, Lauren Bayliss and Whitney Farmer (2012) where the teacher read loudly a book and modeled how one can read a book and answer comprehension questions and then the students were providing with I-pad or Kindles to complete reading the passage indicated that, the retelling of the story improved significantly. All the reaches showed and improved trend in the teachers role of retelling stories when paired with technology.
High teachers’ role resulting in answering questions
There is growing empirical evidence on the roles of teachers in answering questions. Mathes, P. G., Torgesen, J. K. and Allor, J. H. (2001) conducted a research where the teacher sent the students to the computer after a lesson literacy to continue learning. The Computer Aided Instructions therefore enabled learners to learn without the physical presence of the teacher. It also provided immediate feedback on correct and incorrect responses and consistently and immediately delivered reinforcement. Therefore the role of asking question was greatly enhanced by use of technology. A repeated research on the same by Wang, Wei (2008) found the same effect on the use of Ipads in reading and understanding comprehension. The same result where found by Kim, P., Hagashi, T., Carillo, L., Gonzales, I., Makany, T., Lee, B., & Gàrate, A. (2011).
There was another research was carried by Glenburg, Goldberg and Zhu (2008) which involved the computer manipulation of images. The student where provided with books to read and when they reached a critical sentences the teacher would click the right image of the correct object. Afterward the teacher asked oral questions. The results where that those students who were exposed to the computers where more successful than those who had no access. This indicates that technology play an important role in the learning process of students which agrees with Mathes, P. G., Torgesen, J. K. and Allor, J. H. (2001) findings. However it should be noted that the shift to manipulate the image proved to be a limit although it could be overcame by use computers.
Minoo Alemi, Zahra Lari. (2012) conducted a research on mobile assisted learning which was used to learn vocabulary. The mobile phone features can be used to learn vocabulary and hence improve in the reading of a comprehension. One of such features is the short message service. The results indicated a positive correlation between the use of technology and the understanding of comprehension. All the findings suggest that the use of technology was of great had a positive impact on the teachers’ role in answering question.
High student role resulting in story retelling
Many researches have been undertaken to show the relationship between technology and ability of learners to understand comprehension Wang, Wei (2008) conducted a research using the iQuiz. The teacher can uses iQuiz or other similar assessments on the I-pod which will give her access to all students’ data right away by projecting it on the desktop or the projector. Students listen to stories on their way to and from school which would give them the additional 30 minutes of instruction. The findings indicated that the use of the technology increased the students’ interest in learning slightly. The capability to retell the stories was found to increase when technology was used in their learning process. A repeated research by Minoo Alemi, Zahra Lari (2012) on mobile assisted learning which was used to learn vocabulary and later test their understanding in comprehension which as well conformed with Kim, P., Hagashi, T., Carillo, L., Gonzales, I., Makany, T., Lee, B., & Gàrate, A. (2011) on the same.The mobile phone features can be used to learn vocabulary and hence improve in the reading of a comprehension.
Mitchell, M. J., & Fox, B. J. (2001) noted that computer-administered instruction has positive effects on learning (Fitzgerald&Koury,1996;Kulik,Banger,&Williams,1983) found that the use of technology specifically computers in kindergarten and first grade children can be enhanced by use of computer administered instruction as well as the use of the teacher-delivered instruction in comprehension reading and answering question. Using technology such as the iPod, children can listen to an audio version of a book and follow along silently with the printed version. Teachers can remind students to listen to the expression in the voices they hear. Also, students can gain practice in reading the text aloud in conjunction with the audio. A M. Glenburg, A. B. Goldberg, X. Zhu. (2008) realized the students improved in story retelling when Computer Aided Instructions were used. All the researchers conclude that there was an improved the students capability to retell the stories after the instructions where tied to technology.
