Role of Technology in Motivation and Engagement

Running head: ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT 1
The Role of Technology in Motivation and Engagement in Content Reading
A Thesis
Presented to
The Graduate Faculty and the College of Education
Eastern Oregon University
in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree
Master of Science in Education
By Brytni Owen
ProQuest Number: 1598708
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ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT 2
Table of Contents
List of Tables……………………………………………………………………………………...3
List of Figures……………………………………………………………………………………..4
Chapter 1: Nature of the Study……………………………………………………………………5
Chapter 2: Literature Review……………………………………………………………………...9
Chapter 3: Methodology…………………………………………………………………………17
Chapter 4: Findings of the Study………………………………………………………………...23
Chapter 5: Summary, Discussion, and Recommendations……………………………………....31
References………………………………………………………………………………………..37
Appendix…………………………………………………………………………………………39
Committee Signature Page……………………………………………………………………….40

List of Tables
Table 1: Student Developed Codes for Think Marks ……………………………………20
Table 2: Average Number of Think Mark Responses…………………………………….27
Table 3: Average Instructional Reading Level of Students by Text Type………………..28

List of Figures
Figure 1: Student Selected Text Types…………………………………………………………..24

Chapter 1 – Nature of the Study
The world of education is ever-evolving to keep up with the demands of the world at
large. One area that has been a driving force for change over the last decade is the area of
technology in the classroom. Technology has become a mainstay for daily living in most of the
world and has led to demands on learners to enter the workforce, not only being competitive with
academics, but also in regards to being literate in technology. These technology skills not only
help students enter the world with competitive skills, but the incorporation of new technologies
in the classroom has led to changes in teacher practices and instruction as well.
With the influx of more technology into the classroom, there has been a demand for
teachers to incorporate these new tools into everyday learning opportunities. These technological
advances may also help increase student motivation to read.
Statement of the Research
Large issue to be examined. Educational technology is becoming an asset to literacy
instruction and is playing a large enough role in the classroom that there are now specific
technology standards in place for all elementary and secondary levels (Labbo, Leu, & Kinzer,
2003; International Society for Technology in Education, 2007). Technology has the potential to
support a wide variety of literacy instructional practices as a motivational and engagement tool
and a tool for improving reading proficiency. The use of electronic readers and online
collaborative learning opportunities are two of the specific educational uses that have been
researched in regard to the influences they have on improving reading proficiencies (Biancarosa
& Griffiths, 2012 & Larson, 2008). Based on the large role that technology is playing in the
classroom, the area of educational technology has become the center of numerous recent studies.
Ciampa (2012) conducted a study of first grade participants investigating their reading
experiences on electronic reading devices, specifically focusing on engagement and motivation.

She found that electronic reading opportunities had positive motivational effects on struggling
readers and those with behavioral difficulties during reading instruction. During 2012, Jacobs
also investigated assumptions about adolescents’ motivations to use technology in and out of
school. Jacobs was specifically interested in how “digital technologies and multiliteracies
promote membership in participatory culture and how this participatory aspect of the new
literacies may be what is motivating” (p. 271). This participatory aspect, students participating
and interacting with text and technology, along with the numerous electronic text features
available for students to manipulate and work with, may be what is ultimately responsible for the
rise in students’ motivations when it comes to literacy instruction.
When investigating motivation and engagement during independent reading
opportunities, it is often difficult to determine how to accurately measure these specific
variables. A study on the behaviors of students during independent in-school reading conducted
by Williams, Hall, Hendrick, Lamkin, and Abendroth (2013) developed a method of tracking the
overall engagement of students during their independent in-school reading time. One issue that
needs additional studies is how these new technologies can best be utilized to support literacy
practices during content reading in the elementary classroom, specifically in the area of Social
Studies.
How issue impacts research site. With the high-stakes testing in the area of reading, the
local district struggles to find time to teach content area topics in isolation in the elementary
classroom. During the fifth grade, eighth grade, and once during high school years students are
still mandated by the state of Oregon to complete standardized assessments in the area of social
studies. With the large focus that elementary teachers are putting on reading instruction during
the day students are not motivated to do additional reading in other content areas, such as social
studies. This lack of motivation is a concern because students are not using their reading
strategies to help them comprehend and learn the social studies content that they will need to be
successful on the future state assessments and they will not have a strong grasp of the history and
social studies content to become informed citizens as they grow. This study investigated one way
to incorporate technology in literacy and content instruction to increase student motivation
during social studies reading.
Purpose of the Research
The purpose of this research is to investigate how utilizing technology during social
studies content instruction may help motivate and engage readers to interact with the text. The
school district currently has social studies curriculum that includes online technology supports
that can be used to motivate and engage students in online reading and activities. Searching for
ways to best utilize these technology tools to support content and literacy instructional practices
has led this investigation of how these tools could help motivate and engage students in learning
opportunities. The results of this investigation will be shared in Professional Learning
Communities at the site to impact instruction and technology integration.
Research Question
Do online reading opportunities provide motivation and engagement for students during
content based Social Studies instruction?
Assumptions
The small rural community in the Northwest region of the United States where the
research took place, has a single class for each grade level with class sizes around 20 students.
When students move into the district, there are discrepancies in the amount of exposure and
familiarity that they have with educational technology. Students have exhibited a distinct interest
in technology both in and out of school – whether it is through game software in the home,
teacher links pages, or utilizing iPads in the classroom. Based on my current observations of
student interests in technology, I am predisposed to think that students will be more interested in
reading the social studies content via technology based e-readers, but am interested to see what
the research uncovers.
Limitations
The school where research is being completed is a small rural school with only one class
of each grade level which will lead to a small sample size. Additional limitations include a
shortened study timeline due to time constraints within the classroom daily schedule.
Definitions
Think Marks: Students will be coding and tracking their thinking on a graphic organizer in a
bookmark format. The coding will focus specifically on questions students have during reading,
as well as “AHA statements,” interesting information, that they come across during their reading,
new vocabulary and final summarizing thoughts (see Appendix).

