Examining the Effectiveness of the Accelerated Reader Program in College Students Enrolled in a Teacher Education Program

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions and opinions of college pre-service teachers who experienced the Accelerated Reader program in their K-12 setting. Students were surveyed to elicit responses about the benefits and downfalls of the program. The authors found that, in general, the college students disliked having used AR, and many felt that the program had actually resulted in long-term damage to their motivation to read. Problems with the AR program included cheating on the quizzes, reading easier books to earn more points and being forced to read books that did not interest them.