Students’ conversations during paired text comprehension tasks on paper and using digital media: an exploratory study

Abstract

This exploratory study examines the behavior of fourth-grade student pairs engaged in text comprehension tasks using both paper-based and digital formats. Conducted within the framework of a national research project that investigated text comprehension as a tool for observing learning and thinking processes, the study focuses on eight recorded conversations carried out during a pedagogical protocol designed to foster the production of inferences and summaries. Through qualitative analysis, the study explores how each pair responded to the questions embedded in the proposed exercises. The results indicate that, regardless of the format, students remained attentive to the task and produced responses aimed at quickly identifying the correct alternative, without engaging in meaningful discussion. Few instances of verbal reasoning were observed, and omissions in reading the digital text were noted. The study provides valuable insights into the challenges of inference generation and the underlying causes of the errors identified.