The Efficacy of Implementing a Technology-Mediated Dialogic Pedagogy to Support Reading Comprehension in Virtual and Co-Located Settings

Text-based discussion within a technology-mediated dialogic discussion (T+DLD) has the potential to engage students in higher-level reading comprehension with upper elementary students. While supported empirically, this approach is still not commonplace, and little is known about its efficacy within a remote setting. The primary aim of this project was to synthesize what is currently known about T+DLD and to explore changes in discussion within a remote setting to support practitioners enacting the approach. This was achieved through a systematic review of the literature on T+DP that analyzed 18 included studies for study quality as well as patterns around study features (i.e., instructional design, environmental factors, task, methodology). Text-based discussion via web-based teleconferencing was studied using a comparative case study using sociocultural discourse analysis to study student discussion in three different training conditions: dialogic only, technology only, and a T+DLD training. A pathway of implementation was then developed to translate research into practice to support teachers in adopting T+DLD. A key finding within this project was that T+DLD builds on the key elements of ground rules for talk, an open task, and student reflection for talk. Additionally, the pedagogical approach of the teacher influences the way technology is used by students. Finally, technology can successfully support T+DLD in both co-located and remote settings. This dissertation provides recommendations for future research that compares methods of implementation and evaluates the direct impact on reading comprehension. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]