Technology-enhanced stories yield a small but significant additional benefit over traditional story presentations for story comprehension and expressive vocabulary in young children¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study (2 entries) · quant-synthesis r2–r3 · q3 · i0–i1
Currency · newest study 2015 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i0 Technology-enhanced stories show a small significant advantage over traditional story presentations for story comprehension (g+ = 0.17). → Takacs 2015 q3 i1 Technology-enhanced stories show a small significant advantage for expressive vocabulary (g+ = 0.20). → Takacs 2015 (2)

Evidence¶

Takacs 2015¶

Takacs, Z. K., Swart, E. K., & Bus, A. G. (2015). Benefits and Pitfalls of Multimedia and Interactive Features in Technology-Enhanced Storybooks: A Meta-Analysis. Review of Educational Research, 85(4), 698-739. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654314566989

q3 · i0 · quant-synthesis · r3

Meta-analytic synthesis of 43 experimental or quasi-experimental studies contrasting technology-enhanced stories with traditional story presentations, using a random effects model. The pooled effect for story comprehension was g+ = 0.17, 95% CI [0.01, 0.34], p = .04 (Table 2); the printed effect size g+ = 0.17 falls below d = 0.2.

"A small but significant additional benefit of technology was found for story comprehension (g+ = 0.17) and expressive vocabulary (g+ = 0.20), based on data from 2,147 children in 43 studies."

Takacs 2015 (2)¶

Takacs, Z. K., Swart, E. K., & Bus, A. G. (2015). Benefits and Pitfalls of Multimedia and Interactive Features in Technology-Enhanced Storybooks: A Meta-Analysis. Review of Educational Research, 85(4), 698-739. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654314566989

q3 · i1 · quant-synthesis · r2

Same meta-analytic synthesis (43 studies, 2,147 children, random effects model). The pooled effect for expressive vocabulary was g+ = 0.20, 95% CI [0.01, 0.39], p = .04 (Table 2); the printed effect size g+ = 0.20 is small.

"A small but significant additional benefit of technology was found for story comprehension (g+ = 0.17) and expressive vocabulary (g+ = 0.20), based on data from 2,147 children in 43 studies."

Discussion¶

Learner Variables¶

• Vocabulary — outcome: instruction changes it

Related Claims¶

• Media comparison studies produce uninterpretable "no significant difference" findings. — the general claim this finding bears on, with the studies behind it
• Technology-enhanced stories (any digital addition, not multimedia alone) significantly improve expressive vocabulary for children disadvantaged by environmental factors such as low parental education — a narrower finding that bears on this claim
• Multimedia-only stories benefit story comprehension, whereas stories that also include interactive features do not — a narrower finding that bears on this claim
• Technology-enhanced stories show no significant additional effect on receptive vocabulary compared with traditional storybook reading — related
• Study design moderates the technology effect: between-subject studies yield a significantly higher average effect than within-subject studies — related
• Technology-enhanced stories show no significant effect on child engagement and communication during reading — related
• Educational technology interventions show positive effects on reading comprehension in elementary school — related