By Jennifer Bauer and Wendy WestISTC 685

May 13, 2011

It is our job as educators to provide the students with the opportunities to incorporate technology into their learning.

This study will investigate if the use of eBooks contributes to fluency in first grade students.

In addition, we would like to see if the use of TumbleBooks has an effect on parents’ perceptions of their child’s motivation (the desire or excitement to want to do something) to read.

We will also look at the student’s perceptions about reading.

Do Tumblebooks have an effect on reading fluency as measured by the Oral Reading Fluency subsection of DIBELS?

What are the parents’ perceptions of their child’s motivation to read before and after the use of Tumblebooks?

What are students’ perceptions about reading before and after the use of Tumblebooks?

eBook collection available online 24/7 no limit as to how many computers can

use TumbleBooks at the same time TumbleBooks add animation, sound,

music and narration to existing picture books.

size of text and the speed at which the words are highlighted can be regulated

past studies related to technology and fluency and technology and motivation have found positive relationships

studies did not focus specifically on the relationship between the use of eBooks and reading fluency and motivation to read

Therefore, we would like to take a closer look at the dynamics of them to determine what kind, if any, correlation may be present.

November: Send out letter of consent January: Parents and students take

survey about reading ; first DIBELS oral fluency test is given

Late January: Participating first grade classes begin using TumbleBooks

June: Second DIBELS oral fluency test is given; parents and students take survey about reading

July/August: Researchers will evaluate data

If TumbleBooks help improve fluency or motivation than library/media specialists can justify purchasing them for the elementary school

There are some anticipated limitations in this study.