Research-based Policy Statements on Multi-Modal Literacy

• Students who use computers when learning to write are not only more engaged and motivated in their writing, but they produce written work that is of greater length and high quality. (Goldberg et al.)
• A media-literacy curriculum can lead students to higher reading comprehension scores, writing longer paragraphs and identifying more features of purpose and audience in reading selections.  (Hobbs and Frost)
• On-line discussions of literature foster greater student engagement than traditional discussions, and student participants are able to use transcripts to develop metacognitive capacities. (Carico, Logan, and Labbo)
• Use of the internet for several years can augment student autonomy, enhance motivation, improve the quality of group work, and decrease adversarial qualities in teacher-student relationships. (Schofield and Davidson)

Carico, K.M., Logan, D., & Labbo, L.D. (2004). A generation in cyberspace: Engaging readers through online discussions. Language Arts 81, 4, 293-303.

Goldberg, A., Russell, M. & Cook A. (2003) The effect of computers on student writing:
A meta-analysis of studies from 1992-2002. Journal o f Technology, Learning,
and Assessment  2, 1, 1-51.

Hobbs, R. & Frost, R. (2003). Measuring the acquisition of media-literacy skills. Reading
Research Quarterly 38, 330-356.

Schofield, J.W. & Davidson, A.L. (2003). The impact of internet use on relationships
between teachers and students. Mind, culture and activity. 10, 62-79.

This meta-analysis of studies conducted from 1992-2002 finds that word-processing had a positive effect on the quantity of student writing  (more for middle and high school students), collaboration among students, engagement with writing and quality of writing.