Chapter 2: Literature Review
Introduction
The world of education seems to be one of constant evolution whether in regards to
policies, teacher best practices, curriculum or standards, but one specific area that has emerged
and resulted in significant changes in curriculum and pedagogy over the past three decades is the
area of information and communication technologies (ICTs) specifically in the area of
educational technology in literacy instruction (Kitson, Fletcher, & Kearney, 2007). Based on the
large role that technology is playing in the classroom educational technology has become the
center of numerous recent studies. Leu (2000) notes that over the course of seven years, from
1994-2000, the internet appeared in nearly every elementary and secondary classroom in the
United States: “the rate at which the internet is appearing in school classrooms in many countries
far exceeds the rate at which any other technology of literacy has ever appeared in our history”
(p. 424). Education technology is becoming an asset to literacy instruction and is playing a large
enough role in the classroom that there are now specific technology standards in place for all
elementary and secondary levels (Labbo, Leu, & Kinzer, 2003). Technology has the potential to
support a wide variety of literacy instructional practices as a motivational and engagement tool
and a tool for improving reading proficiency. The use of electronic readers and online
collaborative learning opportunities are a couple of the specific educational uses that have been
researched in regard to the influences they have on improving reading proficiencies (Biancarosa
& Griffiths, 2012; Larson, 2008).
Technology as a Motivational/Engagement Tool
The area of motivation and engagement during literacy instruction is often at the
forefront of a teacher’s mind. Gillet, Vallerand, and Lafreniere (2012) found that students tend to
be more extrinsically motivated with a decreasing rate up until the age of 15 at which time there
is an increase in the students’ intrinsic and self-determined extrinsic motivation. Along with this
there seems to be a trend in parental and teacher support factoring into these tendencies.
Students’ feel that they have more teacher and parental support earlier in their education that
drops off as they get older. With this in mind, technology may provide some tools for teachers to
utilize to increase support and motivation in their own classrooms. Larson (2008) looked at ways
to efficiently embed technology into literacy methods courses for teachers in training as a way to
prepare incoming teachers to be successful in this age of technology infused instruction.
According to Larson, early studies support the idea that multiple forms of electronic books
“often motivate young readers while promoting comprehension, literacy development, and
personal meaning making” (p. 124). Larson attributes these skill gains to the multiple formats
and features associated with e-books such as animation, sounds, music, read-aloud ability,
videos, and hyperlinks. Another extrinsic motivation strategy suggested by Means (2010) is to
develop some sort of visible chart or tracking tool to motivate and monitor student involvement
in technology based instructional tools, based on the idea that more time on task with the
software will yield higher student success rates.
Ciampa (2012) conducted a study of first grade participants over the course of 15 weeks
investigating their reading experiences on electronic reading devices, specifically focusing on the
engagement and motivation pieces. “The findings of this study contribute to the growing
evidence base on the positive motivational effects of computer-assisted reading instruction on
students, especially those who had reading and behavioral difficulties during their classroom
reading instruction” (Ciampa, 2012, p. 17). When investigating the specific aspects of the
technology assisted reading instruction that were responsible for these improvements Ciampa
noted,
…the motivational qualities of choice, control, interest, and involvement were
apparent…It appeared that the word-by-word matching and 3-D animated features helped
to capture all of the participants’ attention (including the struggling readers), assist in the
learning of new words, and sustain attentive listening during the entire read-aloud
without being distracted or influenced by their peers or external stimuli. (p. 18)
In 2012, Jacobs set out to challenge the aforementioned assumptions about adolescents’
motivations to use technology in and out of school. She specifically was interested in how
“digital technologies and multiliteracies promote membership in participatory culture and how
this participatory aspect of the new literacies may be what is motivating” (p. 271). This
participatory aspect along with the numerous electronic text features available for students to
manipulate and work with may be what is ultimately responsible for the rise in students’
motivations when it comes to literacy instruction.
When investigating motivation and engagement during independent reading
opportunities, it is often difficult to determine how to accurately measure these specific
variables. A study on the behaviors of students during independent in-school reading conducted
by Williams et. al (2013) developed a method of tracking the overall engagement of students
during their independent in-school reading time. Their ten-minute observational instrument was
unobtrusive and allowed researchers and teachers to confirm students’ on-task behavior during
independent reading. Williams et al. highlighted that “Using data from this instrument could be
a step toward developing a gold standard to ensure that students are reading during ISIR (in-
school independent reading)” (p. 43).

