Promoting contextual vocabulary learning through an adaptive computer‐assisted EFL reading system

The study developed an adaptive computer‐assisted reading system and investigated its effect on promoting English as a foreign language learner‐readers' contextual vocabulary learning performance. Seventy Taiwanese college students were assigned to two reading groups. Participants in the customised reading group read online English texts, each of which was customised by the developed system to offer immediate and repeated meetings with previously encountered unknown words, while participants in the typical reading group read online texts without control on unknown word recurrence. After the 4‐week online reading treatment, the two groups of learners were tested by online immediate and delayed vocabulary tests, and the students from the customised reading group were also required to complete the questionnaire regarding system use. The results showed that the vocabulary mean scores from both immediate and delayed testing demonstrated significantly better results in word gain and word retention with the customised reading group and that the adaptive reading system was appealing for the students. The study demonstrated that by providing customised reading with word recurrence specific to individuals' unknown words, this adaptive computer‐assisted English as a foreign language reading system creates a more favourable condition for foreign language vocabulary growth.     

Variability in reading ability gains as a function of computer-assisted instruction method of presentation

This study examines the effects on early reading skills of three different methods of presenting material with computer-assisted instruction (CAI): (1) learner-controlled picture menu, which allows the student to choose activities, (2) linear sequencer, which progresses the students through lessons at a pre-specified pace, and (3) mastery-based adaptive sequencer, which progresses students through lessons based on whether or not the student has mastered the given skill. Preschool- and kindergarten-aged children (n = 183) were randomly assigned to one of the three CAI groups and spent 40 min a week, for 13 weeks, using the software program in a computer lab. An additional control group of students attending typical preschool or kindergarten received no CAI. ANCOVA results examining post-test reading ability sum score, covarying pre-test score, indicated that the mastery-based sequencer group significantly outperformed the learner-control and control groups, but was not statistically different from the linear sequence group. Analysis by task, rather than overall reading score, revealed significantly better performance for the linear sequence group over controls and picture menu group on the Initial Sound Fluency task, while the mastery-based sequencer group outperformed all three other groups on Non Word Fluency. In sum, these results suggest that the use of a sequencer is a very important element in presenting computerized reading content for young children.     

A cluster-randomized trial measuring the effects of a digital learning tool supporting decoding and reading for meaning in grade 2

A large-scale, cluster-randomized controlled field trial (N_classrooms = 47; N_students = 1,013) assessed the impact of a digital text-to-speech reading material that supported 8-year-olds’ decoding and reading comprehension. An active control group used the most prevalent Danish learning material with a research-based systematic, explicit phonics approach supporting primarily decoding. The digital tool allows children to read unfamiliar text for meaning. Students are supported in mapping between orthography and phonology by three levels of text-to-speech support and in identifying spelling patterns. The risk of students overusing text-to-speech was countered by postponing access to having words read aloud by directing students towards identifying and training relevant orthographic patterns before activating text-to-speech. Results showed no statistically significant difference in decoding, but treatment improved reading comprehension. The study demonstrates how digital tools can facilitate strengthening students' decoding skills as efficiently as a traditional phonics-based programme while students are reading text of relatively high orthographic complexity for meaning.     

Effects of computer-assisted comprehension training in less skilled comprehenders in second grade: A one-year follow-up study

This study examines the effects of a new CAI program designed to remediate text comprehension difficulties in less skilled comprehenders at the beginning of learning to read. In a randomized control trial design, two groups of second grade children experiencing comprehension difficulties were selected and trained using two CAI programs. One of these was designed to assist comprehension processes (experimental group) whereas the other encouraged word decoding (control group). Four tasks were administered using a classical pre-test/training/post-test design: listening comprehension, reading comprehension, vocabulary and comprehension monitoring. In addition, two post-test sessions were conducted: one just after the training and one 11 months later. The experimental group exhibited a greater level of progress in both listening and reading comprehension, with notable lasting effects. In contrast, the results relating to the vocabulary and comprehension monitoring tasks were more mixed. The results are discussed in the light of the possible use of CAI when training higher-level skills such as text comprehension.     

The effectiveness of a computer‐assisted math learning program

Computer‐assisted instruction (CAI) programs are considered as a way to improve learning outcomes of students. However, little is known on the schools who implement such programs as well as on the effectiveness of similar information and communication technology programs. We provide a literature review that pays special attention to the existing causal evidence of computer‐assisted programs on learning outcomes. The paper relies on a rich data set consisting of (i) pupil‐level information on the use of a Dutch computer‐assisted program and (ii) detailed school‐level information on, among others, outcomes on national exams. The results suggest that schools with lower educational attainments use more frequently CAI programs. This suggests that they use CAI programs to catch up on learning outcomes. Moreover, using an instrumental variable design, we argue that given the participation in the CAI program, making more exercises leads to higher test results. Working with a CAI program seems therefore effective.     

