1,687 research outputs found

    K-12 Mobile learning

    Get PDF
    Mobile devices have been the focus of a push in many nations and internationally as part of efforts to achieve greater literacy and numeracy among students. Research has shown a strong link between Internet usage, the spread of broadband in a country, and its GDP. Those coun - tries that are the highest performing educationally already integrate mobile devices in their education. This paper synthesizes empirical research on mobile devices from 2010 to 2013 in K-12 schools by focusing on studies that demonstrate emerging themes in this area. It is also clear that the pedagogy needed to be successful in creating positive outcomes in the use of technology has to be student-centered with the aim of personalizing the learning experience. Research found that students could become collaborators in designing their own learning process. As students become independent learners, they become more prepared in the skills needed for college and in their careers

    Enhancing Mathematics Learning Through Peer Assessment Using Mobile Tablet Based Solutions

    Get PDF
    Higher education is facing unprecedented challenges with an increasing demand for high quality education, driven by tougher global competition. Student numbers are fast growing at most universities, whereas the sources of funding are not proportionally increasing. Subsequently, the teaching staffā€™s workload gets higher and higher hence putting the quality standards at risk. As class sizes increase, it becomes more difficult to learn in a highly teacher-controlled environment, since the teacher cannot sufficiently address individual studentā€™s needs. Therefore, a teacher should be conceptually seen as a facilitator for students, who provides them with guidance and opportunities to explore and make sense of their subjects of study. Sustainable quality education requires novel approaches to teaching and learning, to provide the best education with a minimum amount of resources. For instance, students should be encouraged to be more active in their learning rather than being passive receivers of the instruction. This study calls for a fundamental shift from instructionism (a teacher focussed educational practice) towards constructivism (a student focussed educational practice); keeping in mind that a combination of both practices may be needed in certain cases. In addition to adopting the appropriate educational praxis, innovations in educational technology can further enhance the learning experience. Mobile media tablets are gaining popularity with university students as technology matures. Besides communication and digital media consumption as their primary functions, the latest mobile media tablets can also be used for data production and processing in teaching and learning contexts. This work revisits the practice of peer assessment as a means of formative assessment. Based on user centred design principles, engineering students at the University of Agder (Norway) and Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (Rwanda) were involved in developing a media tablet technology supported peer assessment system. The studentsā€™ role in system development is reported as well as their active learning through peer assessment of mathematics assignments. Results of the experimental study generally showed improvements in the technical usability of the system throughout the development cycle. Analysis of the pedagogical usability criteria suggests that there are possible learning gains of using such a system. The findings indicate that peer feedback has a potential to improve studentsā€™ learning achievement and that media tablets hold a promising solution in learning mathematics and related subjects. Furthermore, the challenges of implementing effective peer assessment systems supported by new information and communication technology are discussed

    iPad use in fieldwork: formal and informal use to enhance pedagogical practice in a bring your own technology world

    Get PDF
    We report on use of iPads (and other IOS devices) for student fieldwork use and as electronic field notebooks and to promote active. We have used questionnaires and interviews of tutors and students to elicit their views and technology and iPad use for fieldwork. There is some reluctance for academic staff to relinquish paper notebooks for iPad use, whether in the classroom or on fieldwork, as well as use them for observational and measurement purposes. Students too are largely unaware of the potential of iPads for enhancing fieldwork. Apps can be configured for a wide variety of specific uses that make iPads useful for educational as well as social uses. Such abilities should be used to enhance existing practice as well as make new functionality. For example, for disabled students who find it difficult to use conventional note taking. iPads can be used to develop student self-directed learning and for group contributions. The technology becomes part of the studentsā€™ personal learning environments as well as at the heart of their knowledge spaces ā€“ academic and social. This blurring of boundaries is due to iPadsā€™ usability to cultivate field use, instruction, assessment and feedback processes. iPads can become field microscopes and entries to citizen science and we see the iPad as the main ā€˜computingā€™ device for students in the near future. As part of the Bring Your Own Technology/Device (BYOD) the iPad has much to offer although, both staff and students need to be guided in the most effective use for self-directed education via development of Personal Learning Environments. A more student-oriented pedagogy is suggested to correspond to the increasing use of tablet technologies by student

    Eighth-Grade Teachers\u27 and Students\u27 Experiences With iPads in Math Inclusion Classes

