INSTRUCTORS’ FIRST TIME EXPERIENCE WITH IPADS IN TRADITIONAL CLASSROOMS

Ju Park, Assis. Prof. of Education

Indiana University NorthwestUnited States

ABTRACT

This pilot study examines how faculty members have positively and negatively experienced the use of Apple iPads at physical classroom (brick & mortar classroom), supported by the Faculty Learning Community.

Faculty members in different majors shared benefits and obstacles in the use of tablet computers, along with concerns of the limited operation.

FACULTY LEARNING COMMUNITY

Faculty Learning Community (FLC) is the Indiana University system-wide teaching group. Based on the group members’ experimental practice, the FLC seeks possible solutions for innovative teaching methods, effective assessment on student learning, and new models of teaching practice.

Since its inception in 2011-12, faculty members at Indiana University campuses have participated in this group. Specifically, in FLC, the group members are from different disciplines/campuses and are engaged in the examination of: Critical thinking approaches to learners; customized assignments which correspond to the learners’ life experiences; simulated group projects; and other various projects.

One of the FLC projects is iPad FLC in which the group members share their teaching experience with the use of Apple iPads in their own classrooms. Currently, Indiana University iPad FLC is in its third year.

The members of iPad FLC look for more opportunities to improve their own teaching ability and to support colleagues’ interest to advance their teaching skills. This pilot study examines the group members’ first time experiences with iPads, along with the past iPad FLC members’ findings of the benefits and obstacles, upon instructional use of iPads in blended classrooms.

According to Pearson Education (2010), teachers using computers are expected to have a broad and comprehensive understanding of the knowledge and skills needed for effective use of computers in their teaching practice.

And, the Pearson Education states that the appropriate use of computers may help students prepare for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century. Considering the above statement, faculty members who use mobile computers such as laptops and tablets are expected to have the same desired level of knowledge and skills. However, opposed to the desired level, Schaffhauser (July 2014) recently expressed “even most cutting-edge classrooms are ineffective, if nobody knows how to use them to enhance learning (p. 34)”, citing one university in Indiana.

Thus, when faculty members use mobile (portable) computing devices to promote students’ learning engagement, they need to be well trained and practice often, before full implementation is presented in traditional classrooms (Maloy, Verock-O’Loughlin, & Edwards, 2013).

Through iPad FLC, this pilot study would see both positive & negative impacts on learning process by actual users of tablet computers (in this case, past & current iPad FLC members who are faculty members at Indiana University campuses). The study may contribute its findings to the scholarship of teaching and learning with mobile devices in a blended learning environment, as the use of mobile devices in higher education may create unique learning opportunities and move forward advancement of learners’ technical experiences (El-Hussein & Cronje, 2010; Traxler, 2007).

FACTORS OF IPAD USE AT CLASSROOM

According to the study (Rossing, Miller, Cecil, & Stamper, 2012), the key factors that affect effectiveness of iPad mobile learning were identified, and the study stressed those factors would matter for the first-time users of iPads.

ACCESS AND AVAILABILITY OF INFORMATION

Users report iPads can enhance effective research process; especially, for real world problem solving. But, it could also generate distraction, because of users’ insufficient information literacy.

SHARING AND COLLABORATIONUsers report iPads can facilitate collaborative learning and group work activities. But, it could also have limitation, because users cannot freely control ownership of the devices, due to the university property, so that they cannot freely share electronic resources among users.

TRANSITION TO NEW DYNAMIC LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

Users report instructors have lack of training, use outdated technology, and consume unnecessary learning time for getting trained with new technology devices.

LEARNING STYLES AND TECHNOLOGY DESIGN

Users report the use of iPads may more accommodate student needs with different learning styles through such learning elements as tactile, kinesthetic, visual, and auditory. Also, users report such factors as keyboard functionality, screen size, and application availability would have impact on mobile learning environment.

CONVENIENCE AND USABILITY

Users report user-friendly device design would highly matter. For example, it is important to have easiness of device use, variety of application, and constant connectivity of Wi-Fi, because, otherwise, it troubles effective student learning and causes unstable electronic learning.

