“The screen shows movement – movement is interesting!” exploring effects of multimedia stories on preschool children’s story comprehension and enjoyment
| Date | 17 June 2019 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/LHT-04-2018-0057 |
| Pages | 168-182 |
| Published date | 17 June 2019 |
| Author | Hui-Yun Sung,Ssu-Han Chen |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science |
“The screen shows movement –
movement is interesting!”
exploring effects of multimedia
stories on preschool children’s
story comprehension
and enjoyment
Hui-Yun Sung
Graduate Institute of Library and Information Science,
National Chung Hsing University, Taichung City, Taiwan, and
Ssu-Han Chen
Department of Industrial Engineering and Management,
Ming Chi University of Technology, New Taipei City, Taiwan
Abstract
Purpose –Using multimedia and print storybooks, the purpose of this paper is to compare preschool
children’s reading engagement with and without adult support.
Design/methodology/approach –A within-subject design is used to explore the effects of multimedia
stories in supporting preschool children’s story comprehension and reading enjoyment. A total of 24 children
aged five to six years old from a local preschool in Taiwan participated in the experiments.
Findings –A statistical analysis revealed the (non)differences in story comprehension between multimedia
and print storybooks, with and without adult support. A content analysis revealed several important themes
affecting children’s reading enjoyment. These included multimedia elements (particularly motion and sound
effects), haptic perception and the pause function.
Research limitations/implications –Native Chinese speaking children participated in one-to-one sessions
in Taiwan. To ascertain the generalizability of the findings presented in this study, further research is
encouraged in other cultural contexts and settings.
Practical implications –The paper provides insights into how multimedia and interactive features affect
and enhance children’s enjoyment. Recommendations are made to assist library professionals to incorporate
digital media into children’s programs.
Originality/value –Children’s reading motivation and engagement are often linked with improved reading
attainments. This study elicited a range of perspectives and themes relating to what the children themselves
felt influenced their enjoyment when reading print or multimedia storybooks. Findings were analyzed in a
theoretical framework of facets of engagement.
Keywords Enjoyment, Preschool children, Electronic storybooks
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Reading engagement is essential for supporting preschool children’s emergent literacy
development. This study focuses on the effects of multimedia features on preschool children.
This paper provides experimental evidence of children’s story comprehension and presents
exploratory findings on children’s enjoyment through their responses. Recent years have seen
evidence of incorporating digital media in libraries’storytimes for supporting children’s
Library Hi Tech
Vol. 37 No. 2, 2019
pp. 168-182
© Emerald PublishingLimited
0737-8831
DOI 10.1108/LHT-04-2018-0057
Received 24 April 2018
Revised 22 September 2018
25 November 2018
6 December 2018
Accepted 8 December 2018
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0737-8831.htm
The authors thank Professor Paul Sturges, Dr Pei-Yu Lin and two anonymous reviewers for their
constructiveadvice on this paper.Thanks also extendto all teachers and childrenfor their participationin
this study,Grimm Press for providing TellyBearTM foruse in the experiments, and Taiwan Ministryof
Science and Technology for funding this study (MOST 105-2410-H-005-025, N T$580,500).
168
LHT
37,2
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