Apple’s iPad: Is it a perfect e-learning tool?

Apple’s iPad has been a pathbreaker of sorts in the technological field. They were many naysayers during its launch regarding its utility, but I suppose the tremendous success of the product have shut up their mouths. The craze and euphoria has not died yet, and with the launch of iPad 2, the buzz is getting stronger. And the all-important question comes to the fore: can the iPad serve as an ideal classroom teaching device?


I strongly feel that iPad will have a part to do. It is sure to displace one-to-many teaching pedagogies in favor of interactive one-to-one studying and learning and will encourage much more participation from students.


To drive home my point about the iPad will have a role in online education for children, here is some news. It has been seen by many that those children who haven’t learned to read or write or even operate a mouse are able to operate the iPad with tremendous speed. According to an article published in  Ad Age in June 2010, “How the iPad Became Child’s Play – and Learning Tool,” there were many toddlers as who were as many as 18 months old only who were trying to provoke interaction from TV sets and PC monitors as if they were touch screens like that of the iPad. This indicates clearly that the next generation will find it very easy to respond well and interact with the intuitive device.


In another study related to e-book reading, a survey result released by Student Monitor revealed that out of 1200 college students who were participants in the survey and interested in e-readers, more than 46% of them opted for iPad as the preferred e-reader rather than 38% of them who favored Amazon’s Kindle. This indicates that iPad is known among the adolescents to be much more conducive and intuitive than the Kindle.

Educators today are stressing on the need for contextual learning and user participation. Digital whiteboards have failed to encourage interactivity, and is also less on computing power. The laptop is comparatively bulky too and can be problematic to handle sometimes. The iPad then serves to be the perfect device for comfortable online learning and acts as a useful tool for referencing, collaborating, and content creation. The best part is that of the choice for personalized content for students.


Some of the kinks are there: it does not support web pages which have Flash, it does not have a telephone, it does not have a camera and it also does not have USB slots or memory card slots although there is support for dongles. These limitations are somewhat deterrent for its use but once there are updates to the device, I don’t really see a problem for the iPad to be used as a e-learning device!

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Ipad for e-learning

The Dynabook represented the earliest idea of mobile learning. The geneses of a personal computing device began with an educational vision. Today, with the Apple iPad, that vision is edging towards reality. Across the U.S., the iPad is highly regarded as the device that will truly elevate classroom education into a new era, and particularly, the digital era.

“The iPad appears to be the perfect device for information at your fingertips, which places it in the role to ignite change.” – Greg Smith, CIO at George Fox University in Newberg, Oregon

iPad champions is inspired to initiate the change that will soon displace one-to-many teaching pedagogies in favor of one-to-one, always-on learning that will encourage more participative learning among students. In addition, educators feel that tablets will revolutionize education because they dovetail with the purposes and goals of education in the digital age.

Lets check out some interesting features of the iPad that makes it a great learning device

#1 – Its Touch Screen!!

The touch screen feature of the iPad has extended Human Computer Interaction (HCI) in a manner that imitates human gestures. It enables intuitive touch to interact with computers, sidestepping mouse-click and PC learning requirements, and getting straight into the action.

Children who haven’t learned to read or operate a remote are picking up the iPad’s interface with remarkable speed. According to the June 2010 Ad Age article, “How the iPad Became Child’s Play – and Learning Tool,” after using the device, toddlers as young as 18 months attempt to interface with TVs and monitors as though they were touch screens too, indicating how intuitive this technology may be to the this new iPad generation.

#2 – It’s a better E-Reader than the Kindle!

The iPad’s Book Reader is one of its most popular features and is already outpacing its predecessor – the Amazon’s Kindle. According to a survey ressult released by Student Monitor, a firm that researches consumption trends among college student,1,200 students at 100 colleges indicates that of students who reported interest in buying an eReader, 46% said they favored the iPad, versus 38% for Kindle. Given that the iPad provides better screen resolution, and more importantly a colored interface, it makes reading more conducive and appealing as compared to the Kindle

#3 – Convergence and Productivity

The iPad provides every kind of elearning essentials and requirement without any sort of external devices like a mouse or keyboard. Educators today are voicing the need for more contextual and engaging learning. Mobile phones and digital whiteboards does indeed improve interactivity, but falls short in computing power, and a laptop is relatively bulky and inconvenient at times.The iPad fills this void by enabling a host of activities such as referencing, collaborating, and creating content. In addition, the iPad provides personalized choice of content, which is a huge plus for student users.