Ultimately the role that educational technology is playing in the area of motivation and
engagement during literacy instruction is summed up well by Jacobs (2012). She states,
“…motivation will occur when youths experience a sense of competence, are able to select what
it is they wish to focus on, and can develop meaningful connections to a larger community” (p.
273). This coupled with the multitude of features and tools available for students to engage and
participate in their learning helps to illustrate the role that educational technology is playing in
literacy instruction.
Electronic Reading and Multiliteracies
Understanding that technology provides a multitude of tools for teachers to draw on
during literacy instruction is important but can also seem a bit overwhelming. Larson (2008)
pointed out that teachers do not need to be afraid of the new tools and that “new literacies can be
intertwined with tried-and-true literacy practices such as the reading workshop” in the form of an
“electronic reading workshop” (p. 122). Electronic books, or e-books, in multiple formats online-
accessible stories, CD-ROM books and downloadable books are a few of the technology
supported literacy instruction tools available. E-books include text and illustrations similar to
traditional books, but may also employ multimodal features including animation, sound, music,
video, and hyperlinks. In addition, e-books often include user-friendly editing tools such as
inserting, deleting, replacing text, highlighting, and adding comments similar to sticky-notes
(Larson). Teachers can fight this overwhelmed feeling by finding comfort in the fact that these
tools are just one more set of resources that teachers can use to support literacy instructional
practices already in place.
Biancarosa and Griffiths (2012) investigated how literacy demands have changed with
the availability of technology and how these technologies can be used to build literacy skills for
students of all ages. In addition, these “e-reading technologies offer educators time-efficient tools
for gathering, accessing, and interpreting data needed to produce the assessments essential to
decision making” (p. 151). Additional findings by Ciampa’s (2012) study corroborated the point
that teachers can capitalize on immediate feedback that students receive from computer program
assisted reading; “unlike classroom practices after a reading lesson, within seconds the student
participants quickly discovered and corrected their misunderstandings after they listened to the
computer repeat the question and possible answers again.” Means (2010) also highlighted the
benefits of reviewing student performance data on a regular basis, at least once a week. Means
noted, the “use of software-generated data reports was one of the largest differences between
high-gain and low-gain implementations” of student software into reading instruction (Means, p.
296-297). The student performance data that is available through the software allows teachers to
target their instruction into the specific areas that students are struggling with based on the
assessments embedded into the software.
A quantitative study completed by Seyit (2010) focused on how the medium of text
presentation (traditional storybooks vs. e-readers) impacted the comprehension scores of
struggling readers. Seyit found many benefits to improving comprehension for struggling readers
with the integrated animation and read aloud options available in e-reader formats. These tools
can help struggling readers to construct meaning from narrative texts. “Electronic storybooks can
also help struggling readers to build or activate more complete schemas of stories (Seyit, p. 150).
In essence the interactive features available in the electronic storybooks serve as electronic
scaffolds for struggling readers. Seyit noted that story retelling was enhanced with electronic
storybooks; retellings were longer and more creative. These electronic readers and multiliteracy
tools are beneficial to students to strengthen their understandings of the literacy instruction as
well as challenge them to dig deeper into their own levels of understanding.
Technology as a Tool for Improving Reading Proficiencies
There have been numerous research projects done in recent years aimed at evaluating
ways technology can be used as a tool for improving reading proficiency. Kitson, Fletcher, and
Kearney (2007) noted “multimedia resources have impacted significantly both the literacy
resources that students bring to school and the school efforts to accommodate student needs and
interests by providing classrooms that are technologically rich” (p. 40). There are many other
technology based resources, other than electronic storybooks, that one would not normally think
about seeing in the classroom and how they could have the potential to support literacy
instruction. Individual handheld video cameras, such as “Flip Cameras can support student
literacy development by allowing students to see and hear themselves read so they can evaluate
their own strengths and weaknesses” (Laverick, 2014, p. 14). Technology can also be used as a
bridge to support communication between school and home. Creating and sharing iMovies with
families “served as a source of ideas for how the concepts taught in the classroom could be
reinforced and practiced at home” (Laverick, p. 15).
Biancarosa & Griffiths (2012) found that there are many roles that technology can play in
the classroom not only limited to drill and practice for students. Technology can be used to help
students acquire new vocabulary as well as strengthen background knowledge that students can
bring to their reading practice to help them become more skilled readers. In addition e-reading
technology has provided positive results in supporting fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.
Technology tools also can play a role in strengthening deeper level literacy skills such as “self-
questioning, error detection, inference, summarization, and concept-mapping skills and strategies
to enhance readers’ use of reading strategies and comprehension of texts” (Biancarosa &
Griffiths, p. 144). Incorporating technology such as laptops into the classroom can also support
other areas of language arts such as writing, as well as provide opportunities for students to write
critically about literature (Suhr, Hernandez, Grimes, & Warschauer, 2010). Based on the
numerous opportunities to support reading and language arts that technology provides in the
classroom, “the question is not how to fit technology into education but how literacy education
can meet society’s increasing demand for technology-savvy citizens who possess higher levels of
literacy skills and background knowledge”(Biancarosa & Griffiths, p. 154).
Professional Development for Reading Instruction
One area that comes to light with all of these technology advances and the ever-growing
research field of educational technology is that teachers need ongoing professional development
to keep up. Groth, Dunlap, and Kidd (2007) noted that simply providing an introductory course
to education technology during a teacher education program is insufficient. So they set out to
evaluate the effectiveness of pre-service teacher coursework in regard to preparing teachers to
enter the classroom and effectively integrate technology into their own classrooms. Through the
use of a mentoring program and cooperative learning they “demonstrated that it is possible to
successfully integrate technology into preservice literacy classes at the early childhood,
elementary, and secondary levels” (Groth et al., p. 382). The interns were paired with a
practicing literacy instructor and worked side-by-side with these mentors to learn together how
best to incorporate these technology tools into effective literacy instruction that is already in
place.
It is also important to ensure that with the shifts to providing more technology
opportunities in the classroom that districts and teachers are willing to put in the time and
training to make it effective. It is unreasonable to expect to see significant improvements in test
scores immediately. Suhr, Hernandez, Grimes, and Warschauer’s (2010) two-year study on
implementing one-on-one laptops into fourth grade classrooms found that during the first year
there was a steep learning curve for both teachers and students as they transitioned into a one-on-
one laptop classroom model. But by the second year of implementation significant positive
impacts on student performances in the area of language arts were noted. With the ever changing
world of technology advances districts cannot rely solely on teacher preparation programs solely
to provide teachers with the training necessary in order to keep up (Biancarosa & Griffiths,
2012). In order to continue support for the ongoing learning process collaboration is an important
part of professional development especially in regards to integrating technology into one’s
classroom. Laverick (2014) found that ongoing collaboration with other teachers and specialists
allowed professional growth to take place when groups worked together to create authentic
literacy experiences. In addition, as specialists incorporated new technology-based instructional
techniques and materials into their current teaching practices they were able to learn together
how to effectively use technology tools to support and document student growth (Laverick,
2014).
Technology Challenges
With all of the changes that take place as new educational technologies are incorporated
it is also important to note that there will be hurdles that arise. One of the areas that Jacobs
(2012) and Labbo et al. (2003) agree upon is that teachers need to be aware of and challenge
their own assumptions about students’ experiences and adeptness of utilizing technology. The
expectations of students in the classroom while using technology may be quite different than
they are familiar with from their own home experiences, since not all homes are equitable when
it comes to the availability of technology. According to Jacobs, by throwing out our own
“assumptions about technology and motivation and looking closely at what youths are doing and
why they are doing it, we may be able to develop a clearer picture of how to better support
learning” (p. 273).
One point that appeared multiple times in the research as an area to be aware of is the
idea of inequity when it comes to internet access, access to e-reading devices, e-texts, and
technology support for students and teachers (Biancarosa & Griffiths, 2012; Labbo et al., 2003;
Simpson, 2010). Biancarosa and Griffiths also note a major concern of districts having to budget
for continual upgrades for tech support and infrastructure as the technology world is ever-
evolving and growing.
There are many obstacles for teachers to overcome when working with technology in the
classroom and they are not always limited to the facilities or dependent on student motivations.
Some of the biggest challenges teachers are up against are their own anxieties about technology,
burdened workload, the unpaid nature of the extra work, and the disruption technology can cause
to current practices in the classroom. But Martin (2007) points out that even with all of the
numerous challenges associated with incorporating technology into the classroom teachers still
volunteer for professional development and studies, “which is a testament to the continuing
willingness of educationalists to find time and resources to address disaffection and the needs of
their pupils and parents” (p. 21).
Conclusion
The fast evolving world of educational technology has found its place in the majority of
classrooms across our country and even the world at large. The role that this technology is
playing is not meant to take the place of the classroom teacher but is meant to provide resources
to enhance student motivation and engagement with the goal of improving reading proficiencies.
Jacobs (2012) points out “that literacy, whether text based, multimodal, print and ink, or digital,
is ultimately just a tool” (p.273). Through the use of continued on-going professional
development and teacher collaboration the tools available to teachers to support the electronic
reading and multiliteracy shifts in the way that text is viewed in today’s technology based society
can help the shift seem less overwhelming to current teachers.

