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Digital Books and Software: Opportunities and Outcomes

Digital Books and Software: Opportunities and Outcomes. Adina Shamir, Bar- Ilan University, Israel Shamira@ mail.biu.ac.il Cynthia M. Okolo, Michigan State University, USA okolo @ msu.edu Okolo.wiki.educ.msu.edu Bar -Ilan University, Israel. Outline.

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Digital Books and Software: Opportunities and Outcomes

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  1. Digital Books and Software: Opportunities and Outcomes Adina Shamir, Bar- Ilan University, Israel Shamira@mail.biu.ac.il Cynthia M. Okolo, Michigan State University, USA okolo@msu.edu Okolo.wiki.educ.msu.edu Bar-Ilan University, Israel

  2. Outline Overall introduction-rationale and background for the projects we are going to present Adina Shamir’s presentation- Educational e-book for kindergarteners at risk for LD Cindy Okolo: literacy software and content-area instruction for older students Questions

  3. Introduction Schools for students in K-12 are concerned with keeping up to date on accelerating technological developments Yet, technology remains underutilized for students with disabilities (in Israel and in the United States) Further research can assist us in learning how to effectively design and use digital technologies

  4. The Promise of Digital Literacy Tools Support students’ literacy and learning ( Mayer, 2003; Neuman, 2009) by providing: Access to traditional text through text to speech tools Multimedia learning that combines multiple representations (text, voices, pictures, and animations) compensating for student’s specific needs Multimedia learning for multisensory learning Alternatives to traditional literacy instruction through technology-based instruction and support for effective literacy practices

  5. Digital literacy tools make it possible to transform text—for reading and for instruction The Machine is Us/ing Ushttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLlGopyXT_g

  6. Evidence-based practices • RTI emphasizes the use of evidence-based practices to offer a standard-protocol approach to teaching and learning (Fuchs, Fuchs, & Compton, 2010) • Technology could be an effective component of multi-tiered intervention for struggling students (Smith, 2011) • Yet, we don’t have full support for digital literacy technology as an evidence-based practice

  7. Research to Support Digital Literacy Tools What impact do digital literacy tools have on students’ literacy skills? Few systematic replications of positive findings: 1. Different types of students, settings,technologies 2.Cross cultural studies We know little about how to better implement technology in the literacy curriculum

  8. This session We will present two different types of digital literacy learning for students with learning disability (LD): a) Educational e-booksfor kindergarteners at risk for LD a) Literacy software support for comprehension of content area text for students with reading/learning disabilities

  9. The research presented next was was supported by grants to the University of Oregon and to Michigan State University from the Office of Special Education Programs, United States Department of Education • Researchers: Cindy Okolo, Ira Socol, Roberta Brosnahan, Beth Thomlinson, Shani Feyen, Summer Ferreri

  10. Literacy Software • Operating systems that “read” text • Text readers or screen readers • Add Ons and Extensions • Multipurpose software • WYNN • Kurzweil • Crick Software • Don Johnston Solo • Read&Write Gold

  11. Literacy software lets us create supported digital text

  12. Supported digital text • UDL • Accessible instructional materials • Textbook adoption policies • Cross-platforms

  13. Supported Digital Text and Content-Area Learning? • Does literacy software improve access to the general education curriculum? • In content areas • In middle and high school • Textbook based instruction remains most common instructional practice • If textbooks were in the form of supported digital books, would it matter?

  14. Participants, Design, Instruments • Seven 8th graders • Three at-risk • Four LD • Multi-element design • Randomly alternate reading social studies text via literacy software and student reading printed text aloud • Reading comprehension • Text retelling • Multiple choice questions (1 main idea, 2 details, 1 vocabulary; 3 “logical” choices, 1 “illogical” choice) • Student preference interview (after each session) • Which did you prefer?Which text was more interesting?

  15. Procedures • Students randomly “read” 500 word text selections about world history • In WYNN literacy software • Or • On a printed page • All text selections rewritten to be a 8th grade readability level • Grade appropriate level

  16. Procedures • Individual sessions, computer lab • Researcher-implemented • Two training sessions in use of WYNN software • Condition (print versus software; text passage; time of day) randomized across students • Read at own pace (stop reading/listening to pause or conclude; review as needed)

  17. Procedures • Retell • Tell me everything you can remember about the passage • Multiple choice (read aloud by the researcher) • Preference: • Which did you like better? • Which was more interesting? • Field notes taken during sessions about spontaneous comments, approaches to reading, and software use

  18. Data analysis • Text samples divided into idea units • Retells audiotaped & transcribed • Number of idea units counted • Interrater reliability per sample ranged from 85% to 100%, average 93% • Multiple choice questions scored 1 to 4 • Looked for differences in accuracy by question type and by logical/illogical options

  19. Results • Nearly identical across conditions • 4.2 facts recalled with print; 3.9 with software • Multiple choice accuracy about 56% in each condition • Better accuracy on vocabulary questions AND fewer illogical choices in software condition • Better accuracy on detail questions in print condition

  20. Example of ResultsStudent A: Retells

  21. Example of ResultsStudent A: Multiple Choice

  22. Who is Student A? • Male • Receives services for reading, reading about 3 years below grade level • FSIQ = 78, “at risk” services • Cs in adapted social studies classroom • Reported using audiobooks in 5th grade, no other formal school experience with assistive technology • Reads slowly, uses finger, mouths words • Experimented with software features (definitions, pace, critiqued software informally) • Military history buff • Strong preference for software condition