CASE BRIEF

Project description

Activities of student users at class

Project outcomes

Concerns of instructional use of tablet

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The project was to examine how effectively instructors and graduate students have used the given iPads in Friday class. The students were graduate students who had full-time jobs in education field such as in-service teachers in middle schools. Some of the graduate students were not privileged to utilize tablet computers at their schools for instructional purpose.

Thus, the experience with iPads at class was helpful for them to think about technology-assisted instruction. In class sessions, the students created their accounts of Evernote and made notepads on Evernote. As sessions went on, they accumulated education-related contents on Evernote. Also, by using Edmodo, the students tried to practice the education-focused social media through iPads. By using TodaysMeet (which is the back-channel communication tool), the students were able to candidly discuss education-related topics with anonymity feature.

Apps/Sites Used

 

Evernote

Edmodo

TodaysMeet

Bubbl

ACTIVITIES OF STUDENT USERS AT CLASS

In general, the participating instructors thought the use of iPads at classroom would be beneficial. They thought their students (at elementary, middle, and high schools) could be more engaged, because having iPads becomes students’ own devices, although it is temporary at class session. But, some of the participating users (instructors and students) who used iPads mentioned that the use of iPads at class would possibly generate distraction, by engaging electronic games and social networking sites (intentional or not intentional by students) and by showing a particular site to classmates.

If such situation expects to happen, instructors are required to more carefully monitor their student behaviors. In addition, the graduate students tried to use teaching field-specific apps or websites. For example, science teachers (graduate students in this project) showed more curiosity to search science-related apps/websites, whereas math teachers (graduate students in this project) showed more curiosity to search math-related apps/websites.

PROJECT OUTCOMESUse of iPads created a dynamic learning environment. Also, because several students have already used iPads and other tablet devices, these students helped other beginning users. However, it was not possible for the students to navigate and install educational apps for iPads, because of the limited administration right.

In other words, even though they searched the potentially educational applications and found to look into them further for trying, they were not able to download, because only person who can download was the project facilitator (in this case, the instructional technology specialist at the teaching center). Thus, the instructor and the students were disappointed about “not able to download” in which all they can do is to only review the advertising words on the applications. In addition, Flash player was not supported in the given iPads. Thus, the students were not able to watch some contents in apps/websites.

CONCERNS OF INSTRUCTIONAL USE OF TABLETS

The use of tablets, like iPads, would create a dynamic learning environment. It’s because students can move around to/from their classmates, along with iPads; students can instantly access to electronic resources; students can friendly interact with their classmates in more natural and casual way of class sessions; and students can instantly share something with their classmates.

Having laptop or regular PC would create the similar learning environment. But, the use of Tablets may enable students to enjoy more maneuvers of such electronic devices. And yet, having more administration right would be a key factor, in order for instructors and students to freely utilize advantages offered by iPads. Also, having attachable key board would be beneficial. It is because screen keyboard available on the given iPads covers a quite space portion of the iPads.

Reference

El-Hussein, M. O. M. & Cronje, J. C. (2010). Defining mobile learning in the higher education landscape. Journal of Educational Technology & Society, 13(3), 12-21.

Maloy, R.W., Verock-O’Loughlin, R., & Edwards, S.A. (2013). Transforming learning with new technologies. Princeton, NJ: PearsonPearson Education. (2010). Indiana developmental and content standards for educators. Amherst, MA: Pearson.

Rossing, J.P., Miller, W.M., Cecil, A.K. & Stamper, S.E. (June 2012). iLearning: the future of higher education? Student perceptions on learning with mobile tablets. Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 12(20), 1– 26. Schaffhauser, D. (July 2014). Faculty development: Training faculty for active learning. Campus Technology, 34-37. Traxler, J. (2007). Defining, discussing and evaluating mobile learning: The moving finger writes and having writ. The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 8(2), 1–12.

THANKS FOR YOUR TIME TO VIEW THIS POWERPOINT PRESENTATION !

Questions?

Please contact me at park49@iun.edu