This article was originally posted at http://adrianseetho300.wordpress.com/2011/03/21/ipad-for-e-learning/

Administering a Gross Anatomy Exam Using Mobile Technology

By Alireza Jalali, Daniel Trottier, Mariane Tremblay, and Maxwell Hincke


Mobile technology has infiltrated medical school education. Students now bring tablet PCs, rather than notebooks, into the classroom. They can access Web-based curriculum during lectures and add notes directly to their files. At the Faculty of Medicine University of Ottawa the curriculum for the first two years is online, and PDAs have largely replaced reference books for students in clerkship programs. And more telling, employees at Ottawa Hospital Medical have been encouraged to replace pen and paper notes with iPads. Thus, transitioning from written to digital examinations seemed to be a reasonable next step. To assess the benefits and drawbacks of this approach, we developed a mock anatomy examination using the Questionmark software and compared its administration and evaluation on two electronic devices.

At the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Ottawa, gross anatomy is taught during the first two years of medical school. The course is divided into four units: musculoskeletal anatomy; the thorax, head and neck; the abdominal and pelvic cavity; and neuroanatomy. Students attend anatomy lectures and laboratories almost every week. After each unit students take a final laboratory examination, they also take a timed midterm examination. During each examination, students rotate through 20 (midterm exam) or 40 (final exam) stations in the laboratory covering anatomy, pathology, radiology, and a few other disciplines. Students spend two minutes at each station and answer two to four multiple-choice questions (MCQs). MCQs are frequently used in medical schools because they are reliable and allow for rapid marking and prompt feedback to learners (Fowell and Bligh, 1998); also MCQs can be used to examine higher levels of learning (Collins, 2006).

Our goal was to eliminate these paper examinations and move to an online version. As instructors we use guidelines from the National Board of Medical Examiners and the Medical Council of Canada to aid us in constructing our examination questions (Case and Swanson, 2002; Touchie, 2005). Since the students are taught using cadaveric specimens, their examination should also include such specimens. However there are disadvantages: Voluminous amounts of paperwork need to be organized. In proctoring seven examinations a year to 150 students, we use approximately 35,000 pieces of paper. It takes time to prepare the printed examinations, organize the examination stations, and then to carry all of the papers to the laboratory before the examination. It is also time consuming to correct the examinations and communicate results. Besides the issue of sustainability, online evaluation would save administrative time and money in addition to helping us to provide faster feedback to students.

Experimental Procedures


To move from a paper-based examination to an online version, we researched available hardware and software. We decided to use a portable device, which would allow us to continue to use the timed examination, the students would also be able to move easily from one station to another. After a discussion with our medical technology team, we chose two tablets for this study that were light weight and had fast screen reaction time and long battery life: the Lenovo S10-3t running Windows 7 Enterprise and the Apple iPad Wi-Fi 64GB running the iPhone 3.2 OS.

With all the available options, we tested numerous learning applications. Students were already comfortable Questionmark Perception and it was compatible with existing technologies being used at the school. The tool allows the creation of a question bank in different languages, which is very useful for our bilingual university. Also the ability to create 12 types of reports was useful, specifically the coaching report. The student can see detailed information, including the answers and scores for each question, which is used to help coach individuals through their learning curves. Furthermore, Questionmark Perception makes it possible to return to and continue a previously started examination via an auto-save feature. This feature is not Wi-Fi dependent and, therefore, lends itself well to a potentially unstable Internet connection environment and provides confidence for use during a live examination. For all of these reasons, our university purchased a license for Questionmark; eventually all of our written examinations at Faculty of Medicine will be created using the software.

Our data collection method was straight forward; we set up a mock anatomy examination using four stations, each having two MCQs. A student, an IT staff member, and a faculty member, who were all familiar with the paper-based examination, completed the examination first using the iPad, and then using the Lenovo tablet. The volunteers had two minutes at each station. Afterward they were individually questioned about their general impressions of the online examination and their preferences regarding the devices used.

Results

We identified numerous benefits and challenges related to the method. All of the participants liked the idea of an online anatomy examination to replace the paper version. Ease of use and immediate feedback were among the advantages they identified. The two main disadvantages identified were the stress related to not having an examination paper in hand and dependence on a potentially unreliable Internet connection. The participants found that an online examination added to the stress of taking the examination. The participants worried that their responses would not be recorded by the machines and that their answers might not be submitted.

