Supporting literacy with iPads: A pilot study in second-grade classrooms

This research explores the implementation of the iPad and literacy-based applications on the acquisition of literacy skills in the elementary classroom to determine if increases in literacy and reading achievement using DIBELS assessment scores could be attributed to the daily support of iPad devices. Two groups of second grade students were compared. Second grade students in the treatment group were given individual iPad devices for one academic school year to support reading and literacy instruction. Second grade students in the control group received regular instruction with limited technology support. The first goal of this investigation was to examine the impact of technology devices on academic achievement of young learners. The second goal was to examine if there was any impact on student motivation when technology was used daily as a part of learning. The third and final goal of this investigation was to identify what teachers believe about using technology to support instruction in the classroom. Despite the broad scope of literature on the impact of technology on student achievement and the significant movement in schools to invest in and increase the use of technology in classrooms, findings of this study found no observable impact on student achievement and minimal impact on student engagement between treatment and control group students. However, these findings may be helpful in considerations for integrating technology, such as the iPad, into literacy instruction and serve as a foundation for leaders making decisions about whether mobile devices such as these can be useful in supporting literacy in the classroom.