Effects of varied multimedia animations in digital storybooks: A randomised controlled trial with preschoolers

IF 2 2区教育学 Q2 EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

Journal of Research in Reading Pub Date : 2024-04-24 DOI:10.1111/1467-9817.12452

Seung-Hee Claire Son, Kirsten R. Butcher

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Abstract

Background

Rapid growth in early childhood device usage has raised critical questions about the potential impact of digital storybooks on children's reading outcomes. The current study examined how two types of multimedia animations in digital storybooks – animations of storyline elements or details in the illustrations – influenced the story comprehension and enjoyment of young children.

Methods

Preschool children (n = 86) read a digital storybook in one of three conditions: storyline-element animations, illustration-detail animations or no additional animations. Two digital storybooks with varied difficulty and numbers of animations were examined. After an initial evaluation of vocabulary skills, children read their assigned version of each digital storybook and then completed assessments of story comprehension and enjoyment.

Results

Overall, animations focused on illustration details hindered comprehension. For a less difficult story (with limited animations), animations focused on storyline elements improved comprehension. In a more difficult story (with many animations), animations focused on storyline elements enhanced comprehension only for children with high-vocabulary skills. There were no differences in story enjoyment across conditions.

Conclusions

Although illustration details are related to story content, digital storybook animations focused on these visual details may be overwhelming for young children. While animations that depict or extend storyline elements can support comprehension for children, large numbers of these animations in difficult stories have a counterintuitive effect – improving comprehension only for children with high vocabulary. Even storyline-element animations in difficult stories may overload processing and hinder comprehension. Given no observed effects of varied animations on story enjoyment, a strategic, restrained approach to embedded animations focused on storyline elements may be warranted.

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数字故事书中各种多媒体动画的效果：学龄前儿童随机对照试验

幼儿教育设备使用率的快速增长提出了数字故事书对儿童阅读效果的潜在影响这一重要问题。本研究探讨了数字故事书中两种类型的多媒体动画--故事情节元素动画或插图细节动画--如何影响幼儿对故事的理解和欣赏。学龄前儿童（n = 86）在故事情节元素动画、插图细节动画或无额外动画三种条件下阅读数字故事书。我们对两本难度和动画数量各不相同的数字故事书进行了研究。在对词汇技能进行初步评估后，孩子们阅读了各自指定版本的数字故事书，然后完成了故事理解和乐趣评估。对于难度较低的故事（动画有限），侧重于故事情节元素的动画则能提高理解能力。对于难度较高的故事（动画较多），只有词汇量较高的儿童才会通过注重故事情节元素的动画来提高理解能力。虽然插图细节与故事内容有关，但以这些视觉细节为重点的数字故事书动画可能会让幼儿不知所措。虽然描绘或延伸故事情节元素的动画可以帮助儿童理解故事，但在难度较高的故事中大量使用这些动画会产生反直觉效果--只有词汇量高的儿童才能提高理解能力。即使是难度较高的故事中的故事情节元素动画，也可能会超负荷处理并妨碍理解。鉴于没有观察到各种动画对故事趣味性的影响，因此可能需要采取一种有策略、有节制的方法，将嵌入动画的重点放在故事情节元素上。

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来源期刊

Journal of Research in Reading Multiple-

CiteScore

4.50

自引率

0.00%

发文量

期刊介绍： Journal of Research in Reading provides an international forum for researchers into literacy. It is a refereed journal, principally devoted to reports of empirical studies in reading and related fields, and to informed reviews of relevant literature. The journal welcomes papers researching issues related to the learning, teaching and use of literacy in a variety of contexts; papers on the history and development of literacy; papers about policy and strategy for literacy as related to children and adults. Journal of Research in Reading encourages papers within any research paradigm and from researchers in any relevant field such as anthropology, cultural studies, education, history of education, language and linguistics, philosophy, psychology and sociology.