High student role resulting in answering questions
Many researches have shown that technology improves the capability of students answering questions. Mitchell, M. J., & Fox, B. J. (2001) noted that computer-administered instruction has positive effects on learning (Fitzgerald&Koury,1996;Kulik,Banger,&Williams,1983). In follow-up study, Barker and Torgesen (1995) Compared phonological awareness and comprehension instruction using computer program, with two other computer programs, one that gave children decoding instruction and practice, and the other that provided mathematics instruction and practice. After approximately eight hours of computer-administered instruction, the study showed significantly greater improvement on measures of phonological awareness and comprehension understanding. Therefore if technology is attached with instructions the students could answer questions conveniently which was also confirmed by Caroline Connell, Lauren Bayliss, & Whitney Farmer. (2012.
Minoo and et.el (2012) study showed a positive correlation on use of technology, particularly SMS in learning vocabulary which increases the level of comprehension and answering questions. A repeated study by Wang, Wei (2008) indicted the same trend. All the reaches shows that the students could answer questions conveniently when technology was used. The results of all the studies also showed greater improvement in reading and understanding of comprehension. There was however several possible challenges like network problems that delayed the receiving of the messages sent. Therefore teachers need to pay attention on how to instruct in reading of comprehension using technology.
Critique
Although technology can be used to improve the learning of vocabulary and hence comprehension, there is need to consider proper age that is more familiar with the technology. Mitchell, M. J., & Fox, B. J. (2001) who carried out a similar experiment and found that the use of technology specifically computers in kindergarten and first grade children can be enhanced use of computer administered instruction as well as the use of the teacher-delivered instruction. In some aspects like rhyming the technological group showed lower performance than the control group. This could be explained basin on the fact that the students had a lower understanding of the technology. Kindergarten children may not be familiar with the technology in use. In all case a proper orientation sessions need also to be carried out to ensure that all those involved are familiar with the technology in use. Therefore this research seeks to establish whether technology is appropriate in kindergarten level to learn phonology.
Minoo Alemi, Zahra Lari (2012) Conducted a research on mobile assisted learning which was used to learn vocabulary and encountered network problem. The network challenge can as well be checked owing to the fact that there are different technological platforms whose working modes are different and compatibility with other platforms may be difficult and hence could proof difficult to enhance the reading and understating of comprehension. .
Research question
Is technology paired with teachers’ instruction of significant use in kindergarten level in reading comprehension compared to higher levels?
Hypothesis1
There is no significant in the use of technology paired with teachers instructions in kindergarten in reading comprehension compared to higher levels.
Hypothesis2
There is a significant use of technology paired with teachers’ instructions in kindergarten in reading comprehension as compared to higher levels.
References
A M. Glenburg, A. B. Goldberg, X. Zhu. (2008). Improving early reading comprehension using embodied CAI. Instructional Science. 39.1 (Jan 2011): 27-39.
Caroline Connell, Lauren Bayliss, & Whitney Farmer. (2012) Effects of eBook readers and tablet computers on reading comprehension. International Journal of Instructional Media, Vol. 39(2)
Kim, P., Hagashi, T., Carillo, L., Gonzales, I., Makany, T., Lee, B., & Gàrate, A. (2011). Socioeconomic strata, mobile technology, and education: A comparative analysis. Educational Technology Research And Development, 59(4), 465-486.
Mathes, P. G., Torgesen, J. K., & Allor, J. H. (2001). The effects of peer-assisted literacy strategies for first-grade readers with and without additional computer-assistedinstruction in phonological awareness. American Educational Research Journal, 38(2), 371-410.
Minoo Alemi, Zahra Lari. 2012. SMS vocabulary learning: a tool to promote reading comprehension in L2 International Journal of Linguistics, 1948-5425 2012, Vol. 4, No. 4
Mitchell, M. J., & Fox, B. J. (2001). The effects of computer software for developing phonological awareness in low progress readers. Reading Research and Instruction, 40(4), 315-332.
Wang, Wei, "Reading tutors using the iPod to enhance and motivate struggling literacy learners' reading ability" (2008). Graduate Theses and Dissertations. Paper 11041.
