The design and application of a computer assisted reading comprehension system with multiple strategies

Abstract

Teachers in classroom situations usually have difficulty becoming familiar with and preparing for multiple strategies for reading instruction. Computer technology may be a potential approach to help overcome the difficulty of strategy instruction. However, most of the studies on computer-assisted reading deal with reading issues on more fundamental levels rather than higher-level text comprehension. In this study, the ASOIM (attention-selection-organization-integration-monitoring) model of text comprehension was used as a foundation to design a multi-strategy based Computer Assisted Strategies Teaching and Learning Environment (CASTLE), aiming to enhance the learner's strategy-application and text comprehension abilities. The application effects of CASTLE were empirically evaluated. 130 sixth-graders took part in an 11-week of system evaluation experiment. The results show that CASTLE helps enhance the strategy-application and text comprehension abilities of elementary students.