Chapter Three- Methodology
This study was conducted as a case study of nineteen fourth graders in a rural
northwestern public school. Observations and interviews were conducted to determine whether
the use of technology in content reading would be motivating and engaging for students. The
results from this study are being shared during collaborative learning team meetings at the local
site and published on an academic database.
Participants and Setting
The nineteen participants involved in this study were fourth grade students in a rural
school in the northwestern region of the United States. The city population is 700 with a school
population of 255 kindergarten through twelfth grade students. The students were selected for
this study based on their enrollment in the class that the researcher instructs. Students range in
age from nine to ten years old. The school population is fifty-four percent of students qualifying
for free and reduced lunches and a school-wide free breakfast in the classroom program. The
local economy is largely supported by agriculture and provides numerous farm labor jobs.
Human Subjects Protection
The research took place in a school setting and the research was approved by the
superintendent of the school district. Parent permission to include student data was obtained and
student names were omitted to protect privacy. The researcher personally carried out all
interviews and analyzed all data collected to prevent any student information from being
released.
Procedures
Data collection. For five weeks students were given the choice to read their social
studies content in newspaper format or on a technological device (i.e. computer or iPad) and data
was tracked as to which reading format students chose. While reading, students tracked their
thinking on a “Think Mark,” – a bookmark where students code and track their thinking as they
read (see example in Appendix). Student codes were developed as a class prior to reading (see
Table 1).
Table 1
Student Developed Codes for Think Marks
Symbol Definition
? Question/I wonder…
AHA (answers a question or an interesting point to remember)
V Vocabulary (new or unfamiliar word)
While students were reading and taking notes on their Think Marks the teacher conducted
observations and notes were taken on a select group of students using purposeful selection.
Student Observations were conducted and notes were taken on engagement of six students, two
that had below grade level reading skills and had shown difficulty engaging independently in
reading tasks, two on grade level reading students that were easily distracted, and two above
grade level students that tended to finish quickly and get off task. Observations specifically
watched for reading engagement strategies students utilized as well as the number of recorded
thoughts on student “Think Marks.”
At the beginning of the study, the six identified students were given a short interview
with seven prompting questions to analyze student perceptions of motivation and experiences
with technology. Guiding questions for the interview were:
1) What do you think it means to be motivated?
2) How do you know you are motivated?
3) What tools or things help you get motivated to read?
4) What experiences do you have with technology at home?
5) What experiences do you have with technology in school?
6) Do you prefer to read stories and information in paper format or on a screen?
7) How can technology help or hurt students’ motivation to read?
At the conclusion of data collection the class was surveyed for feedback regarding
student perceptions of advantages and disadvantages of both types of texts to analyze
engagement and motivational factors of both types of text.
Analysis of data. Prior to conducting student interviews a Google Form was created with
the interview questions. To ensure accuracy of student comments, as student interviews were
conducted answers were dictated and typed into the form to organize student responses into a
data table for analysis. The class survey was completed in a whole class manner with prompts
and time allowed for students to record their thoughts. Following Lichtman’s (2013) techniques
for qualitative data analysis, student interview and class survey raw data were coded and
analyzed for common ideas. These common ideas regarding student perceptions of motivation
and experiences with print and technology based text were then categorized and grouped into
themes. Student preferences of text format were recorded and totaled to look for student and
class preferences. Written responses on student “Think Marks” during each reading session were
also reviewed for content as well as the average number of responses on the “Think Mark” for
each text format type to look for any correlation between the number of “Think Mark” comments
and the type of text read.

