Author ORCID Identifier

0009-0005-4623-1175

Date of Award

Summer 8-8-2023

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Early Childhood Education

First Advisor

Laura May, PhD

Second Advisor

Thomas Crisp, PhD

Third Advisor

Chenyi Zhang, PhD

Fourth Advisor

Lauren Margulieux, PhD

Abstract

As technology and digital media occupy an increasingly prominent place in the daily lives of American citizens, education must adapt to better develop students’ literacy skills using a variety of media. The metaliteracy framework provides a pedagogical structure toward this end, but few studies have examined metaliteracy from an elementary perspective. Also, it is not yet known to what extent state instructional standards align with the body of research on metaliteracy and digital literacies. The purpose of this dissertation was to examine the Georgia Standards of Excellence (GSE) in K-2 Computer Science and English Language Arts concerning a) their alignment with concepts of metaliteracy and b) the processes and practices they most commonly demand of students through a mixed-methods convergent design employing directed content analysis and data-driven qualitative content analysis. A literature review was first conducted to report the relevant technology and literacy education research. The directed content analysis used a simulation of hypothesis testing procedure to determine the degree of presence for 25 concepts of metaliteracy and found support for eight concepts in the standards: the Author, Communicator, Participant, and Producer Learner Roles; the Participatory and Productive Learner Characteristics; and the Behavioral and Cognitive Learning Domains. The qualitative content analysis produced a novel coding frame with five main categories: Collaborative Communicator, Acquisition Toward Analysis, Employing Toward Innovation, Reflecting and Revising, and Meaning and Belonging. Finally, the dissertation provides implications for research, policy, and practice.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.57709/35876051

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