    Get PDF
    Although educators have embraced technology in mathematics inclusion classrooms, students with math learning disabilities (MLD) still have anxiety and negative attitudes about mathematics and score lower than their counterparts. The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to investigate and describe the experiences of middle school 8th grade inclusion iPad math app users. The technological pedagogical content knowledge model, the universal design for learning model, and the experiential learning theory provided the conceptual framework of technology integration. The research questions addressed the experiences of middle school inclusion teachers and students with MLD regarding iPad use in a Common Core standards-based math curriculum. Two inclusion co-teachers and 8 special education students from 2 inclusion classes in a middle school participated in the study. Data were collected from direct lesson observations, document analysis, and individual teacher and student interviews. An interpretative approach of clustering codes and categories was employed to identify emerging themes. Findings indicated that iPads increased student engagement and student access to the Common Core math curriculum. Teachers and students using iPads faced some challenges including lack of knowledge of using text-to-speech and keeping up with relevant new apps. Educators may use findings to understand how technology integration can provide equal access to the Common Core standards-based math curriculum for students with MLD and can reduce learning barriers for all student

    Mobile learning in early childhood education: A school-university partnership model

    Get PDF
    Mobile learning (mLearning) devices are ideal for 21st century learning. mLearning devices are light and, therefore, mobile so that young children can use them anywhere. Examples of mLearning devices are tablet computers, programmable robots such as Bee-Bots and robotic Lego. The term 21st century learning is used around the world and includes the skills of collaboration, communication, new literacy, creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving. New literacy has emerged because of new technologies and being literate in the 21st century now includes being digitally literate. However, mLearning is not widely used in early childhood education despite the fact that schools are investing in hardware, software, and infrastructure. This thesis reports on the results of a three-year study investigating the synergy between pre-service and practising early childhood teachers using a community of practice approach. The pre-service teachers presented technology rich lessons at partner schools as part of an Information and Communications Technology unit they complete during their studies. The lecturer assisted the pre-service teachers in preparing lessons. The pre-service teachers, who lacked pedagogy and classroom experience, were provided the opportunity to teach ā€œrealā€ children as opposed to teaching each other. The practising teachers, who exhibited excellent pedagogical skills, provided curriculum content and pedagogical feedback to the pre-service teachers and at the same time had the opportunity to observe the developmentally appropriate use of technology in their classrooms. Research findings included how technological knowledge of the participants changed and how the school-university partnerships developed. The pre-service and practising teachersā€™ dispositions towards mLearning became more positive with the practising teachers increasing their technological knowledge and the pre-service teachers increasing both technological and pedagogical knowledge. Five themes emerged from the results as being central to successful school-university mLearning partnerships. These themes are presented as a chain model where each theme or chain link is important to the survival of the school-university mLearning partnership. The themes identified as pivotal to mLearning partnerships included an enhanced sense of community, cross fertilisation of knowledge and skills, more informed leadership, development of professional knowledge, and closer relationships between partners

    ALT-C 2010 - Conference Proceedings

    Get PDF

    iPads in Preschools: A Collective Case Study about Tablet Technology in Subsidized Preschool Programs

    Get PDF
    Preschool children today will not remember a time when there were no smartphones, laptops, or iPads. The purpose of this qualitative collective case study was to develop an in-depth understanding of the challenges and benefits of implementing tablet technology for early education teachers that work in subsidized preschool programs. Tablet utilization in preschool classrooms was generally defined as how teachers from five different classrooms utilize tablet technology to enhance the instructional programs for children in subsidized preschool programs. The setting for this study was five early education centers in a large urban school district. Data were collected through semistructured interviews, audio-visual recordings, and observations. Data were analyzed by applying within-case analysis, cross-case synthesis, and direct interpretation of the evidence. Issues of trustworthiness were addressed through triangulation, member checks, and clarifying researcher bias. The primary research questions were: (a) How do sociocultural learning theory and developmentally appropriate practice apply to a preschoolerā€™s use of tablet technology? (b) What do early education teachers need to understand so iPads can be successfully utilized in a preschool classroom? (c) How do early education teachers describe their experience as they implement iPads into the instructional program? The results of the study revealed that children benefit the most from technology when it is used in conjunction with interactions that are commensurate with socio-cultural learning theory and developmentally appropriate practices. Devoid of these interactions, children can use the technology but this does not always translate into meaningful learning. The study also revealed that teachers who systematically plan for how the devices will be implemented in their classrooms also experienced greater successes while mitigating their initial fears and challenges

    An investigation of the use of the iPad and textbooks on the achievement of students with special needs in algebra

