Ipads – a game changer for education?

IPADS – A GAME CHANGER FOR EDUCATION?

Michael CoghlanNewLearningTAFE SA

Ngee Ann PolytechnicSingaporeMay 5th, 2011

WHO AM I?

Father

Grandfather

Musician

Webhead Co-Founder

Educator

Online Facilitator

Photographer

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stephanridgway/5660091476/in/contacts/

Exactly what is a ‘game changer’?

A Game Changer:• Involves a paradigm

shift• Changes the rules about

how things are taught/delivered

• Changes the mindset of the players; the types of players that can be involved

GAME CHANGER as an educational tool?SOME SUGGESTED REASONS

• The iPad is a personal device and reasonably costed• Users to date are finding that through the use of different apps, students

are able to choose the type of product they construct to demonstrate their understanding.

• The abundance of apps and access to information on a vast range of topics allows students to pursue areas they are interested in learning about.

• Notes can be kept in one spot, commented on and available anywhere.• There is anywhere, anytime access to current information that contains

text, sound, images and interactivity. Information is represented with rich multimedia and data visualisation techniques.

• Light and portable, easily carried in the school bag and to and from class.

GAME CHANGER as an educational tool?

• Heavy schoolbooks could in time be replaced by virtual eBooks and these can be updated in a timely fashion. Documents and tasks can be uploaded to iBooks by the teacher and downloaded onto the iPad by the student and vice versa. Texts and documents can be annotated and commented on by multiple students and teachers.

• The iPad can be used with peripherals. For example the iPad can be slotted into a case which connects to a full size keyboard for extended periods of writing. There are also a number of other docking options which provide access to a full sixed keyboard. Voice recognition apps can also be useful for inputting large amounts of text and is another option worth investigating.

• iPad is an intuitive device and minimal technical support is required.

GAME CHANGER as an educational tool?

IPAD ONLY• The touch interface correlates to the

technology students use in their everyday life and allows a high level of interactivity.

• A 10 hour battery life means the iPad can be used throughout the entire school day.

• Instant startup of the iPad means greater use of class time for learning.

WHERE?

• Adelaide University 1st Year Science• Walford Anglican School for Girls (High

School)• Deakin University• Technical and Further Education, South

Australia (TAFESA) – Hospitality, Hairdressing

DEAKIN UNIVERSITY

• Small scale, conservative approach• Will evaluate publisher websites and other e-

offerings (small number of staff and students)• Expectations: that after initial excitement

students will see ipad as just a ‘very limited computer’, and will just use it to engage in mundane activities like email, Facebook, etc

Courtesy of Greg Whitby

PARADIGM SHIFTS

• Pedagogy – Educators must shift from didactic models of “teaching” to constructivist models emphasizing “learning”.

• Networking (is not cheating)• Literacy – Multiliteracy• Formality – Informality• Ownership: Proprietary to Open Source• Sharing – copyright should encourage sharing not stifle

it > Creative Commons• Classification – taxonomic to folksonomic

See Vance Stevens at http://braz2010vance.pbworks.com/w/page/27979344/PLN

EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS (Australian VET System)

• Communication • Teamwork • Problem Solving • Initiative and Enterprise • Planning and Organising • Self-management • Learning • Technology

GRADUATE ATTRIBUTES(Higher Education)

• Communication• Problem solving• Critical thinking• Information literacy• Team work• Information technology

competence• Cross cultural

competence• Ethical practice

The Adelaide University iPad Experiment

• Every student enrolling in 1st year Science in 2011 is given an ipad

• If they are still enrolled beyond the ‘census date’ it becomes theirs to keep

• Ipad launch intended to coincide with a change in delivery method

10 minute podcast

The Adelaide Uni iPad Experiment

• IT as enablers not controllers – enlisted as ‘help’; created dedicated wireless networks for two lecture theatres

• ‘retail model’• Lots of peer assistance

happening of its own accord• Has already transformed

lectures into classes• Students now automatically

sit in groups

ISSUES ARISING• Some PDF docs a problem in Safari; need to be checked in advance, or alternative browser

used (eg Terra)• Problems with other software (eg My Writing Lab) not working• Digital Rights Management (DRM): access to subscription journals; Google

searches publisher content better than publishers’ apps do!• Files are inside apps – need another app to manage them eg Dropbox• Disability – can help or hinder

CC image by Leigh Blackall

Macbook Air v iPad

Turns out that the Macbook is easier & quicker for both typing & finding information. More screen real estate & better task switching were mentioned. Now the iPad is mainly used for games and stuff.

Creative Commons Licensed by http://www.flickr.com/photos/voidobjects/5189806908/in/photostream/

BACKGROUND/CONTEXT

• Funded by Digital Education Revolution • (DER; Federal Government)

• No restrictions on net access

• New metrics needed to measure success of trial (school already v successful)

USE OF IPADS

• 2 year lifespan for ipads

• “bring your own Internet” approach to technical support (but have organised tech support with Apple)

• Using Box.net for file storage

• Important that leaders (staff) are seen to be using these tools > staff will be actively engaged in trial

http://www.walford.net.au/

IPADS AT WALFORD

Original CC image from Wesley Fryer

IPADS AT WALFORDWILL THEY BE A GAMECHANGER?

• Portable, personalised

• Premise is that apps are intuitive, efficient, fast, use fewer resources

• Part of broadening of provision – recognition that students have their own technology, and are used to managing it

• Ipads seen as the initiative to change: “tools for transformation”

• Ipads not proxy friendly

• Goal: all texts will eventually be on ipads (students can expect to use 2 ipads during time at secondary school)

• ON THE HORIZON: Mobile me (cloud storage); Thunderbolt – new breed of ‘USB’

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEFXZomXs-o&

APPS

Must haves (the Apple family):

• Pages• Number (spreadsheet)• Keynote• iMovie*• Garageband*• *Emphasis on creating –

even for assessment• PDF Mark Up Tools

APPS

• Audionote• Good Readerprinting• Printopia (defies new

paradigm)• Paper Cut

APPS

Other Possibles:

• Noterize (notetaking; used at another large Adelaide college)

• Browser Duo (split screen – browser and note taking tool)

• Wikihood (Augmented Reality)

REFERENCES

• Ipads for Learning - http://www.ipadsforeducation.vic.edu.au/

• Learning blog (with Mike Seyfang) – iPads at Adelaide Uni: http://mseyfang.edublogs.org/

MICHAEL COGHLANNEWLEARNING

[email protected]

This presentation on the Net at slideshare.net/michaelc