Exploring How Preschoolers Use IPads to Develop Phonemic Awareness: A Case Study

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to describe how iPads may be used to develop phonemic awareness as part of emergent literacy skills acquisition for six preschool students at Little Lambs Christian Preschool (pseudonym) in central Tennessee. The theories guiding this study were the social constructivist theory, as it related to the use of play for the development of new skills, and the emergent literacy theory, which provided a framework for identifying and defining the skills children need to develop before learning to read. The following was the proposed central research question: How does the use of iPads in the preschool classroom affect young children’s development of phonemic awareness? This study used three methods of data collection – observations, document analysis, and interviews – to describe how children use iPads to acquire phonemic awareness skills in the preschool setting. Data analysis was conducted using patterns in the data that developed into themes. The goal was to gain insight into ways children develop phonemic awareness while using iPads and to enhance teachers’ understanding of how to use iPads in the early childhood education setting. The findings indicated that while students were able to use iPads to practice phonemic awareness, teachers had concerns surrounding the lack of human interaction when students engage with technology. Despite teacher concerns, student-participants engaged with each other and with the iPads in creative ways while practicing phonemic awareness

The Effect of the Vocabulary Spelling City App on Student Performance in Spelling, Vocabulary, and Reading Comprehension in Grades 5-8 at Glenview Adventist Academy

Problem and Purpose Students in fifth through eighth grades at Glenview Adventist Academy (GAA) presented difficulties in the subjects of spelling, vocabulary and reading comprehension. The school had not followed the previous 10-year trend of technology implementation in the classroom, in spite of conclusive research on its advantages. This study was conducted to determine to what extent teaching methodology and the use of technology could affect academic performance in the areas of spelling, vocabulary, and reading comprehension. Research on the implementation of software and the use of tablets (iPad Minis) in the classroom has been scarce and contradictory in the past decade (Heinrich, 2012; Roser, 2017). Hence, the need to conduct a study which would provide input in this area to guide future curriculum and technology implementation decisions for GAA and the Arizona Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Department of Education. Method A quantitative quasi-experimental design was utilized. Elementary students from Grades 5 through 8, enrolled at GAA during school years 2013–2016 (the experimental or technology group), were exposed to the use of the software Vocabulary Spelling City (VSC) through a technology medium named iPad minis. Students from the same grades from the other schools of the Arizona Conference of Seventh-day Adventist were chosen to be the control group. All students from the Arizona Conference of Seventh-day Adventists were tested academically in the areas of spelling, vocabulary, and reading comprehension using ITBS (Iowa Test of Basic Skills) during September and again in April for three consecutive years. SPSS software was used to enter the test results, and to conduct a sample paired t test, an analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), and a repeated measures of covariance. Findings A significant difference between groups was found among the students who experienced the technology intervention when compared to their performance during the previous year when they were taught using the traditional methods of teaching spelling (p = 0.038). No group difference was found in both groups of students (experimental and control) between pretest and posttest in spelling (p = 0.652; η2 = 0.002) during the first year of technology and software implementation (iPad mini and VSC). After conducting a repeated measures ANCOVA to track the experimental group of students at GAA over a period of two years, there was no significant difference in spelling performance when compared to their counterparts from the other Seventh-day Adventist schools in Arizona (p = 0.702; η2 = 0.003). Furthermore, after conducting a repeated measures ANCOVA to track the experimental group of students at GAA over a period of three years, there was no significant difference in spelling performance when compared with the control group (p = 0.369; η2 = 0.027). No significant difference in growth was found among the GAA students who experienced the technology intervention when compared to their performance during the prior year when they were taught by using the traditional methods of teaching vocabulary (p = 0.331). No difference was found for the GAA students in vocabulary when compared to their peers in other Seventh-day Adventist schools in Arizona after the end of the first year of the technology implementation (p = 0.203; η2 = 0.014). After conducting a repeated measures ANCOVA to track the experimental group of students at GAA over a period of two years, there was no significant difference in vocabulary performance when compared to their counterparts from the other Seventh-day Adventist schools in Arizona (p = 0.572; η2 = 0.006). Furthermore, after conducting a repeated measures ANCOVA to track the experimental group of students at GAA over a period of three years, there was no significant difference in vocabulary performance when compared with the control group (p = 0.134; η2 = 0.073). No significant group differences was found among the students who experienced the technology intervention when compared to their performance during the prior year, when they were taught using the traditional methods of teaching reading comprehension (p = 0.735). No difference was found for the GAA students in reading comprehension when compared to their peers in other Seventh-day Adventist schools in Arizona after the end of the first year of the technology implementation (p = 0.362; η2 = 0.007 ). After conducting a repeated measures ANCOVA to track the experimental group of students at GAA over a period of two years, there was no significant difference in reading comprehension performance when compared to their counterparts from the other Seventh-day Adventist schools in Arizona (p = 0.181; η2 = 0.032). Furthermore, after conducting a repeated measures ANCOVA to track the experimental group of students at GAA over a period of three years, there was no significant difference in reading comprehension performance when compared with the control group (p = 0.073; η2 = 0.103). Conclusions and Recommendations Based on the results from this study, the use of tablets and educational software did not provide statistical significant academic benefits to GAA students in the areas of spelling and reading comprehension. Although, when looking to the unadjusted means between the technology group in comparison with the control group, an increase in academic performance can be observed. Hence, the recommendation for future research to use a more sensitive instrument for measuring intervention effects than the standardized academic test used in this study (ITBS). That students at GAA, who were part of the technology group for three years, were not at a disadvantage academically in the areas of spelling, vocabulary, and reading comprehension when compared to the fifth- through eighth-grade students from the other Seventh-day Adventist schools in Arizona provided valuable information regarding students’ academic performance when using tablets and educational software. These findings were consistent with several studies (ASCD & OverDrive, 2016; Moon et al., 2017; Schoology, 2017; Wang, 2017). Furthermore, the implementation of immersive technology in the classroom concurs with educational and curricular trend of equipping students with 21st-Century skills (Alliance for Excellent Education, 2016; Federal Communications Commission, 2012; Gross, 2013; US Department of Education, Office of Educational Technology, 2010). In summary, further research could investigate the degree of student involvement, engagement, self-motivation, teachers’ perception toward technology, impact of technology instruction and the workforce, and satisfaction in classrooms when tablets and educational apps are implemented. (Singleton & Simmons, 2001)

