Seeing the Connection: Promoting Learners' Intertextual Integration Competence With Digital Scaffolds

• In Event: 31.030 - Digital Literacies and the New Face of Learning

Abstract

Learning in the twenty-first century requires competencies for integrating information from multiple texts. Because intertextual integration poses many challenges, there is a need for developing tools and scaffolds for promoting integration in authentic classrooms. We developed a digital learning environment, based on current theories of multiple text comprehension, which includes visualization tools and metacognitive scaffolds. In this study, we examined the contribution of learning with the environment to students’ integration competence. Learning with the environment was found to have a positive effect on students’ integrative argumentative essays and their meta-strategic knowledge about integration. The visual mapping tools made the intertextual relations among sources and claims salient and meaningful to learners. These results suggest new directions for promoting multiple text comprehension.

Authors

• Sarit Barzilai, University of Haifa

• Asnat R. Zohar, University of Haifa

• Shiri Mor-Hagani, University of Haifa

• Talia Shlomi Elooz, University of Haifa

• Ruthy Ben-Yishai, University of Haifa