Digital Reading Check-ins: Supporting Independent Digital Reading

Framework

This research study is based on the framework of action research in the classroom. When teachers are action researchers, they aim to improve their teaching methods. Teacher researchers reflect on their craft and make adjustments to find a way to maximize student achievement. This research project focused on finding a way to get students to use their independent reading time to its full potential using the action research framework.

Methods

PARTICIPANTS:
The study took place on the campus of a public elementary and middle school that is a developmental research (lab) school. The school has a lottery-based admission process to create a student body representative of the population of the state where it is located. The participants involved in the study consisted of twenty first graders in a class. While the main focus was on five virtual learners, their data was compared to the remaining fifteen students learning in person. They ranged in age from six to seven years old. The demographics of my participants reflected a sampling of the school’s population. The racial breakdown of the class included 15% Black, 35% Hispanic, and 50% Caucasian. Seven out of the twenty students who participated qualified for free or reduced lunch, and three of them were virtual learners. While the class had students who spoke other languages at home, none of them were labeled as English Language Learners (ELL). I do, however, think it is important to note that one of the virtual learners was in a home where Portuguese was spoken as the primary home language. I had two students who were part of the Exceptional Student Education program, both learning in person. Finally, preliminary reading data reflected that three students were working below grade level, ten students were at grade level, and seven were above grade level. My virtual learners were all working at grade level except for one who scored above grade level.

METHODOLOGY:
--Procedures--
The purpose of this research study was to examine the effects of goal-setting check-ins twice a week on independent reading minutes. This study took place over the course of a six-week cycle. Data was collected and analyzed via spreadsheets twice a week, and teaching methods (or the procedures of the study in this case) were adjusted for the following week based on the data. A research journal was also used to gather data about student and teacher feelings and behaviors throughout the study. Before the start of check-ins, a teacher-made survey of the students’ caregivers to find out what limitations there might be that could have an impact on the amount of reading students do each day was administered. This anonymous survey was given before the study commenced. Some questions that were included were:
-- What is the noise level in your child's learning environment?
-- How would you rate the level of distraction on a normal day of learning?
-- How much academic or behavioral support is given to your child throughout the day?

The survey was also meant to collect qualitative data on student attitudes towards reading at home. Were there any negative attitudes that might prevent check-ins from having an impact on independent reading minutes? Some questions that were asked were:
-- How engaged is your child during independent reading time in Reader's Workshop? (scale score of 0-5 used)
-- What is an example of a distraction that keeps your child from reading during independent reading time?
-- How independent is your child when it comes to reading during independent reading time in Reader's Workshop? (scale score of 0-5 used)

--Data Collection--
The daily number of minutes virtual learners were reading was collected and analyzed twice a week from the Epic website. Daily reading logs, available only on Epic’s website via the Epic Teacher Dashboard, showed each student his or her minutes in an organized manner. Each week, the daily minute totals were graphed, and the effectiveness of the check-ins was determined for that particular week. I found, however, that it was just as important to analyze individual days as well because of factors like student absences, internet issues, etc., that may have impacted weekly totals. Tracking totals for each student gave me a global perspective to be able to compare each student’s progress. I also calculated each student’s average minutes per day. I searched for trends such as minutes increasing the day after check-ins. The study ended after six weeks due to reaching saturation of the data being collected. In the findings, you will see that the majority of my virtual learners were meeting their daily goals.
A research journal was also used in this study to collect qualitative data. Observations and reflections were recorded during each. Student remarks regarding the check-in process, their data, and more were documented in the journal. I used this information in combination with the quantitative data (number of minutes) for the reflection process. This was analyzed every two to three days alongside the number of minutes students were reading. The comments from students assisted in determining if students were having positive feelings about their minutes. The research journal was critical to seeing the big picture of this study.

Results

--Specific Data--
Individual Check-ins Positively Impact the Amount of Daily Reading

The data from Epic, as well as my research journal notes, were examined every two to three days. Minutes from Week 1 and observations recorded in my research journal were discouraging. In the middle of the first week, I wrote, “Students seem to be nodding heads. Not taking ownership of the data being discussed. Need to make changes for next week!” My quantitative data from Epic confirmed these feelings. Only one student had reached his goal one out of five days, and the other 4 participants did not meet their goals at all in Week 1. My research journal entries for that week showed that whole group meetings were not personal enough, even though there were only five students in the group. Students were craving more one-on-one attention in the reflection and goal-setting process. As one student said, he liked one-on-one check-ins because “no one else can hear my goal. I get to talk to you by myself.” These words and the huge smiles on his and many other students’ faces when meeting one-on-one let me know that this was an important change to make for these check-ins to be impactful.
Data collected over the six-week cycle showed that daily minute totals, tracked through Epic and its daily reading logs, drastically increased after individual check-ins began. Individual check-ins positively impacted the number of minutes virtual learners were reading each week. The total minutes read by this group increased by 383 minutes from Week 1 to Week 2 alone. A second dramatic rise in minutes occurred from Week 2 to Week 3. The total student minutes jumped by 216 minutes. There is a positive slope in the data from Week 1 through the last week of the study.
It is important to note that there was a decrease in minutes between Week 3 and Week 4. After collecting the highest number of minutes read thus far in the school year by the virtual learners for Week 3, it was Spring Break. There was a dip in the number of minutes students read the week we returned from break, Week 4. However, the data leveled out again once students got back into the swing of things and check-ins continued.

