The Impact of Digitally Enhanced Reading Interventions on Struggling Readers and Teacher Education Candidates

Abstract

The unprecedented growth of digital literacy has sparked new mandates for Colleges of Teacher Education, challenging faculty to find innovative ways to incorporate digital literacies into curriculum. This research project paired candidates with elementary grade students for reading intervention using technology. The results provided rich descriptions of specific characteristics of the intervention which proved to be beneficial. The mixed method embedded design allowed researchers to collect both qualitative and quantitative data to provide insights into the research questions. Qualitative data showed that candidates felt that the inclusion of technology with reading intervention caused a higher level of engagement from students. Furthermore, quantitative data showed the intervention increased the reading achievement of students in the five areas of effective reading instruction.