Conclusion


Although the online examinations may help faculty administratively, it will present challenges. Students may be stressed by undergoing a new method of examination and will require suitable orientation. The choice of hardware and software also needs to be considered carefully, as the examination might render differently depending on the selected technology. During our study we discovered depending on the selected online examination tool, an online exam will render differently on the iPad compared with conventional laptops and tablet PCs. This is mostly do to the fact that iPad uses Safari as browser instead of the more widely used Internet Explorer. Consequently achieving the desired look and user experience required modifications to digital files; even our method for organizing the examination was affected. However our preliminary trials established that an iPad and the Questionmark software was a suitable combination to use for a timed, online anatomy examination. This recommendation is in line with the Ottawa Teaching Hospital's decision to use the iPad at the patient bedside for clinical purposes. Our hope is the transition from paper examinations to an online version will save faculty members time, but also improve the evaluation process for students. An electronic exam will also translate into cost savings for the university. Moreover the final licensing examination administered by the Medical Council of Canada is taken on a computer, adopting an online anatomy examination will offer students much needed practice and, it is hoped, better preparation for such professional examinations.

Acknowledgments

The authors appreciate the continued and enthusiastic support from the University of Ottawa's Faculty of Medicine and Bureau des Affaires Francophones (BAF) with this project.

About the Authors


Alireza Jalali, M.D., is a Francophone professor of anatomy at the Division of Clinical and Functional Anatomy, at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada. His research explores the use of technology and more particularly the Web 2.0 tools in medical education.

Daniel Trottier is the manager of the Web, multimedia, learning technologies and IT Systems at the Medical Technology Office at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada. His research interest includes the use of new technological tools in medicine.

Mariane Tremblay is a multimedia and learning technologies designer at the Medical Technology Office at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada. She is fascinated with the use of new technology in medical education.

Maxwell Hincke, Ph.D., is the Head of the Division of Clinical and Functional Anatomy at Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada. He is very interested in the use of novel technology for teaching anatomy in the medical curriculum.


References

Case, S.M. and Swanson, D.B. (2002). Constructing Written Test Questions for the Basic and Clinical Sciences. Third Ed. Philadelphia, PA. National Board of Medical Examiners, http://www.nbme.org/PDF/ItemWriting_2003/2003IWGwhole.pdf

Collins, J. (2006). Education techniques for lifelong learning: Writing multiple-choice questions for continuing medical education activities and self-assessment modules. Radiographics 26 (2): 543-551.

Fowell, S.L and Bligh, J.G. (1998). Recent developments in assessing medical students. Postgrad Medical Journal 74 (867):18-24.

Touchie, C. (2005). Guidelines for the Development of Multiple-Choice Questions. First Ed. The Medical Council of Canada, Ottawa, ON, http://www.mcc.ca/pdf/MCQ_Guidelines_e.pdf.pdf

This article was originally posted at http://www.elearnmag.org/subpage.cfm?section=articles&article=152-1

Online learning is making education more efficient and more effective

In his State of the Union address, President Obama urged the United States to out-innovate the rest of the world in order to to remain competitive. And when it comes to innovation, there’s no better place to start than education.

Fortunately, we're already moving in the right direction. Online learning is already being integrated into American education, with more than 3 million K-12 students enrolled in an online course in 2009. And the phenomenon is no longer confined to distance learning. Most of its growth has occurred in blended-learning environments, in which students learn online with adult-supervision.

This trend will continue. The troubled budget picture, coupled with the demand for better results, is forcing school operators to rethink the structure and delivery of education. This, in turn, is accelerating adoption of the blended learning model.

Blended learning has the potential to upend today’s standardized, factory-model school system by enabling personalized learning approaches for all students. Many experts agree that targeting students’ different needs at different times will in turn result in higher achievement.

One example is Carpe Diem, which began as a traditional, state charter school serving 280 students in grades 6 to 12 in Yuma, Arizona. When it lost its building lease eight years ago, the school had to slash its budget and question every assumption about what a “school” should look like.

Today, students at Carpe Diem are using online learning as teachers roam, looking over shoulders and offering instant help whenever a student struggles. Students only progress to the next level or unit once they have demonstrated mastery of the unit on which they are working. The software provides frequent feedback.

Students also spend time in traditional classrooms where teachers re-teach concepts as needed, and enhance and apply the material introduced online.

So far, the personalized learning approach has created a far more productive and affordable school model. Its student population—60 percent of which is on free or reduced-price lunch and 48 percent of which are minorities—is excelling. In 2010, the school ranked first in its county in student performance in math and reading and among the top 10 percent of all Arizona charter schools.

What is keeping America back from having many more Carpe Diems? Mostly ourselves. A host of policies and funding streams dictate to schools their inputs and processes, thwarting creative and innovative arrangements for student learning in the process. Others either restrict the online courses students may access, or tie them to an arbitrary calendar year. These policies should be reformed, and students should advance based on mastery; not the amount of time spent in a classroom.

