| Abstract: | This research reports on the effects of participation in the 5th Dimension, a mixed activity system, on children's learning to comprehend written directions. The design principles of the 5th Dimension were derived from cultural-historical activity theory, an extension of the sociocultural school founded by Vygotsky, Leont'ev, and Luria. The Fifth Dimension organizes the social context in which children learn into a learning community arrayed around computers, multi-media, and telecommunications. Participants in this study were 63 third, fourth, and fifth grade children. Children with extensive participation, minimal participation, and no participation in the 5th Dimension were compared. A pre- and post-cloze test that measured performance on comprehending written directions was used. Analyses of data revealed that children with extensive participation preformed better than either of the other two groups. One implication of this study is that children can master school-based literacy skills through participation in informal learning environments where there is no pre-planned or explicit instruction. The research also suggests that the mastery of literacy skills in this context is subservient to children's attainment of personal goals based on their own interests. |
