I found the theorizing powerpoint and the overhead projector articles quite fascinating. When brainstorming possible topics for my theorizing essay, I thought about which piece of educational technology is most likely to revolutionize education. I am not sure if iPads will actualize on their proposed ability to revolutionize education, however many schools already have iPads and this trend is expected to continue.
iPads: A revolutionary technology?
The iPad, which shares certain physical and learning characteristics with the early twentieth century slate board, is destined for many classrooms around the world. Although the technology of the iPad and Slate Board differ, the arguments for their use in the classroom remain similar. The slate board’s benefits of affordability, portability, size, personalization, ease of use and environmental sustainability are comparable arguments used when considering the purchase and use of tablets in the classroom, most notably Apple’s iPad. Contrary to the slate board, many school districts have purchased iPads prior to fully realizing how this technology will impact learning.
iPads have been successful in schools due to their ease of use. They utilize touchscreen technology, provide portable internet access, and enable personalization through the multitude of apps available in Apple’s iTune Store. From an educational perspective, the iPad’s addition of an all-in-one camera, video and audio recorder, combined with instant access to information, books and a plethora of learning presentation tools, makes the iPad an ideal learning tool for the classroom.
Although the iPad provides an attractive medium for learning, it does not necessarily offer new insights, nor provide a tool that is not already available. The iPad does however, bundle multiple edtech tools into one compact gadget while providing teachers and students with new avenues to share content, review information, access knowledge and demonstrate learning. Technology is changing at a rapid pace, and the benefits of one-to-one iPads are not robust enough to warrant their purchase for every student. Clark (1994) argued that we must always question whether there is a less expensive way of achieving our goal, and the application of the iPad in the classroom should experience a similar analysis.
The iPad has the potential to transform education, however too much emphasis is currently being placed on the ‘I’ in iPad. The iPad and its apps are focused primarily on individual use and few opportunities are present for easy collaboration (Crichton, Pegler & White, 2012). Collaboration is central to constructivism and 21st Century learning; educational technology needs to support collaboration, not deter it.
I am not denying the potential of iPad’s to motivate students to learn or offer learning opportunities that utilize Gardener’s multiple intelligences. However, the iPad does not provide successful, measurable affordances not available in other forms of educational technology. In a review of applications from 2011, Murray and Olcese found that few apps support constructivism. Many of the educational applications were still based on behaviourist principles, where students review facts without any content creation. This may change as educators begin developing their own applications and encourage students to demonstrate learning through app design, however currently collaboration and content creation is limited. Many educational technologists and administrators hope the iPad will fulfill Kozma’s (1994) belief that the right technology will produce revolutionary teaching methods.
iPads are an engaging motivational tool however they are yet to transform education. After a pilot project, The Calgary Board of Education found that instead of issuing an iPad to every student, it should be used in conjunction with other educational technology tools (Crichton et al., 2011). Contrary, Westlake Highschool in Austin Texas found the iPad to be a powerful tool because it promoted discussions and collaboration through app use (Foote, 2012). Most notably, neither project found the iPad to have enhanced learning in a way that could not have been done via other means.
Some might argue that the comparison between an iPad and slate board is unfair, however the slateboard provides perspective. At present, the iPad is not prepared to revolutionize teaching. At best, the iPad will support the constructivist teacher as one of many educational technology tools encouraging collaborative creative learning. At worst, the iPad may be used solely as an electronic textbook, further limiting interaction, creativity and student construction of knowledge.
References
Clark, R. (1994). Media will never influence learning. Educational Technology Research and Development, 42(2), 21-29.
Crichton, S., Pegler, K. and White, D. (2012). Personal devices in public settings: lessons learned from an iPod touch/iPad project. The Electronic Journal of e-Learning, 10(1), 23-31.
Foote, C. (2012). The evolution of a 1:1 iPad program. Internet Schools, 19(1), 14-18.
Kozma, R. B. (1994). Will media influence learning? Reframing the debate. Educational Technology Research and Development, 42(2), 7-19.
Murray, O. and Olcese, N. (2011). Teaching and learning with iPads, ready or not. Tech Trends, 55(6), 42-48. doi: 10.1007/s11528-011-0540-6