Effects of complex feedback on computer-assisted modular instruction

The aim of this study is to determine the effects of two versions of Computer-Based Feedback within a prevocational system of modularized education in The Netherlands. The implementation and integration of Computer-Based Feedback (CBF) in Installation Technology modules in all schools (n=60) in The Netherlands is new. The main idea is that feedback in general has proven to be effective, but it has to be customized to the needs of the students. Therefore two complex variations of feedback are designed and tested in a population experiment following and extending a study of Roper on different forms of complex feedback. In this experiment 537 students were involved. The subject is instruction on theory of installation technology in the fields of sanitary technology, gas technology and heating technology. After a pilot test, two experiments took place. This study suggests that the application of complex feedback is effective, but does not significantly increase post-test results. Students with good reading comprehension skills benefit much more from complex feedback than those with poor reading skills.     

Teaching genetics with multimedia results in better acquisition of knowledge and improvement in comprehension

The main goal of this study was to explore whether the use of multimedia in genetics instruction contributes more to students' knowledge and comprehension than other instructional modes. We were also concerned with the influence of different instructional modes on the retention of knowledge and comprehension. In a quasi‐experimental design, four comparable groups of 3rd and 4th grade high school students were taught the process of protein synthesis: group 1 was taught in the traditional lecture format (n = 112 students), group 2 only by reading text (n = 124 students), group 3 through multimedia that integrated two short computer animations (n = 115 students) and group 4 by text supplemented with illustrations (n = 117 students). All students received one pre‐test in order to estimate their prior knowledge, and two post‐tests in order to assess knowledge and comprehension immediately after learning and again after 5 weeks. Results showed that students comprising groups 3 and 4 acquired better knowledge and improved comprehension skills than the other two groups. Similar results were observed for retention of acquired knowledge and improved comprehension. These findings lead to the conclusion that better learning outcomes can be obtained by the use of animations or at least illustrations when learning genetics.     

Personality,religiosity and computer oriented attitudes among trainee teachers in Israel

This study examined the relationship between the Eysenckian dimensions of personality, religiosity, and attitudes towards computer assisted instruction (CAI) among a sample of 190 trainee teachers in Israel who had experienced a professionally structured induction programme in computer teaching skills. These data confirm the power of both personality and religiosity in predicting positive student attitudes towards CAI.     

Comprehension and navigation of networked hypertexts

This study aims to investigate secondary school students' reading comprehension and navigation of networked hypertexts with and without a graphic overview compared to linear digital texts. Additionally, it was studied whether prior knowledge, vocabulary, verbal, and visual working memory moderated the relation between text design and comprehension. Therefore, 80 first‐year secondary school students read both a linear text and a networked hypertext with and without a graphical overview. Logfiles registered their navigation. After reading the text, students answered textbased multiple choice questions and drew mindmaps to assess their structural knowledge of each text content. It was found that both textbased and structural knowledge were lower after reading a networked hypertext than a linear text, especially in students with lower levels of vocabulary. Students took generally more time to read the hypertext than the linear text. We concluded that networked hypertexts are more challenging to read than linear texts and that students may benefit from explicit training on how to read hypertexts.     

Developing a reciprocal teaching/learning system for college remedial reading instruction

In face-to-face instruction of Reciprocal Teaching (RT), students’ reading processes and dialogues with their peers are hardly observed. As a result, the teacher has few clues to identify students’ learning difficulties and provide further scaffoldings. To record students’ reading processes and enhance their comprehension, this study reports on the design of an online reciprocal teaching and learning system to support teachers and students in college remedial reading instruction. A sample of 129 under-prepared college students voluntarily signed up to participate in a remedial reading program. They were encouraged to use multiple strategies such as predicting, clarifying, questioning, and summarizing, which were supported by the functionalities of dialogue box, chat room, discussion forum, and annotation tool in the system. In this study, it was observed that students employed the multiple strategies to enhance their reading comprehension, as revealed by the students’ reading processes recorded in the system. When encountering difficulties in using these multiple strategies, students expressed that they observed and learned from the teacher’s or their peers’ externalization of strategy usage. Students’ reading progress in the remedial instruction incorporating the RT system was also identified by the pre- and post-tests. This study suggests that there may be benefits for teachers in encouraging students to interact with others in order to clarify and discuss comprehension questions and constantly monitor and regulate their own reading.     

