Methodological approach to evaluating the DreamBox Reading Plus intervention: a cluster randomised trial
BackgroundImproving reading skills in primary school pupils is a crucial focus for educators, researchers, and policymakers worldwide. Within the United Kingdom many schools are opting to use “evidence-based” reading programs to deliver or supplement the teaching of reading. This article reports a p...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-08-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Education |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2025.1513465/full |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849233879500587008 |
|---|---|
| author | Sandor Gellen Steph Ainsworth Stephen Morris Cathy Lewin Kate Wicker |
| author_facet | Sandor Gellen Steph Ainsworth Stephen Morris Cathy Lewin Kate Wicker |
| author_sort | Sandor Gellen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundImproving reading skills in primary school pupils is a crucial focus for educators, researchers, and policymakers worldwide. Within the United Kingdom many schools are opting to use “evidence-based” reading programs to deliver or supplement the teaching of reading. This article reports a protocol for a rigorous efficacy study of DreamBox Reading Plus, an online adaptive program aimed at improving reading fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary for elementary pupils.Methods and analysisWe conduct a pragmatic, parallel cluster randomized controlled trial in English primary schools, with schools serving as the unit of randomisation. Schools are allocated to either a treatment group, which received the DreamBox Reading Plus intervention, or a control group following standard practices, on a 1:1 basis. The study’s primary outcome focuses on reading attainment, assessed using a standardized reading test for pupils starting in Year 5. Secondary outcomes include various measures of reading fluency, comprehension, vocabulary, reading self-efficacy, and motivation. The intervention is scheduled to begin in October 2024, with outcome analysis planned for August 2025.DiscussionBy generating high-quality evidence on the efficacy of DreamBox Reading Plus, this study aims to inform best practices and contribute to the broader discourse on effective educational technologies in the classroom. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-fd5e975c5e3b4dce96e1e7d4a5a2e6d2 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2504-284X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Education |
| spelling | doaj-art-fd5e975c5e3b4dce96e1e7d4a5a2e6d22025-08-20T04:03:21ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Education2504-284X2025-08-011010.3389/feduc.2025.15134651513465Methodological approach to evaluating the DreamBox Reading Plus intervention: a cluster randomised trialSandor Gellen0Steph Ainsworth1Stephen Morris2Cathy Lewin3Kate Wicker4Policy Evaluation and Research Unit, Department of Sociology, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United KingdomSchool of Education, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United KingdomPolicy Evaluation and Research Unit, Department of Sociology, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United KingdomSchool of Education, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United KingdomSchool of Education, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United KingdomBackgroundImproving reading skills in primary school pupils is a crucial focus for educators, researchers, and policymakers worldwide. Within the United Kingdom many schools are opting to use “evidence-based” reading programs to deliver or supplement the teaching of reading. This article reports a protocol for a rigorous efficacy study of DreamBox Reading Plus, an online adaptive program aimed at improving reading fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary for elementary pupils.Methods and analysisWe conduct a pragmatic, parallel cluster randomized controlled trial in English primary schools, with schools serving as the unit of randomisation. Schools are allocated to either a treatment group, which received the DreamBox Reading Plus intervention, or a control group following standard practices, on a 1:1 basis. The study’s primary outcome focuses on reading attainment, assessed using a standardized reading test for pupils starting in Year 5. Secondary outcomes include various measures of reading fluency, comprehension, vocabulary, reading self-efficacy, and motivation. The intervention is scheduled to begin in October 2024, with outcome analysis planned for August 2025.DiscussionBy generating high-quality evidence on the efficacy of DreamBox Reading Plus, this study aims to inform best practices and contribute to the broader discourse on effective educational technologies in the classroom.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2025.1513465/fulldigital educationRCTreading attainmentprimary schoolliteracy |
| spellingShingle | Sandor Gellen Steph Ainsworth Stephen Morris Cathy Lewin Kate Wicker Methodological approach to evaluating the DreamBox Reading Plus intervention: a cluster randomised trial Frontiers in Education digital education RCT reading attainment primary school literacy |
| title | Methodological approach to evaluating the DreamBox Reading Plus intervention: a cluster randomised trial |
| title_full | Methodological approach to evaluating the DreamBox Reading Plus intervention: a cluster randomised trial |
| title_fullStr | Methodological approach to evaluating the DreamBox Reading Plus intervention: a cluster randomised trial |
| title_full_unstemmed | Methodological approach to evaluating the DreamBox Reading Plus intervention: a cluster randomised trial |
| title_short | Methodological approach to evaluating the DreamBox Reading Plus intervention: a cluster randomised trial |
| title_sort | methodological approach to evaluating the dreambox reading plus intervention a cluster randomised trial |
| topic | digital education RCT reading attainment primary school literacy |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2025.1513465/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sandorgellen methodologicalapproachtoevaluatingthedreamboxreadingplusinterventionaclusterrandomisedtrial AT stephainsworth methodologicalapproachtoevaluatingthedreamboxreadingplusinterventionaclusterrandomisedtrial AT stephenmorris methodologicalapproachtoevaluatingthedreamboxreadingplusinterventionaclusterrandomisedtrial AT cathylewin methodologicalapproachtoevaluatingthedreamboxreadingplusinterventionaclusterrandomisedtrial AT katewicker methodologicalapproachtoevaluatingthedreamboxreadingplusinterventionaclusterrandomisedtrial |