Theoretical Support for Digital Literacy: The Application of Technology in Reading Instruction

• In Event: 14.038 - Connection Between Theory and Practice: Systematic Reviews of Articles in Literacy Journals Published for Teachers

Abstract

Purposes & Perspective
The purpose of this study is to systematically review the development of integrating technology in reading instruction over the past ten years and to explore how reading theories have supported the transition of classroom practice in the digital age. Recent technology advancement has led to fundamental change in the nature of literacy. Reading and writing in the digital age involve multiple media, which has expanded the single, printed, paper-based medium in the past years (Plester & Wood, 2009). Theories driving literacy instruction must therefore be adapted or expanded to meet changing definitions of literacy. Meanwhile, as the availability of instructional technology increases in the digital age, it is critical for practitioners to have theory-driven guidance on the integration of technology into literacy classrooms.

Methods & Data Sources
Data was collected from articles published between 2004 and 2013 in The Reading Teacher and the Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy. These are two flagship journals for practitioners published by the International Reading Association. A total of 54 articles on the use of technology in literacy classrooms were identified and included in the study. The articles were coded for: a) the aspect of reading skills emphasized in the instruction, b) the type of technology used in the classroom, and c) reading theories underlying instructional practices.

Results
Results showed that the most emphasized aspect of reading skills was comprehension (50%), followed by vocabulary (21%) and decoding (12%). In terms of the type of technology used, e-books (27%), visual aids (pictures and videos) (35%) and the internet(13%) were most frequently utilized and most likely to be employed for instruction regarding reading comprehension and vocabulary. Theories identified to support these practices included reading motivation theory (22 %), sociocultural theories (21%), and dual coding theory (13 %). Chronological analysis of the identified supporting theories revealed a decrease in reading motivation theory and a gradual increase in dual-coding theory.

Scholarly Significance
The study showed that within the broad context of digital literacy, reading comprehension and vocabulary continue to be the focus of reading instruction as was true in traditional classrooms, since reading comprehension has been considered as the“the most important academic skill learned in school” (Khowaja & Salim, 2013, p.1112). In order to teach vocabulary and reading comprehension more effectively, digital tools with multimodal features, such as e-books and visual aids, have been favored by classroom teachers. Meanwhile, sociocultural theories have been identified as the most frequently cited theoretical framework guiding reading practices that integrate technology. This pattern is consistent with Dressman (2007)’s finding of a gradual shift toward using social theories in literacy research since the early 1990s and reflects a broadened conceptualization of literacy and its relation to other human activities.
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Authors

• Xinyuan Yang, Texas A&M University - College Station

• Xuejun Ji, Texas A&M University - College Station

• Jeong Hyun Park, Texas A&M University - College Station

• Bestern Kaani, Texas A&M University - College Station