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ERIC Number: EJ990985
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2012
Pages: 17
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-2165-3151
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Effective Adoption of Tablets in Post-Secondary Education: Recommendations Based on a Trial of iPads in University Classes
Mang, Colin F.; Wardley, Leslie J.
Journal of Information Technology Education: Innovations in Practice, v11 p301-317 2012
This paper explores the integration of tablets, such as the Apple iPad, in university classes and provides recommendations for other instructors to consider when adopting tablet technology. During the trial conducted in the summer of 2011 using iPads, we found that tablets had both academic and social uses, which should be considered when using this technology. The key to successfully adopting tablet technology was to ensure that students remained academically engaged with the device on a regular basis so that they became accustomed to its use. We found that the most useful ways to encourage academic engagement with the device included taking notes during lectures and conducting research during class. The connectivity associated with the devices allowed for enhanced interaction and collaboration among the students. We also found that tablets posed much less of a distraction to students than laptops, i.e., students who used tablets were less likely than laptop users to engage in off-task activities such as instant messaging, social network usage, and watching videos during a lecture. We make five recommendations for faculty who are considering adopting tablets as a mandatory component in their classrooms: (1) Know "everything" about the tablet operating system prior to distributing tablets to your students; (2) Decide early on how you would like to use the tablet in your class; (3) Ensure that you work closely with your institution's Information Technology department; (4) Make the tablet an integral component of your class; (5) Describe the features and benefits on the first day; and (6) Carefully consider how to distribute the tablets. (Contains 2 figures and 1 table.)
Informing Science Institute. 131 Brookhill Court, Santa Rosa, CA 95409. Tel: 707-531-4925; Fax: 480-247-5724; e-mail: contactus@informingscience.org; Web site: http://www.informingscience.us/icarus/journals/jiteiip
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A