A quasi-experimental study on the effects of the OpenBook to Literacy Program on fourth-grade students
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the OpenBook to Literacy Program when used as a supplement to teacher-directed instruction. A pretest-posttest, quasi-experimental design was used to determine the reading comprehension gains of 4th-grade students over the course of fifteen weeks. The study investigated four research questions: (a) does the OpenBook Literacy program lead to significant gains in reading comprehension scores; (b) does the OpenBook Literacy program lead to significant gains in reading comprehension scores of fourth grade students who participate in the program, based on SES; (c) does the OpenBook Literacy program lead to significant gains in reading comprehension scores of fourth grade students who participate in the program, based on race; and (d) does the OpenBook Literacy program lead to significant gains in reading comprehension scores of fourth grade students who participate in the program, based on gender? Two 4th-grade teams, consisting of 128 students from two elementary schools in Memphis, participated in the study. Groups were selected with respect to demographic and achievement similarities, teacher qualification and experience, and access to program components and materials. Both groups received direct instruction in reading. The treatment group was also provided access to the OpenBook to Literacy program components, including the computer with the OpenBook software. The Test of Reading Comprehension 3rd edition (TORC-3) was used as the pretest and posttest for reading comprehension. An unpaired t-test was used for analysis with question one. The two-way ANOVA was used for analysis with questions two, three, and four. Mean scores showed a statistically significant difference (p < .05) for the treatment group on the posttest TORC-3 for research questions one and four. These findings suggest that OpenBook may be an effective supplement for increasing reading comprehension. Mean scores showed no statistically significant difference (p > .05) for the treatment group on the posttest TORC-3 for questions two and three. These findings suggest that implementation with specific groups may not be a significant factor in the program's success. It is recommended that administrators and educational leaders consider OpenBook to Literacy as a supplemental reading aid that can help close the achievement gap among students.
Subject Area
Literacy|Reading instruction|School administration
Recommended Citation
Bobbie Jean Williams,
"A quasi-experimental study on the effects of the OpenBook to Literacy Program on fourth-grade students"
(2005).
ETD Collection for Tennessee State University.
Paper AAI3187604.
https://digitalscholarship.tnstate.edu/dissertations/AAI3187604