Tablet Technologies in Teaching and Learning

Cathy Lysy

Juan Pedro Paniagua

Carla Romney

Fabian Torres-Ardila

INSTRUCTIONAL INNOVATION CONFERENCE-March 2012

To survey the diverse tablet technologies that are now in use at

Boston University

Objective

Objectives of implementation? Hardware/software? Technical support? Funding? Assessment?

Questions

School of Hospitality AdministrationSHA HF 370 Revenue Management

School of ManagementSMG SM 222 Modeling Business Decisions and Market Outcome

Graduate School of ManagementExecutive MBA Business Marketing Seminar

College of Engineering ENG EK 301 Engineering Mechanics I

Metropolitan CollegeMET MA 118 College Algebra/TrigonometryMET MA 123 and 124 Calculus I and II

School of MedicineGMS Health Care Emergency ManagementMED Anatomy/Histology/Radiology

College of Fine ArtsCFA AR 484 Graphic Design

Implementations Surveyed

Mobile iPad ‘Lab’ of 65 iPads

Students use iPads or their own laptops

SHA Implementation Instructor uses iPad and

laptop

Primary purpose: polling and course-specific software

6 tables, each with netbook connected to wall-mounted displays

Multi-touch SMART board at front of room

Instructor and two TAs

Focus on problems projected on screens

SMG Implementation #1

EMBA students given iPads that contain all course documents

iPads used for polling, access to course documents, notetaking

SMG Implementation #2

Material projected on screen and on iPads

Work in small groups, sharing one iPad

Bi-directional, but not real time

2 Instructors and one TA

ENG Implementation

Networked student Tablet PCs and one instructor Tablet PC, LCD projector

Specialized software for real time bi-directional data and lecture capture

MET Implementation

Undergraduate and graduate Graphic Design students design materials specifically for use on iPad.

Students use iPads in a lab setting. “Apple-friendly” community and IT

support.

CFA Implementation

F2F and Distance Learning with multi-touch SMART board

Specialized software for remote computer control and lecture capture

BUSM Implementation #1

Separate slate tablet and stylus (Wacom Bamboo) to annotate images

BUSM Implementations #2 and #3

SMART Podium and SMART Sympodium

Faculty are open to trying new tablet technologies in order to meet students’ current needs and style(s) of learning.

MAIN FINDING

No coordinated management and sharing of best practices

Lack of faculty/staff training

Funding for faculty and course support staff

Technical support needed

Administrative Concerns

Insufficient faculty input prior to acquisition

Lack of clear pedagogical rationale for use of technology

Need to assess efficacy and satisfaction

Pedagogical Concerns

Establish a University-wide working group of faculty and administrators to identify strategies/goals/desired outcomes

Draw on University expertise

Measure efficacy of implementations

Develop best practices

Recognize faculty/staff time

Suggestions

We thank the following faculty and staff members who, on short notice, provided access to their classrooms

and generously shared their experiences.

Jana Brady, BUMC Erik Browning, SHA Janice Dolnick, SMG Caleb Farney, ENG Melvyn Menezes, SMG Jeanne Myers, SMG Keith Osher, SMG Nick Rock, CFA Kitt Shaffer, BUSM Kevin ‘Kip’ Thomas, BUSM Ann Zumwalt, BUSM

Acknowledgments