Date of Award
Summer 2022
Document Type
Open Access Dissertation
Department
Educational Studies
First Advisor
Terrance McAdoo
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine how a particular technology program, Gizmos, would impact English language learner students in demonstrating their verbal and written comprehension of science content at a proficient level. Gizmos were incorporated as an intervention to facilitate the teaching of two different topics, convection cells and hurricane motion. This study involved three English language learner students with varying World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) proficiency levels between one and four. Semi-structured interviews, semi-structured observations, and work samples were conducted and collected from each of the participants. My analysis demonstrated a strong correlation between the use of Gizmos with English language learner’s written and oral comprehension of science content. I conclude that interactive Gizmos simulations increase verbal and written comprehension of science content with middle level English language learner students. I also conclude that digital simulation games have a positive effect on ELL learner ability to understand science at a proficient level due to the visual connections that they provide that maximize comprehensible input.
Rights
© 2022, Scott Sutherland
Recommended Citation
Sutherland, S.(2022). The Impact of an Interactive Simulation Program on English Language Learner Achievement in a Middle School Science Classroom. (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/etd/6929