    Get PDF
    Educational leaders and policy-makers assume that replacing the technological tools currently used in schools with new, portable ones will result in widespread usage of the device for educational purposes by students and teacher, and an increase in student achievement. This study examines these assumptions with twenty students taking an Algebra-2 course in a northern New Jersey charter school. The mixed methodology used in this study included classroom observations and assessments, surveys for both students and teachers, and interviews with parents through home visits. Findings show that iPad integration in an Algebra-2 class led to a slight increase in student achievement, as well as student participation and peer collaboration. However, interviews with parents and data from teacher surveys indicates that iPads can easily turn out to be a great distraction for students, if it does not happen along with instructional coherence and comprehensive changes in class. By highlighting a number of caveats with the effective implementation of iPads, and exploring the appropriate use of iPads in schools, the findings of this research shed light on avenues where educational leaders and policy-makers are charged with making the decision of whether to use iPads in classrooms in their districts as a valid educational tool of choice

    The effects of mobile devices on student learning in a new zealand-based university preparation course: a case study

    Get PDF
    Activity Theory provides the theoretical framework underpinning this qualitative exploration into the effects of mobile devices on student learning within the context of a New Zealand-based, university preparation course. Situated within a constructivist paradigm, this thesis presents student and teacher perspectives in relation to four research questions. The first research question focuses on how students, within a blended mode, university preparation course based in New Zealand, use their mobile devices in relation to learning. The second research question aims to identify factors that influence the use of mobile devices, while the third research question investigates if any value is added to learning and teaching practices when using mobile devices. The final research question explores any challenges associated with the use of mobile devices within this academic context. Key findings identified that students in this study use mobile devices to support their learning by exploiting tools accessible on their devices to complete course-related tasks. They also use mobile devices to access lexical support, maintain social connections and manage workflows. Factors that positively influenced mobile device usage in the pre-degree context included pedagogical approaches, teacher influence, task completion and social influences. However, not all influences were positive. Studentsā€™ perception that their attention spans were shortening and a lack of technical proficiency were factors that negatively impacted on learning. Other key findings indicated that value was seen to be added when mobile devices were used appropriately within this pre-degree context. Value was notably added with regard to the facilitation of collaborative, supportive and personalised learning through the convenience of instant access and increased connectivity. However, with the prevalence of mobile devices within the classroom, there were aspects that were challenging and presented as contradictions within the Activity Theory framework. These challenges consisted of distractions and difficulty in maintaining focus on tasks. The use of mobile devices by classmates was also found to have a negative effect on those around them. This thesis concludes by outlining areas where noteworthy contributions to theoretical, methodological and practical knowledge have been made. It contributes to the growing body of literature by exploring the use of mobile devices within the pre-degree context and identifying potential areas of future study. By embarking on these areas of investigation to understand the effects of mobile devices on student learning, educators and other stakeholders will have a clearer idea of ways in which the capabilities inherent in mobile devices can be harnessed to best support student learning

    Mobile learning: Examining the relationships between the use of mobile devices and student performance in ELA and math within technology and non-technology districts

    Get PDF
    Mobile and other internet-connected devices infiltrate society, including K-12 classrooms. A large body of research indicated that these devices might distract students; however, other studies have revealed many benefits when the devices are used for educational purposes. This study aimed to examine the relationships between the use of mobile devices and student performance in mathematics (MA) and English Language Arts (ELA). The study compared two districts, one that had implemented a 1:1 technology infrastructure for learning and one that had not. Archival data on the Mississippi Academic Assessment Program (MAAP) standardized test were accessed from the two districts, containing fourth-grade students\u27 MA and ELA scores from the assessment. Additional data included students\u27 gender and i-Ready diagnostic test scores in the 1:1 technology district. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests revealed that MAAP MA scores were significantly higher for students in the 1:1 technology district than for students in the non-technology district. However, no difference was found in students\u27 ELA scores. A Pearson\u27s rho correlation analysis indicated a significant association between i-Ready and MAAP MA and ELA scores for students in the 1:1 technology district. Linear regression analysis revealed that gender explained a small but significant variance in MAAP ELA scores across the two districts. The study provided mixed results for using mobile devices for student learning. Students may benefit more from mobile technology in mathematics than in ELA, possibly because specific mathematics skills can be isolated, taught, and practiced using technology. Additionally, because this study took place during the COVID-19 pandemic, future research should attempt to focus on mobile technology and its presence post-COVID-19. Finally, more research should explore making the most effective use of technology solutions to support student learning
    • ā€¦
    corecore