What are we doing with Media Tablets in 2012/13?

We are drawing up the project plans for the next academic year. One area we'll be looking at is the use of media tablets (mainly iPads) in teaching, learning and assessment. The emerging plan is as follows. This is still under some discussion.

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Aims

The following outlines the ideas for the iPad project plan for 2012/13. This is document is a work in progress and will be finalised by the start of September 2012.

Background

During 2011/12 the Elevate Team have been supporting a number of staff on using iPads in their teaching, learning and assessment. This support has been through the long and short term loan of iPads (purchased by ILTS money). A recent Gartner Hype Cycle identified Media Tablets would have mainstream adoption in the next 5 years. Therefore, the broad questions we’d like answered are:

Broad questions

• what do they offer teaching staff as a learning technology?


• do they offer affordances over existing technology within teaching, learning and assessment?

Specific question

• can the use of media tablets enhance the e-feedback process?

There have been a number of outcomes from the 2011/12 project. Including,

1. Reflective blog comments on using the iPads (http://wolseyweb.ucs.ac.uk/blogs/elevate/?tag=ipad)


2. Report: An iPad in the hands of lecturer: An e-feedback pilot study at UCS (bit.ly/HNZH0i)


3. Aims of the project 2012/13: A community of practice

The broad focus for 2012/13 is to develop a community of practice for staff who are using media tablets within Teaching, Learning and Assessment. This community of practice will helo us better answer the broad questions outlined at the start.

In terms of the deployment of media tablets at an institutional level, there are a number of other drivers which have influenced our implementation. Firstly, the cost of supplying and supporting Media Tablets means we are not proposing a media tablet for every member of staff. Secondly, media tablets are personal devices, and the likely use will be influenced by other emerging practices, such as bring your own device policies. Thirdly, a number of Schools, Divisions and Learning Networks have already, or are purchasing Media tablets to share or for staff.

Given the above, our approach is to help facilitate a community of practice within UCS around their use in teaching, learning and assessment. The primary aim of the community is to allow staff to make connections and share experiences. This will feed into wider discussions around implementation.

Pilot methodology

The project methodology will focus on support either 1-2-1 initiatives and course team deployments.

Loan of devices

• 5 iPad 3’s - Short term loans, including focus on e-feedback


• 3 iPad 2’s  - Long term loans to individual teaching staff


• 2 iPad 1’s - Long term loan to Student Union

We are supporting the iPad 3’s with high quality stylus / pens, and will be looking to support who use them within presentations with VGA connectors and Apple TV.

Support of your own device

The Elevate Team will be supplying iTunes Vouchers (£15), upto a maximum of £260 spend for 2012/13. Staff can request these on a first come, first served basis. The requirement will be they write a number of blog posts around their experiences and they use at least one of our supported iPad applications:

• GoodNotes


• Explain Everything


• Keynote


• iThoughts


• Outcomes

The outcomes from the project will be shared via the Elevate Team blog, and we’ll arrange a dissemination event in the summer term 2013.

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The emerging doc is available at the following location and will be updated to our projects page at the start of September 2012: http://bit.ly/KK5Jog