J. WAKEFIELD, D. SMITH
Copyright © 2012 SciRe s .
648
things on our own. He didn’t just hand us the information;” “I
learned a lot about expanding my way of thinking and creativ-
ity. Different points of view were very mind opening;” and,
“[The professor] was wonderful! His class was very engaging.”
The survey statement “my learning was enhanced by the use of
educational materials in this course (i.e., textbooks, media,
handouts, films, Webboard, technology, and PowerPoint) indi-
cated that 68.8% of the 16 participants “strongly agreed.” The
open-ended comments included: “We used iPads which helped
so much! Instead of pulling out a huge laptop;” “iPads! The use
of new technologies was very useful in learning new things
very quickly and accessing new information that is not widely
available in a normal lecture style class;” “The iPad given to us
at the beginning of the year has really increased my interest in
this class. I found myself wanting to complete assignments with
ease. I had a blast taking this course;” and, “As we had iPads,
each of us had the opportunity to find information on the Web
and shared it with the class.” Only 37.5% “strongly agreed” that
they received timely and informative feedback on the course
assessments. One student stated, “Sometimes very confused
about dates and expectations.” This supports the observations
and interviews that suggested the students were uncomfortable
with the lack of constant and instantaneous feedback.
The goals of this Multicultural Education course (increase
student background knowledge of multiculturalism and educa-
tion, and to provide insights into the cultural, historical, and
philosophical foundations of education in a multicultural soci-
ety) were achieved through the utilization of the iPads. The
professor was able to successfully implement the iPads into a
university level course. Instead of the traditional paper-based
classroom, this transitional classroom was paperless, focused
on problem-solving, and emphasized teacher and student col-
laboration rather than the all-knowing professor. Because of the
positive and collaborative environment that the professor cre-
ated, the students responded positively and acknowledged this
course as meaningful, engaging, and challenging.
Implications
The solutions to the challenges of mobile technology integra-
tion into all levels of classroom teaching and learning are com-
plex. The one definite is that mobile technology is ubiquitous
and will continue to change both teachers and learners as it is
implemented in classrooms. Meeting the challenges will require
more large-scale research to determine the effects of mobile
learning on student outcomes. This will allow educators insight
into how exactly technology should be used which will affect
what technology will be purchased by school districts and uni-
versities and in what quantity. The face of research might also
need a facelift. Mobile learning research must be more readily
available for educators so that they know the best uses of mo-
bile devices, and teachers and students must become better
problem-solvers as the applications to educational learning
rapidly multiply and change. Universities must also make the
commitment to technology integration and must keep it on a
level playing field so that all teachers and students are provided
with equal teaching and learn ing opportunities.
With each technological innovation are questions about if it
is better than what was previously used or currently exists and
how we as educators should integrate each new innovation into
he classroom (Vratulis, Clarke, Hoban, & Erickson, 2012).
Historically, educators have relied on research-based instruc-
tion to guide the direction of learning. However, with ever-
evolving technology, it is difficult to rely on the slower accu-
mulation of research. Educators must become experiential re-
searchers who constantly search for answers, evolve their in-
struction and become adaptable to the constantly evolving mo-
bile technology. The idea of mobile learning and the ability to
equalize learning experiences have significant implications for
the future of teaching and learning. If the adage, “teachers teach
the way they’ve been taught” has any traction in teacher prepa-
ration programs, then more research related to mobile learning
will facilitate the advancement of using technology in teaching
and learning. As the study demonstrated, there are multiple
points of “tension” for both teachers and learners as educators
navigate the changes from Socrates to satellites.
t
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