Does the Interactive Push-Presentation System Nearpod Effect Student Engagement in High School Anatomy?

The ability of the United States to succeed and compete successfully in the 21st Century will be directly related to the effectiveness of America’s Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education. In 2012 the U.S. President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology set a goal to add one million STEM college graduates over a 10-year period. Motivation in STEM secondary classrooms is a critical contributor to students entering college in declaring and persisting in a STEM related major. The purpose of this study is to add research findings to the literature regarding means of using technology to increase K12 science motivation. How to increase STEM engagement and achievement has been the subject of much research. Research has shown that interactive lessons using student response systems, including clickers and mobile devices, can increase student engagement. Nearpod gives students the ability to draw and write complex expressions and participate in lecture and reinforcement activities as a class. In this quasi-experimental static-comparison study, we describe the use of Nearpod, a cloud based audience response software application intervention, and its impact on five subscales of motivation in a high school Human Anatomy & Physiology classroom. A total of 38 students from a rural Virginia high school participated in the study. Student engagement was measured using the Science Motivation Questionnaire II (SMQ II). The SMQ II uses a Likert Scale and the scores from the two groups were analyzed using independent t-tests in Statistics Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Results showed Nearpod had a statistically significant increase on student’s intrinsic motivation and self-determination. Using an larger sample size would reinforce the results of this study

Examining the Effect of Utilizing 1:1 iPad Technology on Third Grade Reading Achievement: A Causal-Comparative Analyis

This quantitative causal-comparative study examined the effects of one-to-one (1:1) iPad instruction versus traditional instruction on urban third-grade students\u27 English Language Arts (ELA) achievement. The research is significant given the rising use of technology, like the 1:1 iPad initiative, to combat declining reading proficiency. It highlights the pivotal role of third-grade reading proficiency in future success, aligning with education policies and catering to modern learners. This study provides valuable insights for educators, administrators, and education stakeholders by elucidating the impact of technology on reading achievement. As one-to-one instruction gains prominence, understanding its influence on students\u27 reading performance is crucial due to its potential for improving achievement. The study encompassed 293 third-grade students from elementary schools in North Carolina\u27s Central Piedmont region, with 170 in non-iPad classrooms and 123 in iPad-equipped classrooms. The North Carolina End-of-Grade Reading Test (EOG RT) assessed reading achievement, with pre-and post-test scores derived from archival student data. Data analysis employed analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). The findings indicate no significant difference in reading achievement between third-grade students using 1:1 iPad technology and those in traditional classrooms. Future research recommendations encompass longitudinal testing, broader geographical sampling, exploration of various subjects, examination of diverse student groups, and investigation into reading instruction methods, iPad usage time, and teacher-student attitudes. These avenues can deepen our comprehension of technology\u27s impact on student achievement

