The Impact of Interactive Google Classroom on EFL Reading Comprehension and Visual Literacy Skills among STEM Freshman Students at Faculties of Education

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Curriculum & Instruction Dept. (TEFL) Faculty of Education, Mansoura University.

Abstract

This study aimed at investigating the effect of utilizing interactive Google Classroom (IGC) on developing EFL reading comprehension and visual literacy skills of STEM freshman students at the Faculty of Education, Mansoura University. A purposive sample of first year STEM students (n= 21) were the target participants. The quasi-experimental approach using a pre- post administration to one treatment group design was adopted for achieving the purpose of the current study. Instruments designed and used were a checklist for identifying the target EFL reading comprehension skills, a checklist for determining the necessary visual literacy skills for STEM students, an EFL reading comprehension skills test, and a visual literacy inventory. Non-parametric Wilcoxon signed-rank test for dependent samples was used for data analysis. Results proved that the treatment group’s post levels in reading comprehension and visual literacy skills were significantly higher than their pre-levels. These results demonstrated that the use of IGC had considerable potential in enhancing both EFL reading comprehension and visual literacy skills among STEM students.

Keywords

References

Abu Bakar, N. & Noordin, N. (2018). Engaging English Language Learners Through the Use of Google Classroom. MICELT Proceedings. Retrieved from:
https://www.academia.edu/38729813/Engaging_English_Language_Learners_Through_the_Use_of_Google_Classroom
Ah-Namand, L.& Osman, K. (2018). Integrated STEM Education: Promoting STEM Literacy and 21st Century Learning. In Mack Shelley& S. Ahmet Kiray (Eds). Research Highlights in STEM Education. Iowa, U.S.A.: ISRES Publishing 
American Library Association (2011). ACRL Visual Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education,  October 27, 2011. Available at:
http://www.ala.org/acrl/standards/visualliteracy  (Accessed January 22, 2022).
Albashtawi, A. & Al Bataineh, K. (2020). The Effectiveness of Google Classroom Among EFL Students in Jordan: An Innovative Teaching and Learning Online Platform. International Journal of Emerging Technology in Learning, 15 (11): 78-88.
Al-Ewesat, Y.& Al-Ghzewat, M. (2022). The Effectiveness of Using the Google Classroom Platform on the Development of Arabic Language Reading Skills among Third-Grade Students in Al-Karak Directorate of Education. Britain International of Humanities and Social Sciences (BIoHS) Journal, 4 (2): 364-376. 
Arslan, R.; Nalinci, G. (2014). Development of visual literacy levels scale in higher education. TOJET: The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology, 13 (2): 61-70.
Basham, J., Israel, M., & Maynard, K. (2010). Developing an ecological model for STEM education: Operationalizing STEM for all. Journal of Special Education Technology, 25(3), 9–19.
Brumberger, E. (2011). Visual literacy and the digital native: an examination of the millennial learner. Journal of Visual Literacy, 30, 19–46. doi:10.1080/23796529.2011.11674683
Butz, W., Kelly, T., Adamson, D., Bloom, G., Fossum, D., & Gross, M. (2004). Will the scientific and technology workforce meet the requirements of the federal government? Pittsburgh, PA: RAND.
Bybee, R. W. (2013). The case for STEM education: Challenges and opportunities. Arlington: NSTA Press.
Canadian International School (N.D). The Importance of Visual Literacy in Education- [on-line]. available at: https://www.canadianinternationalschool.com/the-importance-of-visual-literacy-in-education/. retrieved on:8th March, 2021. Canadian International School, Bangalore, India.
Cervetti, G., Bravo, M., Hiebert, E., Pearson, P. & Jaynes, C. (2009). Text genre and Science content: Ease of reading, Comprehension, and Reader preference. Reading Psychology, 30 (6), 487-511.
Cervetti, G., Barber, J., Dorph,R., Pearson,P.& Goldschmidt, P. (2012). The Impact of an Integrated approach to Science and Literacy in Elementary school Classrooms. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 49 (5), 631-658.
Dawoud, S. (2013). Reading Clinic To Improve At- Risk Graders' Reading Comprehension Skills In Gaza Unrwa Schools. Islamic University, Gaza. Retrieved March 25, 2017, from http://library. iugaza. edu.ps/thesis.aspx
Devardhi, J. (2020). Why Reading Skills for STEM Students.The Criterion: An International Journal in English, 11, Issue-V, October.
Domínguez Romero, E.& Bobkina, J. (2021). Exploring critical and visual literacy needs in digital learning environments: The use of memes in the EFL/ESL university classroom. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 40, 100783
Duchak, O. (2014). Visual literacy in educational practice. Czech-Polish Historical and Pedagogical Journal, 6 (2): 41–48.
Emanuel, R., Baker, K., & Challons-Lipton, S. (2016). Images every American should know: developing the ‘cultural image literacy assessment-USA’. Journal of Visual Literacy, 35, 215–236. doi:10.1080/1051144X.2016.1278089
Epçaçan, C., Epçaçan, C.& Ulas, H. (2010). The study of visual reading strategies scale of validity and reliability in comprehension teaching. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences, 9, 1666–1673.
Farrell, T. (2009). Teaching Reading to English Language Learners: A reflective Guide. Corwin Press: United States of America.
Felten, P. (2008). Visual Literacy. Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning, 40 (6): 60-64.                                  http://dx.doi.org/10.3200/CHNG.40.6.60-64
Gambrell, L. & Koskinen, P. (2001). Imagery: A Strategy For Enhancing Comprehension, Comprehension Instruction Research Based Best Practices, Guilford Press, London.
Gao-Chung, J., Salsavilca-Manco, N., Sotelo-Guadalupe, A.,  Guadalupe-Sifuentes, L. F. and Diaz-Guadalupe, A. (2021). Google Classroom and reading skills in secondary school students at Centro Educativo Parroquial 1327Ancón, Lima, Peru, 2020.  2021 XVI Latin American Conference on Learning Technologies (LACLO), 118-122, doi: 10.1109/LACLO54177.2021.00018.
Gates, P. (2018). The Importance of Diagrams, Graphics and Other Visual Representations in STEM Teaching. In: Jorgensen, R., Larkin, K. (eds). STEM Education in the Junior Secondary. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-5448-8_9
Gimenoa, A., Seiza, R., Siqueiraa, J. & Martínez, A. (2010). Content and language integrated learning in higher technical education using the In Genio online multimedia authoring tool. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2, 3170- 3174.
Hamidah, R., Irmayanti,  E. & Afandi, T. (2022). The Effect of E-learning Using Google Classroom and Google Meet on the Learning Outcomes of Class XI Students. International Journal of Research and Review, 9 (7): 394- 403.
Harmer, J. (2010). The Practice of English Language Teaching. (4thed) Essex: Pearson Longman Press.
Heinich, R., Molenda, M., Russell, J. & Smaldino, S. (1999). Instructional media and technologies for learning (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Hodgdon, L. (1995). Visual Strategies for Improving Communication. Volume1: Practical Supports for School And Home. Troy, MI: Quirk Roberts Publishing.
Hoffman, L.& Zollman, A. (2016). What STEM Teachers Need to Know and Do for English Language Learners (ELLs): Using Literacy to Learn. Journal of STEM Teacher Education, 51 (1): 83–94.
 
