Methodology and Design

Design

This exploratory study used three methods to gather data: surveys, group interviews and observations.

  • The McKenna Kear Reading Attitude Survey was administered to the students at the beginning of the study, at the mid-point of each book (when we switched from reading aloud to audiobook) and at the end of each book (seven times in all).
  • I observed the students during the study sessions and kept track of how they reacted.
  • I conducted group interviews of the students after each book and at the end of the study.

Participants

  • 18 students signed up for the study (Six of them were actually able to complete all parts of the study.)
  • 100% African-American
  • Three were in grade 5, one in grade 4 and two in grade 3
  • Attended the after-school program at a small urban school in a large southeastern city.
  • Four of the students were male.  Two were female.

Data Collection Story

The students in this survey were part of an after-school program.  At the beginning of the study the after-school program focused on homework completion, motivational sessions on student conduct and tutorials in science and math.  The students were eager to participate in the study.  However, as the study progressed, the after-school program began to provide other opportunities for the students: basketball and cheerleading, computer and board games, field trips to a local botanical garden and art classes at a local museum.  As the after-school program became more engaging, the students’ ability and desire to participate in the study decreased noticeably.   Of the 18 students who started the study, only six actually participated in all sessions.

The same reader was used throughout the study, both to read aloud to the students and to record the audiobooks.

  • Students filled out the McKenna-Kear Elementary Reading Motivation Survey.  They were allowed to select the first book.  They chose My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett.
  • The reader read the first half of the book to the students and they took the survey again.
  • The students listened to the second half of the book on audio tape, and took a survey at the end of the book. 
  • I interviewed the students as a group about their attitudes toward audiobooks and reading.  I found out that the students had not, up to this point, listened to either read-alouds or audiobooks for extended periods of time.  They were a little restless at first until they became used to listening at length.  The students were more focused during the read – aloud than during the audiobook sessions but they stated they enjoyed the audiobook sessions more.
  • The students selected the next book, Muggie Maggie by Beverly Cleary and voted to listen to the book as an audiobook first. 
  • This time they listened to the first half of the book as an audiobook, after which they were surveyed.  Then the second half of the book was read aloud to the students, and they were surveyed again.
  • I interviewed the students as a group about their experiences.
  • The next, and final book, was Skeleton Man by Joseph Bruchac.  The first half of the book was read aloud and the students were surveyed.  The students listened to the second half of the book as an audiobook and were surveyed.  I conducted a final interview.

Data Sources

  • Interviews
  • Observations 
  • Surveys 

Limitations

The major limitations to this study were:

  • Small number of students
  • Lack of demographic variation
  • Length of the study – it should have been longer and we should have read more books.
  • Difficulty in obtaining a consistent set of students due to expanded after-school options.

Timeline

November 27, 2007 

Met with students, explained the study and administered the first survey.

November 30, 2007 – December 12, 2007

Students listened to My Father’s Dragon and were surveyed and interviewed about their experience.

December 14, 2008 – January 8, 2008

Students listened to Muggie Maggie and were surveyed and interviewed about their experience. 

January 9, 2008 – February 1, 2008

Students listened to Skeleton Man and were surveyed and interviewed about their experience. 

February 2, 2008 - March 24, 2008

Results were analyzed and report was written.

April 14, 2008

Applied project was presented to the committee.

 

Analysis

Observation notes and group interviews were transcribed and examined for trends.  Because the school system I conducted the survey in would not allow either audio or video taping of students, the notes were confined to broad trends only.

Each student was assigned a number which was used on the survey scoring sheets.  Scores for academic reading, recreational reading and a total score were obtained.  The results were entered into a spreadsheet and examined.   Each student’s scores were charted individually.

The purpose of this survey was to find out if there was a difference in student response when using the two methods.  Since the change was what was important, the score for each survey was compared to the score for the first survey.  The score differences for the read-alouds were added. The score differences for the audiobook surveys were added.  The final totals for these were graphed.