The effectiveness of using interactive visual multimedia technology intervention in improving the literacy skills of children in rural China

Abstract

A growing body of research affirmed that there are poor literacy skills and poor academic achievement among students in rural China. This study examined the effect of interactive visual multimedia technology intervention in promoting literacy skills among schoolchildren in rural China. The literacy skills measure includes phonological skills, letter knowledge, oral comprehension, and vocabulary skills. We conducted a pre-test-post-test quasi-experimental design with a three-month follow-up assessment, using three groups; control group, multimedia group and non-multimedia group. The children used in this study were recruited from six (6) primary schools derived from three provinces in rural China. The provinces are Henan, Jiangxi, and Shaanxi. Our study found that a literacy skills intervention program delivered face-to-face helps improve the literacy skills of Children in rural China. However, teaching literacy skills with the aid of multimedia technological devices is more effective in promoting children’s literacy skills, regardless of gender, age, and grade. The use and implementation of multimedia technology to aid the teaching and learning of literacy skills should be put in place to boost the overall learning process in rural China.