Gamification Pedagogy & Children's Reading

Article Source: Li, X., & Chu, S. K. W. (2021). Exploring the effects of gamification pedagogy on children’s reading: A mixed‐method study on academic performance, reading‐related mentality and behaviors, and sustainability. British Journal of Educational Technology, 52(1), 160–178. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.13057

I chose this article by Li & Chu (2021) based on the reading and writing flood I'm working on for project # 6. My chapter is on the gamification of reading. I approached it with the belief that I would map out a way for young readers to approach reading and writing in the same manner that they do videogames. As both an avid reader and gamer, this was a topic that was of great interest to me. Was there a way to turn the world of gaming into a pattern that could be used for young readers? 

Li & Chu (2021) stated "Results suggests that deep engagement in the gamified e-learning platform helped improve students’ reading interest, motivation, habits and abilities, especially in second language reading. Students read more frequently and widely" (p. 174). They pulled from three studies that measured the affects of applying a gaming system to the reading and writing assignments for young students. Their methodology outlined three studies that I will highlight below. 

In the first study reading, "was implemented in a real learning context where students’ use of RB was not controlled by the research team but occurred naturally based on their own will" (Li & Chu, 2021, p. 166). Students were given the rules of how points would be awarded for reading and writing, but they weren't pigeonholed to a certain route. This study found that when given the freedom, young readers gravitated towards the carrot of reading, but the added freedom of choosing how to do it themselves allowed them the breathing room to not feel forced. The group results were positive for this reading group. 

In the second study, "Participants in Study 2 attended semi-structured interviews to report their experience and perceptions of participating in RB" (Li & Chu, 2021, p. 166). They were interviewed following their assignments and it was a more structured experience than study 2. There were positive results for this study too, but it didn't have the positive feedback that the first study had. 

In the final study, readers were asked to fill out a questionnaire during three different sessions while completing the assignment. This study had the least favorable results of the three studies (Li & Chu, 2021). 

What I took away from this study is that young readers benefitted from a gamified reading environment, but once structures of measuring were implemented than the results were less favorable. If I were to set up a system similar to the three studies, I would set it up exactly like a videogame complete with side quests. Anyone familiar with videogames would understand that side quests can sometimes be more entertaining than the final game. With these avenues worked into the reading and writing assignment, I would hope to capture the attention of the young readers that fall to the wayside when theyre unable to complete the main reading. If you present a student with a book like "Where the Red Fern Grows", they're handed an assignment that is similar to what has been asked about that book for decades. I would change it up by making side quests within the reading. If a young reader was drawn more towards the dogs and cared nothing for the main protagonist, that wouldn't be an issue. If they concentrated on the descriptions of the environment and didn't care much for the dialogue, that would be passing as well. I believe that the concentration of having reading summarized into what graduate students take away from the text is what alienates a lot of young readers. You don't have to be Hemingway to enjoy reading and writing, sometimes you're memes and short stories and that shouldn't discourage a young reader from being a part of the community. 

The research that is going into the gamification of reading and writing and that you will find in Dr. L's work is growing and with the progress being made with AI, the sky will be the limit in the ways that lessons can be manipulated to make it more accommodating for everyone. 

Reading Collaboration Reading Partnerships in a School Community

Greeley, Chris

Watkins, V. (2020). Reading collaborative reading partnerships in a school community. Changing English, 27(1), 15-33. https://doi-org.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/10.1080/1358684X.2019.1682966

Summary
Watkins explores an intergrade reading program in which Year 12 students (ages 16-17) support Year 7 students (ages 11-12) who are identified as struggling, reluctant readers by their English teachers. The author starts with a semi-critical, albeit brief, overview of the English National Curriculum standards, which are written in a way that suggests learning to enjoy reading is inherently natural. She disagrees. In exploring existing research on read aloud and the dynamics of learning to read, Watkins cites a few researchers--Minns (1997), Barrs and Cork (2001), Hodges (2009) and (2010)--in which she sets up her argument that learning to read is social practice.

Throughout her three vignettes of student partnerships, a few features stand as that allowed this reading program to be successful. The first was conscientious decisions in pairing particular students. The personality of a reluctant reader appeared to be the starting point, matching the Year 12 student accordingly so that there was the potential for a relationship to form. The researcher also supported the Year 12 students in their mentorships, providing tools (such as activities) as well as coaching them through the dialogue that had occurred in order to consider what how to further support the Year 7 students. One such activity that all three pairs completed was a reading collage in which students shared their reading journey along with reflections. Choice was also an important part of this process, whether it was what to talk about or what to read; giving the reluctant readers space to have a voice in the process was advantageous in their journey towards developing as readers. Relationships were at the core of this program and allowed it to be effective, with Watkins concluding once again that learning to read is a social practice; and should be playful, inquisitive, and organic.

Evaluation
The way in which Watkins posited this research was insightful, using snapshots of conversation to show a window into how a program like this looks, then analyzing what was taking place. The images embedded in article with the reading journey activity, although repetitive, helped frame how these students saw themselves as growing readers. Other activities would have been nice in order to create some dynamic in how the mentors were helping the reluctant readers think about themselves as readers and the books they read.

I'm torn as to whether or not I wanted some sort of data collection. I would have liked to have seen some numerical value that captured students' perceptions on themselves as readers in the beginning versus at the end of this project. The key to that is self-identification: how does one see themself as a reader? This program wasn't meant to boost reading levels, per se, but to support students in merely feeling comfortable and confident as readers. Some pre- and post-survey data could have shown the effectiveness of the program, although based on the research she provided, it did seem to support the younger students.