Abstract
A central goal of upper elementary schools is improving students’ skills to write persuasively using source materials. This study focused on three important areas of writing at the upper elementary grade levels. First, the web-based intelligent tutoring system for the text structure strategy (ITSS) was used to teach children how to read source materials, select important ideas in the text, generate main ideas, and write summaries. Second, instruction about planning and writing persuasive essays was delivered using the self-regulated strategies development (SRSD) model. Third, We Write web-based tools were used to facilitate the learning and mastery of the persuasive writing strategies taught to upper elementary grade children. The We Write computer tool is a teacher-led system choreographing the roles of the teacher and technology to achieve maximum instructional impact. Teachers received practice-based professional development with coaching and modeling to implement the intervention. In a cluster randomized trial with 12 fifth grade classrooms, this approach was effective in improving students’ writing. Results show that after 6 weeks of text structure instruction on the web using ITSS, effect sizes on writing quality and planning were 0.30 and 0.77. After an additional 12 weeks of SRSD-based writing instruction effect size on planning quality was 1.60 and writing quality 2.29. These strong results can inform the design of technology supported writing interventions for elementary grade students.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Beerwinkle, A., Wijekumar, K., Walpole, S., & Aguis, R. (2018). An Analysis of the Ecological Components within a Text Structure Intervention. Reading and Writing: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 31(9), 2041–2064
Berninger, V. W., Nagy, W., Tanimoto, S., Thompson, R., & Abbott, R. D. (2015). Computer instruction in handwriting, spelling, and composing for students with specific learning disabilities in grades 4–9, Computers & Education, Volume 81, 2015, Pages 154–168, ISSN 0360–1315, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2014.10.00
Bouwer, R., Koster, M., & van den Bergh, H. (2018). Effects of a Strategy-Focused Instructional Program on the Writing Quality of Upper Elementary Students in the Netherlands Journal of Educational Psychology, Vol 110(1), Jan 2018 pp. 58–71
Boykin, A., Evmenova, A. S., Regan, K., & Mastropieri, M. (2019). The impact of a computer-based graphic organizer with embedded self-regulated learning strategies on the argumentative writing of students in inclusive cross-curricula settings, Computers & Education, Volume 137, 2019, Pages 78–90, ISSN 0360–1315, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2019.03.008
Braaksma, M. A. H., Rijlaarsdam, G., van den Bergh, H., & van Hout-Wolters, B. H. A. M. (2004). Observational Learning and Its Effects on the Orchestration of Writing Processes. Cognition and Instruction, 22(1), 1–36
Brindle, M., Graham, S., Harris, K. R., & Hebert, M. (2016). Third and fourth grade teacher’s classroom practices in writing: A national survey. Reading and Writing, 29(5), 929–954. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-015-9604-x. http://dx.doi.org.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/
de Schmedt, F., Graham, S., & Van Keer, H. (2020). “It takes two”: The added value of structured peer-assisted writing in explicit writing instruction. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 60, 101835. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2019.101835
de Smedt, F., Graham, S., & Van Keer, H. (2019). The bright and dark side of writing motivation: Effects of explicit instruction and peer assistance. The Journal of Educational Research, 112(2), 152–167. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220671.2018.1461598
Graham, S. (2018). The writer(s)-within-community model of writing. Educational Psychologist, 53, 258–279
Graham, S., Bollinger, A., Booth Olson, C., D’Aoust, C., MacArthur, C., McCutchen, D., & Olinghouse, N. (2012a). Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers: A practice guide (NCEE 2012–4058). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved from http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/publications_reviews.aspx#pubsearch
Graham, S., McKeown, D., Kiuhara, S., & Harris, K. R. (2012b). A meta-analysis of writing instruction for students in the elementary grades. Journal of Educational Psychology, 104(4), 879–896. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0029185.supphttps://doi-org.srv-proxy2.library.tamu.edu/ (Supplemental)
Harris, K. R., Graham, S., Mason, L. H., & Friedlander, B. (2008). Powerful writing strategies for all students. Baltimore, MD: Brookes
Hebert, M., Simpson, A., & Graham, S. (2013). Comparing effects of different writing activities on reading comprehension: A meta-analysis. Reading & Writing, 26(1), 111–138. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-012-9386-3
Jesson, R., McNaughton, S., Rosedale, N., Zhu, T., & Cockle, V. (2018). A mixed-methods study to identify effective practices in the teaching of writing in a digital learning environment in low-income schools, Computers & Education, Volume 119, 2018, Pages 14–30, ISSN 0360–1315, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2017.12.005
Koster, M., Bouwer, R., & van den Bergh, H. (2017). Professional development of teachers in the implementation of a strategy-focused writing intervention program for elementary students. Contemporary Educational Psychology April, 2017 49, 1–20. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2016.10.002. Language: English
