Investigating Students’ and Teachers’ Perceptions of Using the iPad in an Italian English as a Foreign Language Classroom

Recent research indicates that mobile technologies can support second language learning. However, studies focused on the use of the iPad as a mobile technology to enhance second language learning and teaching in schools are still scarce. This study reports on an action research project that investigated the use of the iPad in the English as a foreign language (EFL) context in an Italian school. The study sought to investigate learners’ and teachers’ perceptions of mobile learning through the use of the iPad. The data was collected through a survey (N=41), classroom observations (N=4), interviews (N=20), and recorded teacher meetings (N=5). Results show a positive impact on student motivation and on the approach to second language learning tasks. We found that within the duration of the study students and teachers became increasingly independent in the use of the iPad for English language learning and teaching. This study provides educators with hints on how to start integrating mobile devices to perform specific language learning/teaching tasks

A Case Study Using the Analytic Hierarchy Process for IT Outsourcing Decision Making

Decisions related to managing IT resources - which resources to keep in-house and which resources to outsource - are critical to business success. The goal of this paper is to show the usefulness of the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) as a decision-making tool for IT sourcing decisions, based on an analysis of factors that recent literature found to be associated with IT sourcing risk. Although the AHP previously has been suggested for IT outsourcing decision making, this study is the first to consider evaluating the risks of offshore outsourcing, rural outsourcing, and in-sourcing IT processes by using the AHP. From the perspective of the expert decision maker, three IT sourcing strategies were evaluated with respect to 58 criteria. The case study example presented in this paper shows the effectiveness of the AHP to support management for this business decision. The authors\u27 results show that a systematic approach to analyzing outsourcing can reduce the uncertainty and risk that is common in such decisions