Use of a Color-Coded Daily Reading Log Increased Authenticity of Check-Ins

An unexpected finding in this study was the positive impact color-coded visual aids had on both student engagement in the check-ins and the number of minutes spent reading. As mentioned in the Procedures section above, a way to share the color-coded daily reading logs was discovered and used beginning at the end of Week 2. They made an immediate impact on the check-ins. Students were more engaged and visibly excited. Check-ins became more authentic, with students taking ownership of their data and goals. After less than a week of utilizing the color-coded chart, a student stated, “I have two yellows, oh no, and a grey one! I want my goal to be 42 minutes, so I can be green and meet my goal.” “I DID IT! I GOT ALL GREENS!” exclaimed another student enthusiastically. This kind of talk continued through the entire cycle
of this study. As you can see in Figure 3, after taking advantage of the colorful reading log chart in Epic, the number of days students were meeting their reading goals increased and remained consistent throughout the remainder of the study. Not only was the number of minutes students were reading increasing, but they were more determined to make their goal each day.
Just like the number of minutes in this study, there was a decrease in the number of days students were meeting their daily goal in Week 4 after Spring Break, but shows that they quickly rebounded the following week after getting back into the routine of check-ins.
Overall, the findings of this study correlated to the research. Teacher guidance, or the goal-setting conferences, made an impact on the motivation of the participants to meet their reading goals. Once individualized check-ins with the chart visuals were used, the positive effects of the check-ins were clear. Individual check-ins positively impact the amount of daily reading. I think the success of the study shows in the recurring question I get before the virtual learners log off each day, “Is today a check-in, [teacher]? I want to see my chart in Epic!” My research entries are full of these types of requests, and I could not be prouder.

--Conclusions--
These digital reading check-ins were a chance for students to receive one-on-one attention with positive reinforcement for reaching goals and guidance on how to set new, realistic goals. The one-on-one format, in combination with the color-coded visual aids, assisted students in consistently achieving their goals. These results support the practice of goal setting in reading and the importance of individualized attention in a virtual teaching environment. The check-ins help build student–teacher relationships and student confidence in understanding their data. They are more likely to take ownership if the data are presented in an organized and visually stimulating way. While reading conferences are certainly not a new idea, their importance within teaching has skyrocketed because the learning context for each virtual or hybrid learner is highly individual.
Lastly, the results of this classroom research have implications regarding the benefits of digital reading check-ins in all settings. As more schools choose to continue with the use of digital libraries in classrooms, these results indicate the importance of check-ins to keep students accountable during independent reading. Digital reading changes how teachers need to monitor students for on-task behaviors. While traditional conferring can be used for comprehension checks, these check-ins are also a way to monitor students’ minutes in books. For beginning readers to succeed using digital reading platforms, strategies like digital reading check-ins are necessary pedagogical innovations.

Importance

The ISTE audience will benefit from this study as the overall objective for this presentation is to provide participants with current classroom research and resources that directly support its replication. While reading conferences are certainly not a new idea, their importance within teaching has skyrocketed because the learning context for each virtual or hybrid learner is highly individual. Attendees will walk away with a step-by-step guide to help them use this classroom strategy. As more schools choose to utilize digital libraries and libraries with paper books disappear, this research’s results indicate the importance of check-ins to keep students accountable during independent reading. Digital reading changes how teachers need to monitor students for on-task behaviors. While traditional conferring can be used for comprehension checks, these check-ins are also a way to monitor students’ minutes in books. For beginning readers to succeed using digital reading platforms, strategies like digital reading check-ins are necessary pedagogical innovations.

References

-------- Citation for my research publication:

Pavek, C. and Vaughan, M. (2023), Digital Reading Check-ins: Supporting Independent Digital Reading. Read Teach, 76: 653-657. https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.2179

**Google Drive Link to full article: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gCxwVQxj-BthpbixfXzNlA5M1toyYyus/view?usp=sharing

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