Strategies for Effective Laptop Use in Higher Education Dr. Robin Kay & Dr. Liesel Knaack University of Ontario Institute of Technology Presented at EDUCAUSE 2004, Denver.

University of Ontario Institute of Technology Canadas newest university Opened Sept hour east of Toronto Focus on sciences, business/IT, criminology, education 2000 students – 6500 in 2010 All laptop (IBM Thinkpad) Community college/university partnership

Underlying Philosophy If one of your goals is to make students more proficient in using computers Laptops are the way to go The lecture format is ineffective – it simply does not work well Laptops can change the fundamental way education is delivered

Overview Student Use in Class Student Use Outside Class Teacher Use in Class Teacher Use Outside Class Sound Pedagogical Theory The Results

Sound Pedagogical Theory Cooperative Learning (Johnson & Johnson,1994) Constructivism (Bruner, 1983, 1986; Vygotsky, 1978) Learning Styles (Gardner, 1983) Problem Based Learning (Collins, et. al., 1989) Higher-Level Thinking Skills (Resnick, 1989) Connect to Real World Knowledge (Lampert, 1986) Applying Knowledge (Carroll, 1990)

Student Use In Class Debates Case Studies WebQuest Research Online Surveys Software Robotics Digital Video Java Applets Streamed Videos Fast Feedback Web Articles Probes Kits & Activities Kits & Activities

Student Use Outside Class Discussion Boards Posting Solutions Streamed Videos Mini Educational Video Clips Mini Educational Video Clips Portfolios Video Projects Resource Collections Group Projects

Teacher Use In Class Organizer PowerPoint Polling Students Brainstorming

Teacher Use Outside Class Web Page Lesson Plans Communication Web Resources Online Discussion

Student Use In Class Debates Description Divide students into learning teams (3-4 students) Introduce topics of discussion Assign teams topics (for and against) Teams post ideas in online discussion board Winners get bonus marks Examples What teaching methods are most effective? Should we have standardized tests ? Is technology useful in education?

Student Use In Class Case Studies Description Present case study (text and/or video) Have students work in teams of 3 to come up with a solution Post solution in discussion board Respond to another groups solutions Examples Difficult teaching scenarios? Challenging students? A good culminating task

Student Use In Class WebQuest Description Well organized web-based research activity Work in groups of 3-4 Provide key starting resources Clearly defined role for each group member Bring together work in final project Examples Math on Trial Comparing teaching philosophies See

Student Use In Class Research Description Search for information on specific topic Can use library resources, electronic database Evaluate quality of resources used Examples Survey research in teaching and education Collecting good lesson plans Any topic(s) related to lecture

Student Use In Class Online Survey Description Find survey on topic being discussed Create your own survey Good introductory activity that gets personal involvement Examples Learning Style Survey Knowledge about Learning Disabilities

Student Use In Class Java Applets Description Find related, interactive applets ahead of time Have students interact to solve problems Can be used for practice, exploration, and/or demonstration Examples Math Virtual Manipulatives

Student Use In Class Videos Description Short video clips on specific topics Can be used for demonstration purposes Ideal for linking to real world knowledge Examples Annenberg Video Collection Teaching Vignettes Illustrating Learning Disabilities

Student Use In Class Fast Feedback Description Using a free online survey tool at questions to get student feedback on class, pace, assignments, confusions, questions Give students 5 minutes at the end of each class Examples Learning objectives covered? Were assignments useful? Could have in-class mini-quizzes too to test understanding

Student Use In Class Web Articles Description Find current article, table of statistics, website on topic Nice introduction – focuses class Relates knowledge to real world Examples Announcement by Ministry of Education Article in paper or journal Education statistics

Student Use In Class Robotics: Hands On Activities Description Robots are built and program is downloaded to robot Programming on laptop Able to take to schools Examples Lego Mindstorms (Robotics): iconic programming Contests and higher level problem solving

Student Use In Class Software Description 64 software titles, documents, manuals Teach and use software in context of lesson Student access software immediately, use within lesson as another tool Examples Subject Specific (e.g., Science) Career Specific (e.g., marks programs) Creative (e.g., web page, photo editing) Utilities & Productivity (e.g., Camtasia,)

Student Use In Class Digital Video Capture and Analysis Description Use of laptop to download digital video taken with camera Students capture video of themselves presenting, teaching Aids in self-analysis, communication skills etc. Examples Making mini-movies – use in learning Mini-Teaching Storytelling Skits and Presentations

Student Use In Class Probes & Probeware Description Use laptop to connect probe Use software on laptop to gather data and plot/analyze information Can take into field (e.g., forest, streams) Examples Pasco & Data Studio Vernier & Logger Pro Chemistry, Physics, Sciences

Student Use In Class Kits & Activities Description Use laptop to use kit materials Electronic engineering kit for high school Can take into field and use Examples Breadboard LED lights and chip Use parallel port connection

Student Use Outside Class Online Discussion Description Small groups (5-10) Focussed topics Short time period for participation (1 week) Clear subject line, short specific posts, references Examples Is technology and effective tool for teaching mathematics? Collaboration, Competition, or Individual: Which is the best approach to teaching a new concept?

