The impact of adaptive computer assisted instruction on reading comprehension: Identifying the main idea

Abstract

AbstractResearch has demonstrated that computer assisted instruction (CAI) can have positive impacts on various literacy skills, however its impact on specific comprehension skills is currently unclear. This study employed a small‐scale randomized control trial to examine the impact of a researcher‐developed adaptive computer assisted instructional program, Digital Comprehension, on 47 upper elementary struggling readers' comprehension skills, specifically main idea identification. Students were randomly assigned to treatment and control groups, with students in the treatment group engaging in the Digital Comprehension program and students in the control group receiving only business‐as‐usual classroom instruction. Students completed measures assessing main idea and general reading comprehension skills at pre‐ and post‐intervention. Students in the treatment group demonstrated statistically significant greater growth in main idea skills than students in the control group. No main effect for the intervention was found for general reading comprehension skills, although there was a significant interaction between condition and student's pretest scores. Results indicate that adaptive CAI may be an effective means for remediating struggling readers' main idea skills.