Designing visitor experience for open-ended creative engagement in art museums: A conceptual multi-touch prototype design

The popularity and influence of digital interaction in museum design has greatly increased along with developments of society and technology. Science museums and natural history museums treat digital interactions, such as multi-touch displays, as important tools in exhibition design that improve the interactivity of visitor experience through open-ended activities. Art museums, however, which mostly focus on displaying art collections and lack hands-on activities in exhibits, have yet to embrace this type of interactivity. The visitor experience in art museums is still relatively passive: their digital interactions are limited to catalogs of art history, which offer few opportunities for personal input. Furthermore, modern art is especially difficult for visitors to interpret and engage. This study is an attempt to address this gap in usage of interactive displays in art museums by introducing open-ended interactions as a way to engage visitors about modern art. It culminates in the design of a multi-touch application, What Inspires You?, to demonstrate possible approaches that can be used to enrich the visitor experience in art museums through educative perspectives. Museum education literature shows that constructivism is an effective theory for guiding interaction design to personalize visitors\u27 learning experiences at museums. The conceptual prototype developed in this study is informed by constructivism and a way for art museums to help visitors bridge modern art and personal experience by engaging them with the inspirations that affect art creation and then allowing them to experiment with artistic expression themselves. The prototype combines concepts of museum interactivity, pedagogies of museum education, and multi-touch interface design to enhance dynamic experience so visitors can create their own unique learning experience. This prototype is a new potential approach that can help art museums to engage their visitors more effectively through open-ended interactivity

Mathematical Teachers’ Perception: Mobile Learning and Constructing 21st Century Collaborative Cloud-Computing Environments in Elementary Public Schools in the State of Kuwait

The purpose of this study was to examine Kuwaiti mathematical elementary teachers’ perceptions about their ability to integrate M-learning (mobile learning) into their current teaching practices and the major barriers hindering teachers’ ability to create an M-learning environment. Furthermore, this study sought to understand teachers’ perceptions about their ability to create a collaborative cloud-computing learning environment that corresponds with the 21st century skills and possibly explain their readiness for future reformation of education in Kuwait. Using an Internet-based format to this study quantitative and qualitative data, the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) and barriers survey gleaned quantitative information about how mathematics teachers and a head of a mathematics department (n = 562) viewed use of technology as well as the barriers they faced in integrating it into the classroom. Also, qualitative data were collected using a survey of open-ended questions to provide context to survey answers and better understand the barriers and affordance experienced by the participants. Moreover, a 21st century open-ended questionnaire was employed to collect qualitative information from mathematics teachers and head of the departments (n = 21) in regard the their ability to construct a 21st century learning environment based on collaboration and constructivist perspective utilizing a cloud-computing technology. Quantitative analysis was utilized to examine elementary mathematics teachers’ perceptions using the TPACK survey, and the validity and reliability of the TPACK subscales were computed by administering the confirmatory factor analysis. Factors that were elicited were specified as: all seven subscales encompassed in the TPACK survey significantly fit model of factor structures, and the TPACK survey was reliable and valid. In addition, descriptive analysis such as the TPACK subscale means and standard deviations were computed via the SPSS software Qualitative content analysis was used to understand teachers’ perceptions about their ability to integrate mobile technology, perceptions of the primary barriers and affordance that limited their ability, and their perceptions of their ability to integrate collaborative cloud computing and create a 21st century learning environment based on the constructivist perspective. When analyzed, the self-reported open-ended survey yielded the following specific themes: (a) teachers perceived themselves high in their ability to integrate mobile technology; (b) the primary barriers based on teachers’ perceptions were budget constraints, IT limitations, time constraints, and administrative support; and (c) teachers perceived themselves high in their ability to integrate collaborative cloud computing to construct a 21st century learning environment based on the constructivist perspective. This study finding could be implemented to create a new modern mathematics elementary curriculum that resolves the current curriculum issues. Future research is recommended in the direction of creating a new mathematical curriculum based on administrators’, parents’, and students’ perspectives

The IPAD and the Development of Speaking and Writing in the Secondary EFL Classroom