Chapter 4- Findings of the Study
With the large role that technology plays in daily life in our current culture and the influx
of technology based resources finding their way into the common classroom there is a need to
evaluate how these technological tools influence current practices in the classroom. This
qualitative study set out to investigate the role that technology plays in motivating and engaging
students in content area reading instruction. The goal of the researcher was to answer the
question: Do online reading opportunities provide motivation and engagement opportunities for
students to interact with text during content based Social Studies instruction?
Gathering Data
During the initial interviews with six students, who were purposefully selected to represent a
variety of reading levels, students shared their perceptions of motivation, experiences with
technology (both at home and in a school setting), initial thoughts on text preference (print or
technology supported text), and their beliefs about the role technology plays in reading practices.
These interviews were conducted one-on-one with the researcher and student comments were
typed verbatim by the researcher into a Google Form. Following the interviews the class began
self-selecting the mode that they would be reading that week’s social studies content, via
newspaper or technology supported text, in an electronic reader format on either the computer or
iPad. The students’ preferences were recorded and tracked over the course of five trials (see
Figure 1).
Figure 1. Recorded number of students who selected each type of text for each
trial/week during the study.
The majority of the class consistently chose the technology supported text each week.
The students who chose the newspaper version of the text were also consistent in their choice,
with only a couple that tried the newspaper format once before switching to the technology
supported text.
While students were reading the researcher kept anecdotal records on the six students
previously selected. Student observations focused on students’ engagement and interactions with
text, specifically how students were interacting with the text, text tracking, pausing for note
taking of recorded thoughts on student “Think Marks,” and if students were replaying sections of
the electronic text with the read aloud feature.
At the conclusion of the five trials the class was surveyed for feedback regarding student
perceptions of pros and cons of both types of texts to analyze engagement and motivational
factors of both types of text.

Emerging Theme
Two themes that arose from the data were (a) Text engagement through reading strategies
differed by text type and (b) Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation affected the students’ text choice.
Text Dependent Reading Strategies
One way to determine how engaged students are with text is to look at how they interact
with the text while they are reading. Students utilized different reading strategies depending on
which text format they chose. Fourteen out of nineteen students made reference to text
annotating strategies they use when reading on paper such as highlighting, underlining, and
boxing unfamiliar words. They missed having the ability to utilize these strategies on the
technology supported text. On the survey students completed at the end of the research, 6
students all made reference to highlighting (“don’t like that I can’t highlight,” “there is no
highlighter,” “can’t highlight”) in the dislike section of the technology supported reading
column. Student 1 noted, on the iPad “you might be able to highlight a word but it doesn’t stay
(highlighted), so it doesn’t really help much.”
Another reading strategy students noted was rereading for text evidence and clarification.
Student 19 commented, when reading on the iPad “you have to go back and reload the article
before you can reread it and it takes a long time. But with the newspaper you can reread it [the
article] as many times as you want.” When encountering new vocabulary or unfamiliar words
students employed different strategies based on their text type. Student 6 pointed out that in the
newspaper format “Some of the words I don’t know what they mean and end up saying it wrong
so it throws me off track.” The technology supported text provided other support for students
when they encountered unfamiliar words. Student 13 noted, “I don’t have to worry about getting
stuck on a word because it will say it for me.”

Numerous students also noted the benefits of the additional resources available on the
technology based text such as video segments, additional pictures and captions, as well as extra
information related to the article. Students 12 and 8 noted similar thoughts, “I like the extra
information on the computer” and the “cool extra facts help me understand it better.” During
classroom observations it was noticed that many students utilized these additional resources on
the technology based platform. Students were also using the cursor to go back in the article to
listen again and reread sections with the read aloud function.
While reading the selected text students kept track of their thinking as they read on a
“Think Mark,” a bookmark where students coded questions, aha moments, new vocabulary, and
summarizing thoughts from their reading (example Think Mark found in Appendix). Students
also used the pause function during the read aloud to take notes on their “Think Marks” before
continuing on in the article. During observations the researcher noted Student 2, a struggling
reader, utilizing the read aloud tool on the technology supported text to listen to the article one
time through before writing any notes on his Think Mark. He then used the read aloud tool to
listen to the article a second time, essentially utilizing the reread strategy, and added two notes to
his Think Mark. One interesting pattern noted was that students that used the newsprint format
consistently recorded more thoughts on their “Think Mark” than the students interacting with the
technology based text (see Table 2). Data indicates that student reading levels may have also
influenced the text type that students chose, which may also factor into the difference in Think
Mark responses. Students who chose the newsprint format tended to have higher reading levels
than those who chose the technology supported text.

Table 2
Average Number of “Think Mark” Responses
Newsprint Technology Supported Text
Trial 1 3.8 2.7
Trial 2 4.2 2.8
Trial 3 4.0 2.8
Trial 4 4.7 3.1
Trial 5 4.3 3.3
Overall, students utilized a number of different strategies depending on which text type
they chose to read. Students utilized many text annotating strategies, such as highlighting,
underlining and boxing unfamiliar words, when they used the newsprint format. These tools
were not available on the technology supported text, but students did find value in the additional
resources such as video segments, photos, captions, and additional information that were
available in the technology supported text. In addition data indicated a correlation between
student reading levels and text type choices. Students with high reading achievement tended to
choose the newsprint format, while those with lower level reading achievement chose to engage
with the technology supported text (see Table 3).

