Tablets in Education

Doug Feldmann, Ph.DNorthern Kentucky University

A little about me…

•Associate Professor, College of Education – NKU

•Datacaster, Major League Baseball

“Cultural Lag”

•Gap between technology capability in society and in public schools

•“Rip Van Winkle Syndrome…”

Another Gap – in Teacher Education…

…between “wowing” students with the university technology, and what they find in P-12 classrooms

(makes you wonder… is funding public schools really a priority in this country?)

What Teachers Want…

… to foster creative and critical thinking skills in their students

…not possible in the current environment

(The public’s love affair with standardized test scores)

Can Tablets Help in this Dilemma?

Yes!

They already have…

The Predecessor – PDAs (examples)

•Gym Teachers taking attendance

•Student Teachers taking notes in the field

(remember “scripting” with the stylus???)

Tablets at Work in Schools Today…•Notre Dame Academy – Covington, KY

▫A school without textbooks…

•Lehmann Center, Lakewood, NJ▫A special-needs school▫Address students’ motor skill difficulties

(example – Guitar App – produces music with limited touching of the screen)

Pros and Cons…(from the teacher/professor standpoint)…

On the plus side…•No clicking!•No hiding behind laptop lids!•Easy to add last-minute course changes

On the negative side…•No “save” button is alarming to students•Note-taking on the keyboard can be

cumbersome

What does the future hold?

•Apps are beginning to dominate education

•More emphasis placed on tablets than any other hardware

▫Already seen in MLB - #1 mobile sports app; enhanced for tablets