Parents and English Teachers' Perception Regarding Hypermedia Reading Strategies Workshop to Improve Pupils' Reading Comprehension

Abstract

Environmental awareness is crucial for environmental preservation, and a wealth of information on this topic is available online. However, as English is a second or third language in Malaysia, many lower secondary pupils struggle to comprehend hypermedia content related to environment. To address this, the researchers conducted workshops to equip lower secondary school pupils with essential hypermedia reading strategies. After a series of workshops and a competition, the perceptions of these pupils'parents, and their ESL teachers was carried out to obtain their feedback. A qualitative research design was employed using semi-structured interviews. They were selected through purposive sampling; six teachers and ten parents who had participated in the E-STEM workshop and applied the learnt knowledge to their instructional practices and daily reading activities. The findings indicate that hypermedia tools substantially improve students' engagement, comprehension, and retention of environmental science concepts, helping to simplify complex topics. However, challenges were identified, including variations in students' technological proficiency and the need for more targeted professional development for teachers. Overall, the participants hold positive views toward the use of hypermedia tools for strengthening STEM-related reading comprehension in English. It further underscores the importance of addressing technological and pedagogical barriers to optimize the potential of hypermedia tools in fostering environmental awareness and enhancing language proficiency within the STEM education context.

Keywords: Environmental awareness, hypermedia reading strategies, perceptions, reading