Recent research (Kukulska-Hulme & Viberg, 2018) indicates that mobile technology can support second language learning and educational literacy. The iPad is a mobile device that is having a large distribution in schools and an important impact on second language formal and informal learning. However, studies focused on the use of the iPad to specifically enhance and support second language learning and teaching are still scarce. Against this backdrop, this study sought to investigate learners’ and teachers’ perceptions of mobile learning, the implementation of technology-mediated language tasks and the potential impact of the iPad in developing writing and speaking skills in an English as a foreign language classroom in a secondary school in Italy. The data was collected through classroom observations, interviews, recorded teacher meetings, students’ written assignments, and lesson plans. The data collected has been analysed from a socio-cultural theory perspective. The analysis of written data was also informed by Hallidayan Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), and a Task-based language teaching (TBLT) framework was used to design writing and speaking tasks. Results show a positive influence on student motivation towards the performance of speaking tasks and improvements on technology-mediated second language writing tasks. In addition, the study found that the use of the iPad had a positive impact on the design of speaking and writing tasks for teachers. Moreover this action research study contributes to mobile assisted language learning by providing further understanding of how the iPad can enhance foreign language learning, especially teaching speaking and writing in the context of secondary education, and provides educators with recommendations on how to design specific language tasks

The Relationship between Mobile Learning and Academic Achievement in a Community College System Online Environment

This study poses the question: Is there a relationship between student use of mobile technology in an online environment and student achievement expressed by final grades? The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between mobile learning (m-learning) using mobile technology and academic achievement in terms of final grades in an online environment. The literature on m-learning indicates the freedom and flexibility of the m-learner constitutes a new paradigm in education. The untethered nature of m-learning means students can access course content anywhere, anytime. Studies have focused on the use of specific technologies in learning environments; this study uses a bivariate correlation method to cut across disciplines and measure the magnitude of mobile technology use as a function of degree of access to course materials while mobile. The degree of mobility and GPA were captured through an anonymous survey with analysis designed to discover the relationship between the variables. This study fills an important gap in assessing the impact of m-learning on academic achievement. Overall results did not show a significant relationship between m-learning and academic achievement. Results indicate that a larger study to include location context and quality of institutional support for mobility would better understand the impact of m-learning on academic achievement in the online environment

What is mLearning and how can it be used to support learning and teaching in Econometrics?

This research project analyzed the integration of mobile learning technologies in a postgraduate course in Finance (MSc in Finance) at Dublin Institute of Technology, where econometrics is an important course component. Previous experience with students undertaking econometrics modules supported this analysis, where the researcher detected a clear need for learning support. Econometrics courses are heavily supported by the use of sophisticated statistical software, the availability of which is normally restricted to designated labs in the college. As a result, this project has developed an application that facilitates students’ access to econometrics course work, where a mobile device was used. The main objective of the project was to enable students to bring their course material home with them and use it anywhere, at any time, so that the basic material covered in class could be consulted and reviewed as many times as the students need. The results of this project are very encouraging, as evidence suggests mobile technologies can play a positive role in improving students’ learning experience. Teachers should consider using mobile technologies to support their work in the classroom. In this context, smart phones and PC tablets, the devices used during this study, have proved to be particularly effective.DOI: 10.18870/hlrc.v3i1.6

Exploring the use of iPads in the documentation of visible teaching and learning: A case study of a Grade 3 Reggio Emilia inspired classroom.

MEd Research ReportThis is a research report on an ethnographic study which sought to explore the use of iPads in the documentation of visible learning in a Reggio inspired school. It is common to say children are always curious about technological devices particularly, iPads. There is little literature on how effective such devices are in children’s’ learning. This research sought to make a contribution to the understanding of digital technology in these terms within a Reggio Emilia inspired primary school classroom environment in terms of the use by both teachers and leaners. Visible teaching and learning are key theoretical concepts in the Reggio Emilia approach to learning. This research investigated how digital technologies, particularly iPads, contribute in the documentation of visible teaching and learning for young children. The scope of the research covered how learning is made visible using iPads, and what value the introduction of iPads adds in the documentation of visible learning. The research was aimed at exploring if and how using iPads would engage learners and give them the opportunity to document their thinking and learning so as to make it visible. This study will contribute to the available literature on the pedagogical use of iPads in a Reggio Emilia context, in particular in relation to the documentation of visible teaching and learning. The results showed that iPads afforded learners with complex ways in which they could document their learning. With the introduction of iPads there was a high level of participation from learners. iPads offered learners multiple forms of representation of their thinking.XL201