The learning value of computer-based instruction of early reading skills

Abstract This study examined the unique contribution of computer-based instruction when compared with more conventional modes of instruction (i.e. teacher instruction with textbooks) to early reading skills acquisition, as well as the effects of specific features of computer technology on early reading skills performance. Forty-six pre-school children (aged 5–6), at high risk for learning disabilities, participated in the study. They were assigned to one of three study groups that received different treatments. Three dependent variables were defined, i.e. children's phonological awareness, word recognition and letter recognition skills measured prior and after the treatment. Results clearly indicated that children at high risk who received the reading intervention program with computer materials significantly improved their phonological awareness, word recognition, and letter naming skills relative to their peers who received a reading intervention program with only printed materials and those who received no formal reading intervention program. The results are discussed in detail, with reference to the features of the computer-based materials that contributed to the acquisition of critical early reading skills.     

Improving diagrammatic reasoning in middle school science using conventions of diagrams instruction

Visual representations are essential for science understanding, but many students have poor diagrammatic reasoning skills. Previous research showed that teaching high school and college students about the conventions of diagrams (COD) can improve diagrammatic reasoning. In this study, middle school science students received COD instruction delivered as a classroom warm‐up using laptop computers, while control students received publisher‐developed warm‐up questions. Students receiving COD warm‐ups for 10 weeks (but not 4 weeks) improved their diagrammatic reasoning more than control students. Treatment students' answers were more accurate than control students' answers, especially on easy questions. The discourse of pairs of students during the warm‐ups showed that treatment students talked about the diagrams more and made more inferences and that this difference was greatest for easy questions. Results suggest that COD instruction can be initiated in middle school along with more formal science instruction, can be integrated into classroom routine using computer‐delivered warm‐ups, is helpful (if sustained) both for improving diagrammatic reasoning and for supporting learning science content and works at least in part by increasing students' engagement during routine work.     

Measuring the impact of a blended learning model on early literacy growth

In the context of trying to improve reading proficiency in elementary school students, this study investigated the use of digital technology as part of a blended learning program, Core5, in kindergarten and first grade classes. A quasi-experimental design compared 283 treatment students instructed in schools using Core5 with 237 control students in schools using traditional instruction in an urban school district. At the beginning of the school year, all students were pretested with Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS), a commonly used reading assessment. During the school year, the treatment schools implemented Core5, which includes the online component and offline teacher-led lessons. The English Language Arts curriculum was evaluated and found to be similar across treatment and control schools. At the end of the school year, all students were post-tested with DIBELS. Results from propensity score analyses showed that treatment students outperformed control students and that the discrepancy between treatment and control groups on post-test scores was more pronounced when students had lower pretest scores. These outcomes point to the value of using Core5 for reading instruction in early elementary grades.     

Attention-driven read-aloud technology increases reading comprehension in children with reading disabilities

The paper presents the design of an assistive reading tool that integrates read-aloud technology with eye tracking to regulate the speed of reading and support struggling readers in following the text while listening to it. The paper describes the design rationale of this approach, following the theory of auditory–visual integration, in terms of an automatic self-adaptable technique based on the reader's gaze that provides an individualized interaction experience. This tool has been assessed in a controlled experiment with 20 children (aged 8–10 years) with a diagnosis of dyslexia and a control group of 20 children with typical reading abilities. The results show that children with reading difficulties improved their comprehension scores by 24% measured on a standardized instrument for the assessment of reading comprehension and that children with more inaccurate reading (N = 9) tended to benefit more. The findings are discussed in terms of a better integration between audio and visual text information, paving the way to improve standard read-aloud technology with gaze-contingency and self-adaptable techniques to personalize the reading experience.     

A supplemental computer-assisted intervention programme to prevent early reading difficulties in Spanish learners: A stratified random control trial

Difficulties in implementing effective instruction for at-risk students arise from two challenges: the transfer of evidence-based knowledge and the lack of economic resources. Computer-assisted programmes offer a suitable solution, providing quality instruction using low-cost resources. Thirty-two first-grade students with early learning difficulties were identified and paired based on at least three of the pre-intervention reading measures (reading efficiency of monosyllabic and disyllabic items, words, pseudowords and text reading speed). Each pair was assigned to one of two different intervention programmes: a computer-assisted intervention programme (CAIP) focused on syllables or the programme provided by the Spanish State School Assistance Services (SSAS). Every week, the CAIP participants received in pairs four 15-min training sessions on syllable decoding plus one 30-min group comprehension session. The CAIP was delivered by trainee students. The SSAS programme typically consisted of a 1-hr individual or in small groups sessions per week delivered by trained practitioners. Both programmes were administered for 11 weeks. The CAIP intervention showed better results than the SSAS intervention for both decoding and comprehension, with moderate to large effect sizes.     

