| This empirical study is designed to investigate the effect of feedback type and study manner of reading comprehension exercises online on comprehension. In this study, feedback has two levels: Elaborative Feedback and KCR Feedback. Study manner also has two levels: paired study and individual study. The participants consist of 4 classes of non-English major freshmen from Hunan Institute of Science and Technology. The One-Way ANOVA of the scores of two reading comprehension tests showed there was no significant difference in reading comprehension proficiency among the four classes before the experiment. Each class would receive different feedback type and study manner when they finish the 15 multiple-choice questions. Then the third reading test was used to investigate the effect of feedback type and study manner. Then questionnaire about students'attitude toward the treatment were distributed to students. For the data processing, SPSS13.0 is used to analyze the tests'scores; examples of interaction are discussed qualitatively; and the data of questionnaire is processed by percentage. This research gets the findings as the following:First, in the examination of main effect of feedback, Elaborative Feedback of reading exercises online is proved to be significantly more effective than KCR Feedback on reading comprehension. The subjects receiving Elaborative Feedback get more hints and chances to rethink and explore the reading passage, and their reading motivations, including reading challenging and reading compliance, were promoted too. So generally speaking, they get a better understanding than those receiving KCR Feedback.Second, in the examination of main effect of study manner on reading comprehension, collaborative study isn't supported to be more effective than individual study. The class working in pair and classes working individually got nearly the same score on the third comprehension test. Students who worked in pair can exchange their understanding of the passage, and help each other if they behave cooperatively or competitively. However, if they can not cooperate well, they would become more anxious and stayed there just wasting time; so if they did not involve themselves in the interaction actively they will get a lower score than the students who worked individually and attentively.Finally, feedback type and study manner are proved to have interactive effect on reading comprehension. With Elaborative Feedback, paired study can be significantly more effective than individual study on promoting comprehension; however, with KCR Feedback, individual study is significantly more effective than paired study. With individual study manner, there is no significant difference between the effects of feedback type; however, with paired study manner, Elaborative Feedback is significantly effective than KCR Feedback.Based on the findings of the research, the author has the following implications for the software designing and English reading teaching:First, this project shows that designers should cater for learners with different study manners by providing different types of feedback that may promote both reading comprehension and interaction.Second, students should realize that the purposes of reading comprehension exercises and feedback are to help them comprehend the passage instead of testing them. Then they would like to fully use the exercises and feedback.Finally, students should be encouraged to cooperate with each other in doing reading exercises, and be trained to have more exploratory talk in interaction. The teacher should pay attention to cultivate the students'reading and cooperating motivation through designing challenging tasks, giving them immediate and enough feedback and cultivating their communicative skills.The present study may shed light on research of similar kinds and serve as reference. But, due to constraints of time and condition, the findings are limited and some aspects are ignored. Researches of larger scale on these aspects are expected. |
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