Date of Award
2012
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Abraham S. Fischler College of Education
Advisor
Susanne Flannelly
Committee Member
Andrew Bucker
Committee Member
Ronald P. Kern
Keywords
academic experiences, academic progress, child-centered learning, computer software, digital books, educational technology, English language learners, instructional innovation, long-term effects, mentor training, mentors, picture books, reading skills, self-efficacy, service-learning, storyboard creation, storyboards, student achievement, student participation, technology skills, technology-driven learning, writing instruction, writing skills Show more lines
Abstract
The study explored the long-term academic effects on the educational progress for three students who participated in a technology driven service-learning program. The purpose of the study was to describe the long-term effects of the program on the students’ academic experiences and students’ sense of self-efficacy. The study examined whether or not the associated activities involved in the creation of digital books had an impact on the technology skills the students were presently learning.
The writer developed the child-centered service learning project entitled, RealeWriter and RealeLibrary ~ Leading English Language Learners to Learn and Serve in the spring of 2006. English Language Learners in grades K-5 were the participants who used the RealeWriter and RealeLibrary system. The project included three major service-learning activities that involved training mentors, using technology, and publishing digital books. The mentors used a writing software program, RealeWriter, which helped primary and intermediate students publish picture books. Daily lessons consisted of making certain the intermediate students understood how to demonstrate their technology skills to their primary mentees.
An analysis of the data revealed that students who participated in the 2006-2008 projects, improved their reading and writing skills as demonstrated on report cards, reading running records for mentees in K-3, and on state mandated tests for students in grades 3-5. Two successful products were produced from the project’s service-learning activities. Picture books from RealeWriter were published and individual storyboards were created. The storyboards demonstrated the students’ ability to read, write, and share when creating an eight-window storyboard. The digital picture books demonstrated the students’ ability to create and publish e-books in English with the use of RealeWriter.