  23. Example of ResultsStudent B: Retells

  24. Example of ResultsStudent B: Multiple Choice

  25. Who is Student B? • Female • Receives services for LD, 2 years below reading level • FSIQ = 104 • Cs in adapted social studies classroom • Used Read 180 in prior school district in elementary school • Read at a consistent, moderate speed • Looked up 2 definitions, little other interaction • Preferred software 75% of the time but rated software passage more interesting only 50% of time

  26. Results: Observations and Preferences • About 3 sessions (about one hour total time), for students to seem comfortable using software • e.g., to change features such as read/stop or access to definition • Students preferred software condition 90% of sessions • Students rated text more interesting in about 84% of software sessions • Boys more likely than girls to prefer software condition and to rate text more interesting in software condition • Boys somewhat more likely to use different software features

  27. Conclusions • Text that is difficult is difficult: • As supported digital text AND on paper • Is UDL enough? • Results may be different for skill-appropriate text and for different types of text • Students may prefer to read digital text and find it more interesting—what are the implications of this? • May be differences between males and females in preferences and use of software features

  28. Supported digital text is not the whole answer • Students don’t take full advantage of its features • Students need time and guidance to learn it well • Students NEED instruction • Use supported digital text + evidence-based practices

  29. Project PAL: Promoting Academic Literacy* • Cognitive strategy instruction = one of the most powerful evidence-based practices in special education • Can literacy software incorporate cognitive strategy instruction? • To improve student learning in content areas? • To embody more effective use of literacy software? • To teach more effective literacy skills? *Collaboration between Michigan State University and Freedom Scientific

  30. Strategy supports software useSoftware use supports strategy

  31. WYNN Literacy Software • Word by word and full sentence highlighting • Link words to definitions • Variable speed control for synthesized voice • Choice of voices • Control panel simplicity (e.g. read/stop toggle) • Highlighting • Annotation tools • Writing tools • Web-based tools http://www.freedomscientific.com/lsg/products/wynn.asp

  32. Cognitive Strategy: PRE-PREP • Guides reading, writing, and studying from text • Based on tasks typically assigned in content area classes • Each step makes use of WYNN • All WYNN features are available in all steps • For example, all text can be read aloud at any step

  33. PRE-PREP steps • Preview • Read • Examine • Pick What's Important • Reduce • Explain • Publish

  34. PAL Design Features • Student and teacher choice • Can “skip” any step or feature • Can edit all features and templates • Individualization and differentiated use • Teacher can assign particular steps and features • Program can be tailored to learners, goals, tasks • Simple interface • Color cues • Consistency across tasks and features • Operation • “Look and feel” • All “steps” of the strategy are available at all times (can travel back and forth between strategy steps and their products

  35. PAL Interface

  36. Preview • Literacy Focus: • Set a purpose for reading • Skim or scan text with a purpose in mind • Technology Implementation: • Teacher sets goal(s) for reading in a Preview Pane • WYNN displays goal(s) • Text displayed below Preview Pane

  37. Read • Literacy Focus: • First pass through the text • Read “chunk” of text • Technology Implementation: • Simultaneous aural and visual presentation of text • Word by word highlighting • Links to dictionary • Review, pause, stop aural presentation • Adjust pace and voice

  38. Examine • Literacy Focus: • Engage with the text • Examine the text in greater detail and depth • Technology Implementation: • Teacher or student poses specific questions to be examined in text • Questions are written in different colors • Each question can be linked to a segment of text through a colored superscript

  39. Pick What’s Important • Literacy Focus: • Locate main ideas and details • Locate answers to specific questions or purposes • Organize information into “logical” or topically-related ideas • Technology Implementation: • Color-coded questions guide selection of text • Segments of text marked with color coded superscripts • Highlight text with relevant colored highlighter to respond to a question or purpose • Software arranges colored coded highlights into different segments of text in a new document

  40. Reduce • Literacy Focus: • Summarize • Preparation for writing or testing • Technology Implementation • Electronic note cards • Student summarizes highlighted and extracted text on to note cards • Each note card represents one question or topic

  41. Explain • Literacy Focus: • Communicate what you have learned through writing • Provide scaffolds to guide more mature or complete written products • Technology Implementation • Writing templates for Narrative, Expository, and Argumentative writing • Students (or teacher) selects template • Use note cards to complete templates • Completed template is an “outline” for written essay

  42. Publish • Literacy Focus: • Authors and experts create work for publication • Communicate what you think or what you have learned • Technology Implementation • Completed template used to guide a written product • Student uses all WYNN writing tools, and their template, to produce an essay

  43. Evaluation of PAL • In house Alpha and Beta testing (at Freedom Scientific) • Single-case studies • Small quasi-experimental pilot study • Exploring 3 models of teacher professional development • Video modules • Webinar • Ning (social community)

  44. Status of PAL • Under development, pending WYNN 6 release • Features conceptualized and under design • Conceptualization is foundation for all software design • Process of design entails constant communication among different parties who speak different “languages” • Educators, researchers, marketing directors, software programmers • Merging goals of research, dissemination, and getting a product to market

  45. Thank You • Cynthia M. Okolo, Michigan State University, USA- okolo@msu.edu • Okolo.wiki.educ.msu.edu • Adina Shamir, Bar- Ilan University, Israel- Shamira@mail.biu.ac.il

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