Hubbard, K. (2021). Disciplinary literacies in STEM: what do undergraduates read, how do they read it, and can we teach scientific reading more effectively? Higher Education Pedagogies, 6 (1): 41-65, DOI: 10.1080/23752696.2021.1882326
Iftakhar, S. (2016). Google classroom: what works and how? Journal of Education and Social Sciences, 3 (Feb.): 12- 18.
Israel, M.& Maynard, K. (2013). Promoting Literacy-Embedded, Authentic STEM Instruction for Students with Disabilities and other Struggling Learners. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 45 (4):18-25.
Kaya, M. (2020). The Impact of Visual Literacy Awareness Education on Verbal and Writing Skills of Middle School Students, International Journal of Education& Literacy Studies, 8 (2).
Khalil, Z. (2018). EFL Students’ Perceptions towards Using Google Docs and Google Classroom as Online Collaborative Tools in Learning Grammar. Applied Linguistics Research Journal, 2 (2): 33- 48. 
Khusnah, D., Anwar, K. & Asmara, C. (2022). Group Discussion in Google Classroom : The Effect on Reading Mastery. Journal of English Teaching, Literature, and Applied Linguistics, 6 (1), 54- 57.
Kędra, J. & Žakevičiūtė, R. (2019). Visual literacy practices in higher education: what, why and how?, Journal of Visual Literacy, 38 (1-2), 1-7, DOI:10.1080/1051144X.2019.1580438
Krejci, S., Shirma R., Hector N.& Raphael, D. (2020). Visual Literacy Intervention for Improving Undergraduate Student Critical Thinking of Global Sustainability Issues. Sustainability, 12 (23), 10209.
https://doi.org/10.3390/su122310209
Lundy, A.& Stephens, A. (2015). Beyond the literal: Teaching visual literacy in the 21st century Classroom, Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 174, 1057 – 1060.
Madden, J. (2004). The effect of prior knowledge on listening comprehension in ESL class discussion. (Unpublished Ph.D.). Dissertation, University of Texas at Austin. Retrieved Oct 15, 2017, from: ProQuest Database: AAT 3150689.
Martín‐Páez, T.& Aguilera, D. (2019). What are we talking about when we talk about STEM education? A review of literature, Science Education, 103:799–822.
Mohammed, D. (2019). Using An Online Digital Tools Based-Program for Fostering EFL Pre-Service Teachers' Visual Literacy and Self-Appraisal. Journal of Research in Education and Psychology, Minia Faculty of Education, 34 (3).
National Governors Association. (2007). Building a science, technology, engineering and math agenda. Retrieved from http://www.nga.org/files/live/sites/NGA/files/pdf/0702INNOVATIONS
Pappas, C. (2015). Google Classroom Review: Pros And Cons Of Using Google Classroom In eLearning. Retrieved from: https://elearningindustry.com/google-classroom-review-pros-and-cons-of-using-google-classroom-in-elearning 
Pardo, L. (2004). What Every Teacher Needs to Know About Comprehension. The Reading Teacher, 58 (3), 272- 280.
Pearson, P., Moje, E.& Greenleaf, C. (2010) Literacy and science: Each in the service of the other. Science, 328 (5977), 459–463.
Reeve, E. M. (2014). STEM Thinking! (Cover story). Technology & Engineering Teacher, 74 (4), 8-16. 
Roth, W.& Bowen, G. (1999). Complexities of graphical representations during lectures: A phenomenological approach. Learning and Instruction, 9, 16.
Sanders, M. (2009). STEM, STEM education, STEMmania. The Technology Teacher, 68(4), 20-26.
Santos, J. M. (2021). Google classroom: beyond the traditional setting. Problems of Education in the 21st Century, 79 (4), 626- 639.
Scragg, S. (2018). Pros and cons of Google Classroom. Retrieved from: https://www.uft.org/news/teaching/linking-learning/pros-and-cons-google-classroom 
Shaughnessy, J. (2013). Mathematics in a STEM Context. Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, 18(6), 324.
Stokes, S. (2005). Visual Literacy in Teaching and Learning: A Literature Perspective. Electronic Journal for the In­tegration of Technology in Education, 1(1),10-18.
 