MCA-Reader:基于多重联结机制的注意力阅读理解模型

机器阅读理解是当下自然语言处理的一个热门任务,其内容是: 在给定文本的基础上,提出问题,机器要在给定文本中寻找并给出最终问题的答案。片段抽取式阅读理解是当前机器阅读理解研究的一个典型的方向,机器通过预测答案在文章中的起始和结束位置来定位答案。在此过程中,注意力机制起着不可或缺的作用。该文为了更好地解决片段抽取式机器阅读理解任务,提出了一种基于多重联结机制的注意力阅读理解模型。该模型通过多重联结的方式,更有效地发挥了注意力机制在片段抽取式机器阅读理解任务中的作用。利用该模型,在第二届“讯飞杯”中文机器阅读理解评测(CMRC2018)的最终测试集上EM值为71.175,F₁值为88.090,排名第二。     

Why fifth- and seventh-graders submit off-task responses to a web-based reading comprehension tutor rather than expected learning responses

Research shows the students improve their reading comprehension with Intelligent Tutoring of the Structure Strategy (ITSS). One problem for ITSS is that some students are producing responses in the on-line instruction that are unrelated to learning and practicing the reading strategy. These types of disengaged responses can be referred to as system active off-task responses (“off-task”). In this study we characterize who produces off-task responses and why. Classification and Regression Trees (C&RT) and logistic regression analyses were used to answer the why question. Variables predicted to relate to gaming included reading strategy and skill variables, motivation, attitude, self-efficacy, and goal orientation variables, demographic variables, and type of computer feedback (simple versus elaborated). C&RT analysis could explain 66% of the variance in off-task responses. Students without off-task responses were higher in motivation to read and worked in ITSS to produce good main ideas. Students with higher off-task responses had low scores on work mastery goals. The highest producers of off-task responses in Grades 5 and 7 (averaging 24 off-task responses over 7 lessons) had low motivation to read and scored over 2 SD below average on recall tasks in ITSS. The logistic regression could explain 42% of the variance in off-task responses. Use of motivational scales prior to starting instruction as well as on-line performance measures could be used to flag students for early intervention to prevent system active off-task responses and increase on-line learning. The C&RT approach may be particularly helpful to designers in making software more appropriate for different types of students.     

Improving computer-assisted instruction in teaching higher-order skills

Computer-assisted instruction (CAI) has been shown to enhance rote memory skills and improve higher order critical thinking skills. The challenge now is to identify what aspects of CAI improve which specific higher-order skills. This study focuses on the effectiveness of using CAI to teach logarithmic graphing and dimensional analysis. Two groups of ninth graders participated in a one-class period laboratory. Experiment 1 compared a fully automated computer laboratory to an equivalent paper-and-pencil exercise. Experiment 2 compared the same automated computer laboratory in Experiment 1 with a revised, less automated computer version. Both the paper-and-pencil exercise and the less automated computer exercise required students to perform basic mathematical calculations. The results from a post-test revealed that very few students were able to master the complex task of dimensional analysis, but students who took the paper-based and revised, less automated version scored higher overall. These results imply that students required to perform basic calculations had a better understanding of the lab as a whole. These results suggest that until students master basic skills, they do not have the cognitive resources to concentrate on higher-order concepts. This is supported by cognitive load theory.     

The impact of computer‐based instruction on the development of EFL learners' writing skills

The current study investigated the application and effectiveness of computer assisted language learning (CALL) in teaching academic writing to Iranian EFL (English as a Foreign Language) learners by means of Microsoft Word Office. To this end, 44 sophomore intermediate university students majoring in English Language and Literature at an Iranian university who had enrolled in a course called Advanced Writing were randomly divided into two groups. As a pre‐test, a pen‐and‐paper writing task was given to both groups at the beginning of the semester. The control group including 24 male and female students was taught based on traditional approach while the experimental group including 20 male and female students was taught based on CALL. At the end of one semester, a pen‐and‐paper writing task was given to both groups. The results of the post‐test revealed that the students who were exposed to computer‐based instruction outperformed their counterparts in terms of using appropriate articles, tense, plural forms and spelling. Moreover, the students in the experimental group produced paragraphs of higher quality. The findings of this study confirmed the efficacy of computer‐based instruction in the development of EFL learners' writing skills.     

A portable program to present courseware on microcomputers

In computer assisted instruction, certain main functions which have to be carried out by the computer can he distinguished. The performance of these functions will have different software and hardware requirements in different educational environments and both the requirements and the technology to implement them will change over time. It is therefore advantageous to make CAI systems as adaptable as possible. One approach to this is to divide the systems into independent modules each designed to achieve good portability both for software and for hardware. This paper describes such a module which is part of the Modular CAI System Delft. The program makes it possible to present on different types of microcomputers courseware designed using other modules of the system. The program is implemented in Pascal to yield maximum portability on modern microcomputers. Its future and portability are discussed.