The potential contribution of e-learning in the enhancement of english reading comprehension

Abstract

The boom of online education occurred in the 2000s with the beginning of the computer age, when instructional design experienced relevant changes that led to the development of models, learning methods and new theories, such as the Learning Theory for the Digital Age, Connectivism. This research deals with e-Learning in the context of enhancing reading comprehension since Reading texts in English is important to Universidad de Cuenca students’ careers. The aim of the study was to establish how a formal web-based course enhanced students’ English reading comprehension. Quantitative pre and post-tests were administered to determine the participants’ level of knowledge before and after immersion in the e-Learning course. Main findings showed a significant increase in the reading skills of the students who took the course using a formal web-based platform. At the end of the treatment an open-ended questionnaire was administered on-line via Google Forms in order to collect students' perceptions of their English learning journey through this innovative approach. Also of note is the fact that in the evaluation of the content in the formal web-based course, especially designed for this study, a large average of participants agreed or strongly agreed that the activities were well organized and stimulated them to participate. It is imperative to amplify and promote the implementation of e-Learning by sharing the beneficial aspects of its use as confirmed in this study.