Table 3
Average Instructional Reading Level of Students by Text Type
Newsprint Technology Supported Text
Trial 1 4.3 5.3
Trial 2 6.0 4.7
Trial 3 6.3 4.3
Trial 4 6.4 4.5
Trial 5 7.1 4.6
Note. Instructional Reading Levels based on student STAR test scores
Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivational Influences
Student motivational tendencies and reading achievement levels seemed to influence
student text selections. Understanding student perceptions of motivation gives insight into how
to help students be most successful. During initial student interviews Student 4 stated,
“motivation is having someone push you to do something,” while student 12 noted “someone
pushes you to go farther and pushes you to stretch your limits.” These two sentiments support the
externally motivating tendencies of the majority of the class. Students that are more extrinsically
motivated chose the technology based text that has additional resources other than the text itself,
whereas students who are more intrinsically motivated chose the newsprint format. Based on
student survey results, nine out of nineteen students noted the “fun” Rev the Rat games and
points students can earn as motivating factors for choosing the technology supported text.
According to Student 12, “I like how you get to decorate his cage with points you earn for
reading articles and answering questions,” which was common amongst the class. Student 4
pointed out, “you don’t get points when you finish reading,” and six other students also
mentioned that they disliked the newspaper format because of the lack of point incentives, There
were also notes from seven students on the survey about the dislike of the newspaper format due
to unfamiliarity with the size of the newspaper or “big paper that folds out,” according to Student
9. Student 2 added, “there is too much folding and you get paper cuts.” Student 3 noted “it’s
hard to find the rest of the story when it goes on to the next page” when referring to headline
articles that were continued on the final page of the newspaper.
The majority of the negative comments about the newspaper format came from students
that were at or below grade level instructional reading levels based on the STAR test scores,
whereas the most definitive comments against the technology supported text came from students
that are above grade level readers and show more intrinsic motivational tendencies. These
students also noted a strong dislike for the read aloud function associated with the technology
supported text. According to Student 1 “listening to the narrator takes too long,” and students 8
and 17 noted their like for getting to read independently in their heads at their own speeds.
Student 19 also pointed out that “listening takes away from the reading experience.”
Ultimately the role that technology plays in helping or hurting student motivation is best
summed up by Student 2’s interview response, “It can do both, it depends on the person and how
they use it (technology). I can read books on a tablet mini at my dad’s and I kind of like it but
you have to keep scrolling down and it doesn’t tell you what page you’re on. But in books I get
really excited when I’m getting close to the end. It keeps me reading to get the end.”
In conclusion, the findings of this study support two main themes. First, students utilize
different reading strategies to engage and interact with text depending on the format that the text
is presented in. Students engage with printed text by utilizing more text annotating strategies,
such as highlighting, underlining, and boxing unfamiliar words. Conversely, students interacted
more with the technology based text through the use of additional technology based resources,
such as video segments, photographs and captions. The majority of the class repeatedly chose to
engage with their text via the technology supported text, while the students with higher reading
achievement chose the newsprint format that they could annotate and read at their own speed.
Secondly, students’ own motivational tendencies, intrinsic or extrinsic, factor into preferences
when selected how text is presented. Students with a stronger extrinsic motivation tendency
repeatedly chose the technology supported text, while students that are more intrinsically
motivated preferred the newsprint format.

