Understanding The Reading Responses And Creative Processes Through Digital Storytelling Among Readers With Different Reading Achievements In A University
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Date
2015-09
Authors
Aboo Bakar, Rofiza
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Abstract
The 21st century global market demands highly skilled workforce who are
articulate in English and creative. However, in a university where this study was
administered, the participating engineering students were found to be the least
proficient students in English. Their poor results may give an indication that the
majority of them may have not employed the cognitive, metacognitive and affective
elements in reading well. Malaysian employers have also complained that
engineering graduates lack creativity skills. Therefore, engineering students need to
be exposed to a learning means that can help foster both their reading comprehension
and creativity. As such, a rational action would be requesting them to develop digital
storytelling since literature has claimed it to be influential in enhancing students’
reading comprehension and creativity. However, what previous studies have not
discussed are the different responses readers of different reading abilities have
produced in their digital stories in achieving good comprehension. The previous
studies have also not discussed the creative processes that students may exhibit while
they are developing their digital stories. Understanding students’ creative processes
is necessary as creativity is the byproduct of these processes. Thus, this study sought
to understand the reading responses and creative processes through digital
storytelling among the above-average and below-average readers of diploma in
engineering students in a university. Rosenblatt’s (1978) reader- response theory,
Wallas’ (1926) creative process model, Lindstrom’s (2006) creative process criteria
and Lambert’s (2003) digital storytelling elements were used as the theoretical
framework for this study. The detailed nature of the information required in this study indicated the need to apply a qualitative case study research design. A
purposive sample of two above-average and two below-average readers was selected
based on their reading performance in an English reading placement test. The
duration for the digital storytelling project was three weeks. Data sources included
class observations, respondents’ documents, interview transcripts and digital stories.
Findings indicated that by developing digital stories, above-average and belowaverage
readers alike who had utilized a repertoire of cognitive, metacognitive and
affective reading elements could achieve meaningful understanding. Findings also
indicated that creative processes were exercised more by highly interested, resilient
and disciplined respondents, and were not necessarily influenced by one’s cognitive
abilities alone. Now that it is understood that multiple reading responses and good
creative processes can be exercised through digital storytelling regardless of one’s
reading achievement, it is hoped that digital storytelling will have its place in the
Malaysian educational system.
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Keywords
Education , English language, Study and teaching