| dc.description.abstract | In Taiwan, the implementation of Modeled Sustained Silent Reading (MSSR) in primary schools is widespread. However, due to the high student-teacher ratio, students vary significantly in their reading speeds and interests, making it challenging for teachers to effectively assess each student′s reading outcomes. To address this issue, the study incorporates Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) chatbot and the 4Fs Active Reviewing Cycle theory to develop a Reading Companion Platform. Leveraged by OpenAI′s Assistants API, the platform establishes a Book Chatbot as a reading companion for students. This companion engages students by retrieving the content of books they read and generating questions based on the 4Fs questions: Facts, Findings, Feelings, and Future, thus guiding students through reflection, recall, and extension of the book content from different perspectives, providing an interactive reading experience that enhances reading comprehension.
To investigate the impact and assess the effectiveness of the GenAI reading companion, an eight-week experiment was conducted in a primary school in northern Taiwan, involving 37 primary students. The study collected data on reading comprehension pre- and post-tests, questionnaires, and system logs. A Reading Portfolio Dashboard for analyzing student-book talk interactions was also developed, providing visualized data charts to teachers and students. These charts displayed quantitative data such as the number of chat sessions, the number of interactions with the reading companion, and the sequence of triggered modules (Fact, Future, etc.) during the interactions, offering teachers a real-time tool to understand all students′ book talk interactions within the class. Through this method, students could not only talk about books with their reading companion for immediate feedback but also enhance their reading and book talking strategies by observing the data on the Reading Portfolio Dashboard.
The results indicated that using an AI chatbot as a reading companion significantly improved students′ reading comprehension. However, there were no significant improvements in students′ motivation. Further exploration of strategies and methods is needed to cultivate students′ motivational capabilities. The Reading Portfolio Dashboard developed in this study provided students and teachers with immediate feedback. Teachers were able to monitor the students′ interactions during book talk interactions through responses to the 4F questions, enabling them to adjust teaching strategies more effectively. Additionally, the dashboard offered students a self-monitoring tool to observe their own or their peers′ interactions in book talk interactions, helping them improve and fine-tune their engagement in these discussions.
In conclusion, this study confirms the potential of Generative AI chatbots in the field of reading education, especially in enhancing primary students′ reading comprehension. It also provides educators with an efficient tool to track and support students′ reading development. Future research could broaden the application of Generative AI in education by enhancing AI technologies and interactive designs, particularly in boosting students′ motivation and self-regulation skills, thus making Generative AI a more valuable learning companion. | en_US |