Abstract |
The present study is based on cognitive and sociocognitive models of reading
comprehension and writing production which highlight the dynamic role of students in
knowledge construction, through the employment of cognitive and metacognitive skills.
On the other hand the previously mentioned models facilitate students’ dynamic role in
knowledge construction.
The study was based on research that highlights the supportive role of technology
during the writing process. The integration of technology in educational practice
broadens the role of the educator from knowledge-transmitter to knowledge constructor
and enhances the dynamic role of the student as a knowledge constructor.
The education software “Dafni” was created for the purpose of this study and
integrated as a cognitive tool for the purpose of cognitive and metacognitive strategy
enhancement to students with or without writing difficulties. More specifically, the
purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of explicit cognitive strategy
instruction via the pedagogical agent “Dafni” as well as the provision of procedural
facilitation from educator for the improvement of reading competence and writing quality
as well as cognitive and metacognitive skill development.
The importance of the study is to (a) develop metacognitive skills to
young students (b) pursue emotional-intellectual relation between students and the
pedagogical agent “Dafni” (c) stress parallel processes of production and writing
comprehension as meaning- making activities (d) provide a multimedia environment that
gradually offers learning control to students (e) suggest a coherent way to offer explicit
strategy instruction through the use of multimedia in which the educator and the
technological tool work in accordance and enhance one another, aiming to create a
scaffolding environment leading to learner autonomy, through the development of
metacognitive skills.
The instruction took place for 3 ½- 4 months and the sample of the study
consisted of 73 students enrolled in the third grade. Students were divided into three
groups: average, above average and below average writers. The findings of the study
IV
confirmed the effectiveness of explicit strategy instruction through the use of computer as
cognitive tool for reading and writing performance and cognitive and metacognitive skill
enhancement for students in the experimental group and mainly in regards to average and
below average writers. In contrast, to the results of the control group which received
traditional classroom instruction.
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