Project Activities
In this study, researchers will use data from three previous studies, one of which was funded by the Institute (Assessing Online Reading Comprehension: The ORCA Project). Researchers will conduct a series of studies to examine how teacher variables (e.g. teaching experience, experience with the Internet), student variables (e.g. offline reading ability, Internet use in classrooms), motivation to read, and one-to-one laptop access at school are associated with better online reading outcomes.
Structured Abstract
Setting
The data used in this study were collected in Maine and Connecticut.
Sample
The sample includes data from approximately 1,325 seventh grade students and 40 teachers.
In this exploratory study, the researchers are examining predictors, mediators, and moderators of online reading in science for seventh grade students.
Research design and methods
The research team will combine data from three projects in this study. The ORCA Project (Assessing Online Reading Comprehension: The ORCA Project) developed measures of online research and reading comprehension for use with seventh grade students. One of the two states which participated in the ORCA project provided a laptop computer to each seventh grade student to ensure everyone had continuous access. The research team will draw data for the current project from the Motivation for Online Reading project, and the Home-School Project. Both of these projects administered additional measures on reading motivation and home and school Internet use to the students and teachers in the ORCA project. Six studies will be conducted in this project. Study 1 will examine the factor structure of teacher Internet use, student Internet use, and student motivation for online reading measures. Study 2 will examine teacher factors as potential predictors, moderators, and mediators of online reading achievement. Study 3 will examine student factors as potential predictors, moderators, and mediators of online reading achievement. Study 4 will examine motivation as a predictor of online reading. Study 5 will explore one-to-one laptop access as a predictor of online reading. Finally, study 6 will use qualitative data to examine teachers' and students perceptions of online reading instruction in the content areas.
Control condition
Due to the nature of the research design, there is no control condition.
Key measures
Online reading comprehension will be measured by the ORCA assessments. Offline reading comprehension will be measured using the state reading assessments for Connecticut and Maine. The Student Internet Use Survey and the Teacher Internet Use Survey will be used to measure internet use, and the Motivation for Online Reading (MOR) scale will be used to measure reading motivation.
Data analytic strategy
In Study 1, researchers will use confirmatory factor analyses to look at the factor structure of the internet use surveys and the MOR scale. In Studies 2, 3, and 4, the research team will use multiple regressions to look at teacher and student predictors, moderators, and mediators of online reading. In Study 5, the research team will use hierarchical linear modeling, with students clustered in schools, to look at the association between one-to-one laptop programs and online reading. Researchers will use grounded theory using analytic inductive analysis to analyze qualitative data in Study 6.
People and institutions involved
IES program contact(s)
Project contributors
Products and publications
Products: Products include evidence of what teacher, student, and school factors are associated with increased online reading achievement. The research team will also produce peer reviewed publications.
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Questions about this project?
To answer additional questions about this project or provide feedback, please contact the program officer.
