Crouch, Avril J. (2008-03)
Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2008
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Reading is one of the most important skills that learners need to acquire in school because they read to learn. From their first school year, it is expected from learners to be good readers and to understand what they are reading. Reading in effect forms the basis for the learning process in the educational system. Research in South Africa shows that an enormous number of primary and high school learners are not able to read sufficiently to perform satisfactorily in their schoolwork. Further studies also show that the reading skills level of 72% of all underachievers in schools are 4 years below the expected performance level. These poor reading performances have huge implications for educators, specifically because of the relationship between reading and learning. This study was undertaken to address this problem, whereby an integrated computer reading program was designed to be implemented complementary to the traditional reading method in the classroom. The purpose of this research study is to establish the value of technology in the acquisition of reading skills of learners in Gr 10 Afrikaans First Additional Language. A literature study was undertaken whereby information was gained regarding existing studies in research about reading and computer reading. A non-emperical study was undertaken whereby an experimental and control group took a pre-test, after which the experimental group was exposed to the computer reading program. During this time, the group was observed in their natural learning setup. After exposure to the program, both groups took a post-test. The research findings show significant evidence of progress in the reading comprehension skills of both groups. However, the same amount of progress is detected in the the comprehension skills of the control group. This is evidence that the progress of the experimental group cannot be assigned to their exposure to the computer reading program but rather to the learning performance that is expected from all learners. However, various factors played a role in the deviation of the expected outcome of the research study namely, the time of exposure to the computer reading program, the fact that not all the learners in the experimental group were computer literate and also the lack of knowledge of educators about computers and computer reading programs. The use of computers in the instruction of reading is inevitable because the National Education Department encourages electronic learning and also provides schools with computers and computer programs for all learning areas. It is also recommended that schools should adapt to the rapid growth in technology and expose both their educators and learners to computers in the classroom to empower them for the future.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Lees is een van die belangrikste vaardighede wat leerders op skool behoort te verwerf omdat hulle lees om te leer. Vanaf die eerste skooljaar word daar reeds van leerders verwag om goed te kan lees en dit wat hulle lees te kan begryp. Lees vorm dus die basis van die leerproses in die onderwysstelsel. Navorsing in Suid-Afrika toon egter dat ‘n baie groot aantal laer- en hoërskoolleerders nie toereikend kan lees om bevredigend in hul skoolwerk te kan presteer nie. Verdere studie toon ook dat 72% van alle swak presteerders in skole se leesvaardigheidsvlak tot 4 jaar onder die verwagte prestasievlak is. Hierdie swak leesprestasies is ‘n bron van kommer vir onderwysers veral vanweë die nou verband tussen lees en leer. Om hierdie probleem aan te spreek, is hierdie studie onderneem waartydens ‘n geïntegreerde rekenaarleesprogram ontwerp is om aanvullend tot die tradisionele leesmetode in die klaskamer aangewend te word. Die doel van hierdie navorsingstudie is om die waarde van tegnologie by die verwerwing van leesvaardighede van Gr 10 Afrikaans Eerste Addisionele Taal-leerders te bepaal. Die ondersoek betrek ‘n indringende literatuurstudie om inligting te bekom oor bestaande studies in die veld van lees. Terselfdertyd word nie-empiriese studies betrek waartydens ‘n eksperimentele en ‘n kontrolegroep ‘n voortoets aflê voordat die eksperimentele groep aan die leesprogram blootgestel word. Daarna is die eksperimentele groep tydens aksienavorsing geobserveer in hul natuurlike leeropset. Albei groepe het daarna weer ‘n na-toets afgelê. Die bevinding van die toetsresultate dui daarop dat daar ‘n beduidende verbetering in die leesbegrip van albei groepe is. Omdat die kontrolegroep egter dieselfde hoeveelheid verbetering toon as die eksperimentele groep, kan hierdie verbetering nie toegeskryf word aan die blootstelling van die rekenaarleesprogram nie, maar eerder aan die verwagte leerprestasie van leerders met verloop van tyd. Verskeie faktore speel egter ‘n rol in die afwyking van die verwagte uitkoms van die navorsingstudie, naamlik die tyd van blootstelling aan die leesprogram, die feit dat nie alle leerders rekenaargeletterd is nie en ook die onkunde van onderwysers oor rekenaars en rekenaarleesprogramme. Die gebruik van rekenaars in die leesonderrigsituasie is onafwendbaar aangesien die Nasionale Onderwysdepartement elektroniese leer aanmoedig en al hoe meer skole van rekenaars en rekenaarprogramme vir alle leerareas voorsien. Dit is ook aan te beveel dat skole behoort aan te pas by die snelgroeiende tegnologie om beide opvoeders en leerders bloot te stel aan rekenaars in die klaskamer om hulle sodoende te bemagtig vir die toekoms.
Please refer to this item in SUNScholar by using the following persistent URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/72025
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