The Eighth International Literacy & Education Research Network Conference on

SPETSES, GREECE
4-8 July 2001

Dr Barbara Palmer

Professor, Reading and Language Arts, Department of Educational Theory and Practice,
Florida State University, Florida, USA

Regan Rancourt

Doctoral Candidate, Florida State University, Florida, USA

The Effects of Direct Instruction with Ongoing Scaffolding for Web-Page Development
on Writing Performance and Reading Ability with Upper-Elementary School Children

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of direct instruction with ongoing scaffolding for Web-page development on the reading and writing performance of fourth and fifth grade students. This quasi-experimental study will be executed over a period of eight months, August, 2000, through April, 2001, with a stratified sample of 210 students of varying reading and writing abilities. The students in the experimental groups will develop Web pages, while the students in the control groups will maintain a traditional classroom curriculum. The treatment group students will receive direct instruction on Web-page development in the computer lab at The Florida State University, and will continue building their Web pages, moving through the overlapping and recursive stages of the writing process, at the elementary school site as direct instruction and scaffolding are gradually reduced (Vygotskian theoretical underpinnings). A range of assessment and evaluation measures will be used in this study to provide multiple "snapshots" of the students' learning over time and to obtain a more complete picture of the students' educational achievement.

Presentation Type
30 min. Paper

Presentation Equipment Requirements
OHP
Data Projector
Powerpoint

We would like to do a combination paper presentation and workshop. We will present our research, and then demonstrate the WebQuest treatment that is being used in the research.

Speaking Date/Time Restrictions

Country
USA