Landauer, T. K. (2003). Automatic Essay Assessment, Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 10:3, 295–308, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/0969594032000148154
Li, J., Link, S., & Hegelheimer, V. (2015). Rethinking the role of automated writing evaluation (AWE) feedback in ESL writing instruction. Journal of Second Language Writing, 27, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jslw.2014.10.004
Limpo, T., & Alves, R. (2013). Teaching planning or sentence-combining strategies: Effective SRSD interventions at different levels of written composition, Contemporary Educational Psychology 38 (2013) 328–341
Mahlow, C., & Dale, R. (2014). Production media: Writing as using tools in media convergent environments. In E. M. Jakobs, & D. Perrin (Eds.), Handbook of writing and text production (pp. 209–230). Berlin: De Gruyter
McMaster, K. L., Lembke, E. S., Shin, J., Poch, A. L., Smith, R. A., Jung, P. G. … Wagner, K. (2020). Supporting Teachers’ Use of Data-Based Instruction to Improve Students’ Early Writing Skills Journal of Educational Psychology, Vol 112(1), Jan 2020 pp. 1–21
National Commission on Writing in America’s Schools and Colleges. (2004). Writing: A ticket to work… or a ticket out. New York, NY: College Board
National Commission on Writing in America’s Schools and Colleges. (2005). Writing: A powerful message from state government. New York, NY: College Board
National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers (2010). Common Core State Standards for English language arts and literacy in history/social studies, science, and technical subjects. Washington, DC: Author
Roscoe, R. D., Allen, L. K., & McNamara, D. S. (2019). Contrasting Writing Practice Formats in a Writing Strategy Tutoring System.Journal of Educational Computing Research, v57 n3 p723-754 Jun 2019.
Strobl, C., Ailhaud, E., Benetos, K., Devitt, A., Kruse, O., Proske, A., & Rapp, C. (2019). Digital support for academic writing: A review of technologies and pedagogies, Computers & Education, Volume 131, 2019, Pages 33–48, ISSN 0360–1315, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2018.12.005
Tate, T., Warschauer, M., & Abedi, J. (2016). The effects of prior computer use on computer-based writing: The 2011 NAEP writing assessment. Computers & Education. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2016.06.001. Volume 101, 2016, Pages 115–131, ISSN 0360–1315
Wijekumar, K., Meyer, B. J. F., & Lei, P. (2012). Large-scale randomized controlled trial with 4th graders using intelligent tutoring of the structure strategy to improve nonfiction reading comprehension. Educational Technology Research and Development, 60, 987–1013. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-012-9263-4
Wijekumar, K., Meyer, B. J. F., Lei, P., Lin, Y., Johnson, L. A., Shurmatz, K. … Cook, M. (2014). Improving reading comprehension for 5th grade readers in rural and suburban schools using web-based intelligent tutoring systems. Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness
Wijekumar, K., Harris, K., Graham, S., & Meyer, B. J. F. (2016). We-Write: A Teacher and Technology Supported Persuasive Writing Tutor for Upper Elementary Students. In S. Crossley, & D. S. McNamara (Eds.), Adaptive Educational Technologies for Literacy Instruction. New York, NY: Routledge Publishers – Taylor & Francis Group
Wijekumar, K., Beerwinkle, A., McKeown, D., Zhang, S., & Joshi, R. M. (2020). The “gist” of the reading comprehension problem in grades 4 and 5. Dyslexia: An International Journal of Research and Practice | ISSN: 1076–9242 PMID: NLM31903668, Impact Factor: 1.568 | data-based, quantitative
Williams, C., & Beam, S. (2019). Technology and writing: Review of research, Computers & Education, Volume 128, 2019, Pages 227–242, ISSN 0360–1315, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2018.09.024
Wilson, J., & Czik, A. (2016). Automated essay evaluation software in English Language Arts classrooms: Effects on teacher feedback, student motivation, and writing quality, Computers & Education, Volume 100, 2016, Pages 94–109, ISSN 0360–1315, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2016.05.004
Wilson, J., Chen, D., & Sandbank, M. P. (2019). Generalizability of Automated Scores of Writing Quality in Grades 3–5 Journal of Educational Psychology, v111 n4 p619-640 May 2019. (EJ1213687)
Wissinger, D. R., De La Paz, S., & Jackson, C. (2021). The Effects of Historical Reading and Writing Strategy Instruction With Fourth- Through Sixth-Grade Students Journal of Educational Psychology, Vol 113(1), Jan 2021 pp. 49–67
Yamaç, A., Öztürk, E., & Mutlu, N. (2020). Effect of digital writing instruction with tablets on primary school students’ writing performance and writing knowledge, Computers & Education, Volume 157, 2020, 103981, ISSN 0360–1315, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2020.103981
Acknowledgements
This research is supported by a grant from the US Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher’s note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wijekumar, K.K., Harris, K.R., Graham, S. et al. A teacher technology tango shows strong results on 5th graders persuasive writing. Education Tech Research Dev 70, 1415–1439 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-022-10117-9
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-022-10117-9