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Jennifer Seif
Ontario Tech University
Abstract
This chapter will examine the use of tablets, within Secondary Schools and their impact on mobile learning. Within 21st century Secondary Schools and learning environments, tablets have been positioned as the popular mobile device of choice to support teaching and learning. For this analysis a mixture of studies, peer reviewed journals and articles were used to identify key themes that were viewed as having an impact on the usefulness of tablets within Secondary Schools. Three (3) themes emerged out of the literature review. The themes were related to how the perception of the usefulness of tablets among teachers and students impact on teaching and learning; how pedagogical supports or lack there of relating to tablet usage within Secondary classrooms impact on teaching and learning; and how an understanding of the 21st century skills or core learning competencies are supported through tablet usage within classrooms. The research suggested that teachers are primarily responsible for how tablets are incorporated into the curriculum and lesson plans. The general sentiment found within the research revealed that teachers require administrative support and substantial technological training to successfully incorporate tablets into their spaces in order for students to buy-in and use the tablets to their full potential. The findings suggest that there is still much work to be done in this field of study. In addition, it has been noted that student feedback, relating to recommendations for the successful implementation of tablet use within Secondary Schools, is often based on first hand experiences which has the potential to elicit additional qualitative research that can impact on future mobile device roll out policy and practices.
Keywords: Assistive Technology, Cognitive Load, Didactical Applications, Digital Anthropology, Mobile Learning, Tablets, Tablet Computers in Education, Tablets in Education, and Technology Acceptance Model (TAM).
Introduction
Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), specifically tablets, have been positioned as the mobile device to support and nurture 21st century skill of knowledge construction, collaboration, digital literacy, critical thinking and problem solving (Tkach, 2017). Within a Secondary School educational context, these mobile devices are used to,
- facilitate direct communication between student-teacher or student-student,
- create learner-centred knowledge construction,
- provide students with differentiated learning experiences,
- provide students with a variety of Apps that stimulate creativity and innovation,
- provide teachers with the ability to conduct timely efficient assessments,
- provide teachers with the ability to provide frequent student feedback,
- provide students with the ability to interact with topics of interest inside and outside of the classroom.
The potential positive impact that tablets have on learning requires that students an