Chapter Five - Summary, Discussion and Recommendations
The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the role that technology plays in student
motivation and engagement during content area reading instruction. With the large role that
technology plays in daily life in our current culture and the influx of technology based resources
finding their way into the common classroom there is a need to evaluate how these technological
tools influence current practices in the classroom. The researcher set out to answer the question:
Do online reading opportunities provide motivation and engagement opportunities for students to
interact with text during content based Social Studies instruction?
Summary
This study began with one-on-one interviews of six purposefully selected students of
varied reading abilities. These interviews were aimed at understanding students’ perceptions of
motivation, experiences with technology (both at home and in a school setting), initial thoughts
on text preference (print or technology supported text), and their beliefs about the role
technology plays in reading. Following the interviews all students in the class self-selected the
text type that they would be reading their weekly Social Studies content. Students had the choice
of newspaper or technology supported text, in an electronic reader format on either the computer
or iPad. Each week for five consecutive trials their selections were recorded and the data was
totaled. While reading, students kept track of their thinking on a “Think Mark,” a bookmark
where students coded questions, aha moments, new vocabulary, and summarizing thoughts from
their reading (example Think Mark found in Appendix). During the reading time the researcher
conducted observations and took notes on the six students previously selected. Student
observations focused on students’ engagement and interactions with text, specifically how
students were interacting with the text, text tracking, pausing for note taking on student “Think
Marks,” and if students were utilizing additional resources. The final step in the research process
was a class survey for feedback regarding student perceptions of pros and cons of both types of
texts to analyze engagement and motivational factors of both types of text.
The findings from these interviews, trials, and observations support the findings that (a)
students will engage with text utilizing different strategies, depending on how the text is
presented and (b) student’s personal motivation tendencies, intrinsic versus extrinsic, will factor
into the type of text they choose. Students that consistently chose the newsprint format utilized
text annotating strategies such as highlighting, underlining, and note taking. In comparison,
students who consistently chose the technology supported text utilized the additional resources
available online, such as the read aloud function, video segments, and additional photos and
captions. The data also supported a trend based on motivational tendencies of the students that
factored into the type of text they chose. Students who were more extrinsically motivated by
points that could be earned for reading the articles, and games that could be played using these
points consistently chose the technology supported text. On the other hand, students that are
more intrinsically motivated consistently chose the newsprint text that they could read at their
own independent reading speed and interact with in their own way. Based on these findings it
appears that there is room for both text types in the classroom and through the use of varied text
types teachers could reach a variety of student needs.
Discussion
Conducting this study within my own classroom was challenging at times. Time
restrictions and interruptions seemed to be the biggest hurdles faced. It was easy for other
activities to interfere with the time I had scheduled for Social Studies, especially since it was
near the end of the school year where students were finishing up state and end of the year
assessments.
I was surprised how consistent the students were with the type of text they chose. I
expected to see students trying a variety, but found that most were consistent with their choices
throughout the study. At the beginning of the year when we did our Social Studies reading we
spent the majority of our time in the newspaper format so I was surprised with how many
comments there were from students about being unfamiliar with how the newspaper is set up.
This makes me wonder what type of exposure students have to newspapers in the home, as well
as what I can do differently at the beginning of the year to help students feel more comfortable
with the newsprint format. With more access to news online, it would be interesting to see if
there is a correlation between the students that have newspapers in the home with the students
that were more comfortable with reading their content in the newspaper format.
In addition I was surprised that there appeared to be a link between students’ reading
achievement levels and their motivational tendencies and the text type they chose. Students with
higher reading achievement scores, based on the STAR Reading Inventory, tended to favor the
newsprint text where they could manipulate the text at their own rate and with their own styles
for text analysis. These same students also expressed a strong dislike for the reading aloud
function available on the technology supported text as it took away from their reading
experiences and didn’t allow them to read at their natural pace. These are the same students that
tend to be self motivated readers during independent reading times in class or when they finish
an assignment and eagerly pull out a book they are in the middle of. In comparison, students with
lower to mid-level reading achievement showed preference for the read aloud function and
additional resources available in the technology supported text. I fully expected the students with
higher reading achievement to be more interested in the additional resources that are available on
the technology supported text, as these are the students who tend to want to dig deeper into
subject matter. They were very interested in doing the weekly crossword puzzles that were
associated with the newspaper format while the students who were more interested in the games
and decorating Rev the Rat’s cage on the technology side had very little interest in the crossword
puzzles.
During the initial student interviews I was surprised with the number of students who
defined motivation as being driven or encouraged by someone else, like a coach or teacher.
Previously, I was unaware of the significant role I was playing as the teacher to motivate
students to read and how little ownership they were taking in their own success. Once I was able
to step back as an observer and put the choice to the students they began to see that they do have
some control in making choices which have a significant influence on their own success.
Students began taking more initiative to think through questions and track their thinking as they
read, and ultimately came to find that they could answer many of their own questions through the
use of their reading strategies. These discoveries led to some great class discussions and I could
see the intrinsic motivational carry over into other subject areas.
Overall, this study and experience was very beneficial to me as the classroom teacher and
there was an increased buy in by the students to take part in the week’s reading. Students were
very cooperative and eager to participate with the reading each week. I found that I gained a
better understanding of student preferences for reading and it allowed me to see different ways to
present text with additional supports that may reach some of the struggling readers. I found that
the students who tended to be off task as we read the weekly newspapers in the past were the
ones who were utilizing a lot more of the technology supports. The read aloud function,
specifically, allowed these students to hear the information as they followed along and also
allowed them to go back and listen to it again without having to ask to hear it again from the
teacher or a peer.
The outcomes of this study were not too surprising based on the current research and
supported many of the ideas discovered during the literature review process. Biancaroas and
Griffiths (2012) and (2008) both discussed the benefits of electronic readers in their own
research. This study supported their findings that there is a place for technology to be embedded
in the everyday classroom. The technology supported text options met the needs of the majority
of the students in the study and they were able to interact with the text in meaningful ways that
would not have been possible without the technology assisted readers. Ciampana (2012) noted
the value of technology in supporting “motivational qualities of choice, control, interest, and
involvement” (p.18); these qualities were very apparent during this study as well. The majority
of the class consistently chose the technology supported text which utilized a number of
externally motivating factors, which supports Gillet, Vallerand and Lafreniere’s (2012)
framework that students in this 9-10 year old range still operate more in an extrinsically
motivated way requiring extra teacher support. The findings of this study support the current
research base and have added support for the idea of embedding technology support within the
context of everyday classroom experiences with content specific reading. The majority of the
research I found previously either focused on reading achievement or motivation separately and
specifically in the context of reading. There was little research that I could find that addressed
reading in specific content, such as Social Studies, as well as looked at how technology and
motivation could be intertwined.

Implications of findings for classroom teachers
Based on the findings of this study students would benefit from embedded technology
support options within the everyday classroom. One thing to note is that technology is not a one-
size-fits-all model and that it is still important for teachers to get to know the strengths and needs
of their students. Technology is one more tool available to help support those that need reading
experiences in a different format than traditionally presented.
There were two limitations and influences identified in this study: (a) The setting for this
study was done on a very small scale in a rural district with only 19 student participants and (b)
These students also had previous experiences with embedded technology, which may not be the
case in all classrooms.
Recommendations
This study needs to be addressed on a larger scale to see if the current findings hold true
for other students in other age groups or in other content area reading opportunities, such as
Science. I would also be interested to investigate the role that reading achievement level plays in
student text choice and see if the trend continued with a larger sample size group in a follow up
quantitative study.
If I were to conduct this study again I would like to add another opportunity for students
to read the same text in the opposite format than they chose for the first read. Based on the
consistency of students’ choice I wonder if they were choosing their text type more out of
familiarity and were not seeing the benefits of the other text type. The most successful piece of
this study, in my eyes, was the glimpse into student perceptions of motivation and the role that
technology can play in meeting student needs as readers.

References
Biancarosa, G., & Griffiths, G. (2012). Technology tools to support reading in the digital age.
The Future of Children, 22(2), 139-160.
Ciampa, K. (2012). Reading in the digital age: Using electronic books as a teaching tool for
beginning readers. Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology, 38(2), 1-26.
Gillet, N., Vallerand, R.J., & Lafreniere, M.K. (2012). Intrinsic and Extrinsic School Motivation
as a Function of Age: The Mediating Role of Autonomy Support. Social Psychology of
Education: An International Journal, 15(1), 77-95.
Groth, L. A., Dunlap, K. L., & Kidd, J. K. (2007). Becoming technologically literate through
technology integration in PK-12 pre-service literacy courses: Three case studies. Reading
Research and Instruction, 46(4), 363-386.
International Society for Technology in Education, 2007 http://www.iste.org/
Jacobs, G. A. (2012). Rethinking common assumptions about adolescents’ motivation to use
technology in and out of school. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 56(4), 271-274.
Kitson, L., Fletcher, M., & Kearney, J. (2007). Continuity and change in literacy practices: A
move towards multiliteracies. Journal of Classroom Interaction, 41(2), 29-41.
Labbo, L., Leu, Jr., D. J., & Kinzer, C. (2003). Teacher wisdom stories: Cautions and
recommendations for using computer-related technologies for literacy instruction.
Reading Teacher, 57(3), 300-304.
Larson, L. C. (2008). Electronic Reading Workshop: Beyond Books With New Literacies and
Instructional Technologies. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 52(2), 121-131.
Laverick, D. M. (2014). Supporting Striving Readers Through Technology-Based Instruction.
Reading Improvement, 51(1), 11-19.

Leu, D. (2000). Our children’s future: Changing the focus of literacy and literacy instruction.
Reading Teacher, 53(5), 424-429.
Martin, S. (2007). Collaborative learning with technology Some effects on educational
disaffection. The International Journal on School Disaffection. Retrieved from
http://ioepress.co.uk/journals/international-journal-on-school-disaffection/
Means, B. (2010). Technology and education change: Focus on student learning. Journal of
Research on Technology in Education, 42(3), 285-307.
Seyit, I. (2010). The effect of electronic storybooks on struggling fourth-graders’ reading
comprehension. The Turkish Online Journal of Education Technology, 9(4), 140-155.
Simpson, A. (2010). Integrating technology with literacy: Using teacher-guided collaborative
online learning to encourage critical thinking. Research in Learning Technology, 18(2),
119-131. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09687769.2010.492846
Suhr, K. A., Hernandez, D. A., Grimes, D., & Warschauer, M. (2010). Laptops and fourth-grade
literacy: Assisting the jump over the fourth-grade slump. Journal of Technology,
Learning, and Assessment, 9(5), 1-45.
Williams, L. M., Hall, K. W., Hendrick, W. B., Lamkin, M., & Abendroth, J. (2013). Developing
an observation instrument to support authentic independent reading time during school in
a data-driven world. Journal of Language & Literacy Education, 9(2), 24-49.

Appendix
Example Think Mark
’s
Think Mark
Title:
Codes:
?= Question/Wonder
= AHA (answers question or
interesting point)
V= Vocabulary (new or unfamiliar
word)
Summary &
Take Away Thoughts
Front side Back side


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Running head: ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT 1

The Role of Technology in Motivation and Engagement in Content Reading

The Graduate Faculty and the College of Education

Eastern Oregon University

of the Requirements for the Degree

Master of Science in Education

All rights reserved

INFORMATION TO ALL USERS

All rights reserved.

Chapter 1: Nature of the Study……………………………………………………………………5

Chapter 2: Literature Review……………………………………………………………………...9

Chapter 4: Findings of the Study………………………………………………………………...23

Chapter 5: Summary, Discussion, and Recommendations……………………………………....31

Committee Signature Page……………………………………………………………………….40

Table 1: Student Developed Codes for Think Marks ……………………………………20

Table 2: Average Number of Think Mark Responses…………………………………….27

Table 3: Average Instructional Reading Level of Students by Text Type………………..28

Figure 1: Student Selected Text Types…………………………………………………………..24

Chapter 1 – Nature of the Study

advances may also help increase student motivation to read.

Statement of the Research

Large issue to be examined. Educational technology is becoming an asset to literacy

experiences on electronic reading devices, specifically focusing on engagement and motivation.

rise in students’ motivations when it comes to literacy instruction.

When investigating motivation and engagement during independent reading

opportunities, it is often difficult to determine how to accurately measure these specific

to incorporate technology in literacy and content instruction to increase student motivation

during social studies reading.

Purpose of the Research

opportunities. The results of this investigation will be shared in Professional Learning

Communities at the site to impact instruction and technology integration.

content based Social Studies instruction?

the research uncovers.

new vocabulary and final summarizing thoughts (see Appendix).

Chapter 2: Literature Review

The world of education seems to be one of constant evolution whether in regards to

area of information and communication technologies (ICTs) specifically in the area of

& Griffiths, 2012; Larson, 2008).

Technology as a Motivational/Engagement Tool

prepare incoming teachers to be successful in this age of technology infused instruction.

software will yield higher student success rates.

evidence base on the positive motivational effects of computer-assisted reading instruction on

…the motivational qualities of choice, control, interest, and involvement were

motivations when it comes to literacy instruction.

When investigating motivation and engagement during independent reading

opportunities, it is often difficult to determine how to accurately measure these specific

school independent reading)” (p. 43).

Electronic Reading and Multiliteracies

Understanding that technology provides a multitude of tools for teachers to draw on

practices already in place.

assessments embedded into the software.

presentation (traditional storybooks vs. e-readers) impacted the comprehension scores of

Technology as a Tool for Improving Reading Proficiencies

reinforced and practiced at home” (Laverick, p. 15).

literacy skills and background knowledge”(Biancarosa & Griffiths, p. 154).

Professional Development for Reading Instruction

evaluate the effectiveness of pre-service teacher coursework in regard to preparing teachers to

training to make it effective. It is unreasonable to expect to see significant improvements in test