Thoughts on Mobile App for Young Readers

We are mid-way through the course, and the time has come to prepare for the implementation research project. Initially, I struggled with what I wanted to implement for this study. I was clear about using social constructivism and technology implementation theories; I knew it might be in the realm of innovation because that has been who I have been since I was a child—constantly inventing something to improve a process or idea. I thought it would be interesting to experiment with a mobile app to help young readers to improve their reading skills while engaging and fun.

I want to study this implementation because I am passionate about helping others learn to read. According to Irvin et al. (2023) report on the condition of education by the National Center for Education Statistics, I was not surprised at the numbers regarding reading in K-12. The average the National Assessment of Education (NAEP) reading scores in grades 4 and 8 were lower in 2022 than in 2019. The average reading scores in 2022 at both grade levels were similar to those in 1992 (Irvin et al., 2023).

Aside from staffing issues, schools faced numerous problems throughout their recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. Many factors influence the overall condition of the education system, including who receives assistance from the system, the circumstances in which students learn, the resources available, and the outcomes achieved (Irvin et al., 2023). Taking the other courses this summer has helped me to review and examine evidence-based interventions or learning strategies so learners can acquire knowledge and apply it in their current setting. It has also helped me to think outside the box, but knowing theoretical frameworks and the science of learning, instruction, and assessments (Mayers, 2021) will guide this endeavor.

I will collect data in different ways because young kids are involved there must be parental or legal guardian consent. There will be a pre-and post-survey to obtain young readers' perceptions and attitudes about reading from the mobile app. The semi-structured interviews will be done to get feedback on the usage and benefits of improving the young reader skills. We will use an instrument designed for kids that is reliable and has internal consistency. We will use an app plugin to collect learning analytics through lessons, formative and summative assessments, exercises, and other learning activities. The research study must go through the University of North Texas IRB approval. We must comply with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), a federal law in the United States meant to limit the collection and use of personal information about children to be careful of the regulations and the privacy act, particularly regarding young children. Create secure means for storing and sending acquired data. Ensure compliance with appropriate data protection regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) are examples.

The implementation of the mobile app for young readers relates to constructs and concepts based on social constructivism and technology implementation theory. It will also encompass the innovation diffusion theory aims to explain how, why, and how quickly new ideas and technology emerge. The implementation will include metacognition and experiential learning concepts in understanding reading comprehension and oral language. Social constructivism is a learning theory that emphasizes the importance of social interaction and shared knowledge in the development of understanding. We want to motivate parents, legal guardians, and other siblings to interact with students, yet young readers connect with their peers by using the app. The implementation aims to help young readers improve their reading, and the mobile app evaluation will utilize the Kirkpatrick model.

References:

Mayer, R. E. (2018). Thirty years of research on online learning. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 33(2), 152-159. https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.3482

Irwin, V., Wang, K., Tezil, T., Zhang, J., Filbey, A., Jung, J., Bullock Mann, F., Dilig, R., and Parker, S. (2023). Report on the Condition of Education 2023 (NCES 2023-144). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.