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Reading-comprehension performances of expository and narrative texts on Interactive-Whiteboards and Paper: evidence from 5th grade children

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Abstract

In this study, we compared the effects of two media (Interactive Whiteboards and Paper) on both expository and narrative texts reading comprehension among 5th grade children of primary school. Two texts were constructed, according to the same controlled hierarchical structure. Comprehension was assessed by a multiple-choice questionnaire including three types of questions (surface, semantics, inferential). Results of the comprehension test revealed no difference between the two supports. Regardless of support, we found better performances for the narrative text, as well as an interaction between Text and Question factors, revealing that children had more difficulties to elaborate inferences when reading the expository text. These results are in line with previous findings underlying that texts with a similar structure, with a single-page presentation elicit similar performances on paper and electronic devices. They also provide interesting perspectives about the use and impact of Interactive Whiteboards during reading activities or lessons in classrooms.

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The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Funding

This study received no specific funding.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Université Paris-Est, CHArt (UR4004), 94010, Créteil, France

    Xavier Aparicio & Souad Belaïd

  2. University of Paris VIII, St Denis Cedex 02, France

    Thierry Baccino

  3. University of Picardie Jules Verne, Amiens Cedex 1, France

    Olga Megalakaki

  4. Laboratoire CHArt UR4004, Université Paris-Est, 61 avenue du Général de Gaulle, 94000, Créteil, France

    Xavier Aparicio

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  1. Xavier Aparicio
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  2. Souad Belaïd
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  4. Olga Megalakaki
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection were performed by XA, SB and OM. Analysis were performed by TB and XA. The first draft of the manuscript was written by XA and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Xavier Aparicio.

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Informed consent was obtained from all the parents of all of the children participants included in the study.

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Aparicio, X., Belaïd, S., Baccino, T. et al. Reading-comprehension performances of expository and narrative texts on Interactive-Whiteboards and Paper: evidence from 5th grade children. Education Tech Research Dev 70, 1151–1168 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-022-10121-z

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