 
 
Sturken, M., & Cartwright, L. (2009). Practices of looking: An introduction to visual culture. (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press.
Sudarsana, K. et al. (2019).The use of Google classroom in the learning process.  1st International Conference on Advance and Scientific Innovation (ICASI), Journal of Physics: Conf. Series, Retrieved from:
https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1742-6596/1175/1/012165/pdf 
Sukmawati, S.,  Nensia, N. (2019). The Role of Google Classroom in ELT. International Journal for Educational and Vocational Studies, 1 (2), 142-145.
Supsakova, B. (2016). Visual Literacy for the 21st Century. IJAEDU- International E-Journal of Advances in Education, 2 (5): 202- 208.
Susanti, L. & Junining, E. (2021). Investigating the implementation of Google Classroom to improve reading comprehension: advantage and disadvantage. Journal of Languages and Language Teaching, 9 (2), 204-211.
The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) (2011). ACRL Visual Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education", American Library Association, October 27, 2011. http://www.ala.org/acrl/standards/visualliteracy (Accessed April 22, 2021)
Vaughn, S& Edmonds, M. (2016). Reading Comprehension for Older Readers. Intervention in School and Clinic, 41(3):131-137.
White, D. (2014). What Is STEM Education and Why Is It Important?. Florida Association of Teacher Educators Journal, 1(14): 1-9.
Wileman, R. E. (1993). Visual communicating. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Educational Technology Publications.
Zakaria, M. et al. (2021). Benefits and Challenges of Adopting Google Classroom in Malaysian University: Educators' Perspectives. Elementary Education Online, 20 (1): 1296-1304.
Zakaria, M. & Abd Manaf, K. (2020). Investigating Advantages and Difficulties of Embracing Google Classroom in the Point of View of Higher Learning Institutions’ Students. Journal of Advanced Research in Social and Behavioral Sciences, 20 (1): 57-68.
Zuñiga-Tonio, J. (2021). Google Classroom as a Tool of Support for Flexible Learning in the New Normal. Journal of Education, Management and Development Studies, 1 (2): 25- 39.

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics