Reading for Understanding Across Grades 6 through 12: Evidence-based Argumentation for Disciplinary Learning : Total Award: $2,416,211
Co-PI: M. Anne Britt (Psychology), Co-PI: Joseph Magliano (Psychology)
Funding Agency : US Department of Education
Assessing Reading for Understanding: A theory-based, developmental approach : Total Award: $330,000
PI: Keith. K. Millis (Psychology), Co-PI: Katja Wiemer (Psychology)
Funding Agency: US Department of Education
Contract for RTI Research at Waukegan School District: Total Award: $90,000
PI: Laurie Elish-Piper (Literacy Education), CO-PI: Janet Holt (Educational Technology, Research & Assessment), Cynthia Campbell (Educational Technology, Research & Assessment), Susan L’Allier (Literacy Education),Vicki Collins(Educational Technology, Research & Assessment)
Funding Agency: University Center of Lake County
Funds were used to compile and analyze quantitative data from school district assessments of children in elementary and middle school in the Waukegan School District receiveing Tier 2 interventions to determine if improvement was made and whether students met current benchmarks.
Assessing the Impact of Topic Interests on Comprehension Processes: Total Award: $85,000
Joe Magliano (Psychology), Amanda Durik (Psychology) and Janet Holt (Educational Technology, Research and Assessment)
Funding agency: NIU Law School Admission Council
Interest describes a particular relation between a person and a content area that is characterized by focused attention and positive affect (Renninger, Hidi, & Krapp, 1992). The goal of this project is to asses on the role of interest in reading comprehension. Individuals who are more versus less interested in a given text often perform better on comprehension and recall measures (e.g., Bray & Barron, 2004), but the mechanisms that underlie this relationship have not been fully explained. This study will assess how interest and other reader variables (prior knowledge, reading skill) interact to affect how texts are processed as they are read.