Student Use Outside Class Posting Solutions Description Typed answers, scanned diagrams, concept maps Effective way to share solutions and promote discussion Get students to evaluate each others answers Examples Solutions to a math problem Strategies to deal with a case study Concept maps of how they understand teaching

Student Use Outside Class Streamed Videos Description Depends on discipline minute videos to view and evaluate Share observations in discussion board Examples Annenberg Videos Arts, Education, Foreign Language, Literature, Science, History

Student Use Outside Class Mini Educational Video Clips Description Short 1-3 minute clips Explain how to do a specific problem or task Both video and audio explanation Organized on a web page Examples Camtasia Video and Audio Capture of math solutionsCamtasia Video and Audio Capture Clips to explain how to use software Demonstrations

Student Use Outside Class Portfolios Description Culminating Task often done with web page Electronically records what you did during the year Students reflect/evaluate assignment Summary of key projects, tasks done throughout the year Examples Problem Sets or Assignments Summary documents Works well in education

Student Use Outside Class Video Projects Description Short (5-10) video clips of students presenting or demonstrating Video clip is digitized Students & Teacher evaluate clip Clips can be used in subsequent years Examples Microteaching Business / Technical Presentations Demonstration of how to do a specific task

Student Use Outside Class Resource Collections Description Students analyse web pages or other resources Provided annotated reviews of resources (give template) Could do mini clip as well on resource Post review in discussion board Organize reviews in web page Examples Educational resources for lesson plans Good Programming Web Sites Reviews of streamed videos

Student Use Outside Class Group Projects Description Students (4-6) work together on a specific project Can use discussion board, , shared documents, synchronous communication Examples HyperStudio music projects Creating web pages Teaching modules Video Projects

Teacher Use In Class Organizer Description Graphic that gives overview of where class is going Electronic agenda of what will be covered Examples Lesson Plan Graphic guide in PowerPoint

Teacher Use In Class PowerPoint Description Dont over use (no longer than minutes) – then activity Keep it simple – One background, one transition Limit text per page Add videos / graphics Examples Intro to topic Demonstration

Teacher Use In Class Polling Students Description Use to poll students whether they understand a conceptwww.getfast.ca Can look at results immediately Gets students to focus Allows teacher to back track Examples Did you understand how to do problem A? What questions do you have? What dont you understand?

Teacher Use In Class Brainstorming Description Ask for ideas, thoughts, opinions on a specific topics Record ideas electronically (get fast typist in class to do this) Post ideas on web page Examples Introducing a new area / concept Strategies for dealing with a problem

Teacher Use Outside Class Web Page Description Keeping track of announcements, policies, lessons plans, resources, assignments Great organizer You have to notify students of key changes you make You have to go through each section with students Examples Math Methods Course WebCT or Blackboard Course

Teacher Use Outside Class Lesson Plans Description Post key areas covered each lesson and resources Simple overview, not complete lecture notes Gives student idea of what they missed Helps organize flow of class Examples Lesson Plan for Education Course

Teacher Use Outside Class Communication ( ) Description Respond ASAP Keep message short (it sets the tone) I need help s Group can be effective (reading rate 60%) especially school-base Examples Student questions / concerns Reminders or forgotten announcements A new kind of office hour?

Teacher Use Outside Class Web Resources Description Invaluable to student BUT Limit to 5 good one per area Emphasize 1 or 2 because that is all many students can handle Annotate (you or the students) Give student time to look at them in class Examples Key educational web resources organized in web pageeducational web resources

Teacher Use Outside Class Online Discussion Description Limit the number of participants (5-10 per group) Limit teacher posts Monitor student use (quality, when, how often) Evaluate whether it worked Examples Any number of controversial topics Learning a new task (programming language / HTML)

The Results Attitude Ability Levelling the playing field

Attitudes Before LaptopAfter Laptop Attitude MeasureM(SD)M dft Affective52.1( 8.7)54.1(10.1) Cognitive80.3(10.3)82.2(11.0) Behavioural54.2(14.4)59.7( 8.8) * Perceived Control32.1(38.6)38.6 ( 7.5) * * p <.001

Ability Operating Systems60.1(19.2)73.5(11.9)-7.71 * Communication41.5(12.9)51.7( 8.0)-8.24 * WWW Skills44.6(15.1)59.7( 9.7)-8.89 * Word Processing52.3(14.6)66.1( 9.1)-8.05 * Spreadsheets20.4( 7.0)26.0( 4.8)-6.62 * Database14.2( 8.5)18.4( 7.8)-5.13 * Graphics13.8( 7.3)21.9( 7.0)-8.24 * Multimedia13.8( 6.6)24.0( 5.4) * Create Web Page25.6(15.2)57.2(15.7) * Programming23.8(15.5)29.8(18.2)-4.16 * * p <.001 BeforeAfter

Levelling the Playing Field Individual differences in ability between males and females disappeared after 8 months Individual difference between beginners and experts disappeared after 8 months

Summary Pedagogy must be there Need to consider In and Outside Class Use Need to consider teacher AND student use Outside class does not need laptop Inside class does – key advantage Bottom Line Engages students Improves attitude & ability Acts as an equalizer

Contact Information Robin Kay Liesel Knaack