WWC review of this study

MindPlay Virtual Reading Coach: Does It Affect Reading Fluency in Elementary School?

Kloos, Heidi; Sliemers, Stephanie; Cartwright, Macey; Mano, Quintino; Stage, Scott (2019). Frontiers in Education v4 n67. Retrieved from: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED596283

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
     examining 
    220
     Students
    , grades
    2-4

Reviewed: February 2021

No statistically significant positive
findings
Meets WWC standards with reservations
Alphabetics outcomes—Indeterminate effect found for the domain
Outcome
measure
Comparison Period Sample Intervention
mean
Comparison
mean
Significant? Improvement
    index
Evidence
tier

Mindplay Virtual Reading Coach phonics assessment

MindPlay Virtual Reading Coach vs. Business as usual

0 Days

Aggregated sample grades 2 and 4: MVRC vs. instruction as usual;
220 students

6.21

5.97

No

--
Show Supplemental Findings

Mindplay Virtual Reading Coach phonics assessment

MindPlay Virtual Reading Coach vs. Other intervention

0 Days

Grade 2: MVRC vs. alternative technology;
97 students

0.94

5.56

No

--

Mindplay Virtual Reading Coach phonics assessment

MindPlay Virtual Reading Coach vs. Business as usual

0 Days

Grade 2: MVRC vs. Instruction as usual;
94 students

0.94

5.58

No

--

Mindplay Virtual Reading Coach phonics assessment

MindPlay Virtual Reading Coach vs. Business as usual

0 Days

Grade 4: MVRC vs. Instruction as usual;
126 students

0.53

6.30

No

--
Reading Fluency outcomes—Substantively important positive effect found for the domain
Outcome
measure
Comparison Period Sample Intervention
mean
Comparison
mean
Significant? Improvement
    index
Evidence
tier

Mindplay Virtual Reading Coach reading fluency assesment

MindPlay Virtual Reading Coach vs. Business as usual

0 Days

Aggregated sample grades 2 and 4: MVRC vs. instruction as usual;
220 students

3.30

2.67

No

--
Show Supplemental Findings

Mindplay Virtual Reading Coach reading fluency assesment

MindPlay Virtual Reading Coach vs. Business as usual

0 Days

Grade 4: MVRC vs. Instruction as usual;
126 students

0.88

3.79

No

--

Mindplay Virtual Reading Coach reading fluency assesment

MindPlay Virtual Reading Coach vs. Business as usual

0 Days

Grade 2: MVRC vs. Instruction as usual;
94 students

0.76

1.36

No

--

Mindplay Virtual Reading Coach reading fluency assesment

MindPlay Virtual Reading Coach vs. Other intervention

0 Days

Grade 2: MVRC vs. alternative technology;
97 students

0.76

1.33

No

--


Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.

Characteristics of study sample as reported by study author.


  • Suburban
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    Midwest

Setting

The study took place in two Midwestern school districts. One school district implemented the study in six grade 2 classrooms in one public elementary school. This district serves suburban middle- and upper-middle class families. The other school district implemented the study in nine grade 4 classrooms in one public elementary school. This district serves suburban upper-middle class families.

Study sample

The study authors indicated that none of the students in the study had an identified learning disability but did not otherwise provide information on the study sample.

Intervention Group

MindPlay Virtual Reading Coach (MVRC) is an educational software aimed at improving reading fluency. Lessons are delivered by an online reading coach and followed by practice and immediate feedback. The program adapts to the individual needs of the students and covers phonological awareness, phonics, vocabulary, grammar, silent reading fluency, and reading comprehension. Students move through the lessons based on their progress. Teachers were asked to allow their students to work on MVRC for 30 minutes per day for 9 weeks, although students had access to the program for the entire year.

Comparison Group

MVRC is contrasted with both alternative computer-based reading programs and business-as-usual instruction. The alternative computer-based reading programs were selected by the individual schools, were different in each school, and were not described in the study. Teachers in the alternative online reading program group were asked to allow their students to work on the program for 30 minutes per day for 9 weeks. Teachers in the business-as-usual group conducted normal instruction during the time MVRC was implemented.

Support for implementation

Information on support for implementation was not provided by the study, except to note that the MVRC program was provided for the duration of the school year to students in the intervention group.

 

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