Other countries are already moving in this direction. America, with its abundant technological resources and entrepreneurs on hand, ought to lead rather than follow.

Michael Horn is Executive Director of Education at Innosight Institute, a nonprofit think tank focused on education and innovation, which released a January 2011 report titled “The rise of K-12 blended learning” in conjunction with the Charter School Growth Fund and Public Impact.


This article was originally posted at  http://ideas.economist.com/blog/blended-model

Learning where you are

I shared this concept video a few months ago to illustrate just one broad aspect of mobile learning. But it has been misinterpreted by at least one administrator that I know.




The point of the video is not about knowing where you are. The point is is learning where you are and using what you (and your students) already have.

This article was originally posted at http://ashleytan.wordpress.com/2011/01/19/learning-where-you-are/

Online learning in 2011

As the new year takes off with a flying start, this is a great time to look forward to what's in store for online learning and learners in 2011.

2010 saw the North Carolina Virtual Public School (NCVPS) become the second largest in the country, second only to Florida's Virtual Public School program. Many North Carolina school districts are finding it more economical and efficient to pay the NCVPS rate of $600/per student per class rather than hiring teachers for courses that fall outside the standard curriculum but remain crucial to providing NC students with a quality, well-rounded education.

NCVPS will continue to grow in 2011 as NC school districts deal with a new round of budget cuts, and a increasingly diverse and demanding student population that expects all schools to offer high quality courses in a variety of subjects.

Educational applications for smartphones like the BlackBerry and Apple's iPhone (and associated products) will continue to grow in number and variety. Look for more foreign language apps, more apps aimed at all ages (especially younger users), and more apps aimed at learning specific skills "in time". Learning available when you need it.

Beware though of "in app purchases" which can cost substantial amounts of real world money. See: Smurf app fees leave parents steaming. While children become more and more tech savvy, parents still need to be aware of exactly what their children are doing online. A lapse in a attention can cost parents a lot of money.

Free or low cost online learning options will continue to increase. In October iTunes U started offering e-books to support lectures  and other resources from Oxford, Rice and the Open University. The Khan Academy continues to bring subjects as diverse as molecular biology and high finance to online learners for free. Khan Academy tutorials run the gamut from elementary school math topics to graduate level economics. Making it a great resource for parents and students.

Perhaps, most important for online learners and online learning providers, consumers will continue to become more knowledgable about accreditation and diploma mills . Information is power and in this case it will empower learners to make informed educational choices, which will improve consumer satisfaction with online education and the quality of online higher education offerings.

The future of online learning is bright and 2011 is sure to bring the changes listed here and many more. Find an online learning option that intrigues you and meets your needs and give it a try.

This article was originally posted at  http://www.examiner.com/online-learning-in-raleigh/online-learning-2011

THE TOP 3 EDUCATION TRENDS OF 2010

This a guest post By TeachStreet. Teachstreet is a website that provides online and local classes, including SAT Prep Classes.
2010 was a year of experimentation, change and flux, as educators scrambled to lay a foundation for a 21st century style of learning. Among the top trends in education were:

1. Mobile Devices in the Classroom

This year, Notre Dame set up an experimental classroom where every student was given an iPad. While some critics said that introducing mobile devices would be a distraction to students (as they can play games on the devices), others pointed out that iPads in the classroom may help the teacher make the classroom experience more interactive and engaging. The verdict is still out on whether or not mobile devices are a help or a hindrance, but this trend shows no sign of slowing down.



2. Emphasis on Teacher Evaluation

The “Race to the Top” program announced by the Obama administration last year had a big effect on how teachers were evaluated. Each state that competed for the $4.35 billion in funding had to make serious reforms in order to qualify for the program. A big part of meeting those qualifications were to create more merit based incentives for teachers who did well. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation jumped on the teacher evaluation bandwagon and provided over $335 million dollars in funding to place webcams in classrooms to better understand just what “star teachers” did in order to create a great learning experience.

3. Remote Learning

Although remote learning has been around for a while, many more universities are offering remote learning courses, including prestigious Universities like Stanford and Columbia. As webinars and other streaming video technologies become more reliable and ubiquitous, it only seems natural for this trend to continue. This is going to be especially handy for working students who will be able to fit their coursework around and between shifts.

As usual, technology was a big driver for changes in education in 2010. It’s still unclear where these changes will lead us, but that many will point to 2010 as a key year of change.

This article was originally posted at http://www.eduinreview.com/blog/2010/12/the-top-3-education-trends-of-2010/