Authentic Learning Using Tablet Technology in UQ’s Advanced Concept Teaching Space
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Authentic Learning Using Tablet Technology in UQ’s Advanced Concept Teaching Space. Anton Rayner The University of Queensland. Initial Intervention.
Authentic Learning Using Tablet Technology in UQ’s Advanced Concept Teaching Space
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Authentic Learning Using Tablet Technology in UQ’s Advanced Concept Teaching Space Anton Rayner The University of Queensland
Initial Intervention • A selection of tutorials in Engineering Thermodynamics were run using tablet PC's and DyKnow to facilitate problem solving and interactions between students. • Students wrote problem solutions on the tablet screens in pairs, and tutors managed tutor-student and student-student interactions using software. • Allows for replay of student work, or a tutor's worked example. • Manage groupings of students & broadcast of student working. • Collection of student attempts & re-distribution of feedback/marked work
Outcomes • Significant increase in overall student assessment results. • Improved familiarity and ability to use tablet technology. • Influenced tutor's understanding of learning & teaching process. • Motivated refinements in tutorial process for following semester.
Assessment Results Students in tablet groups attended tutorials more regularly and achieved marginally better tutorial results (P=0.076). They also gained comparatively higher overall results (P=0.003) and final grades (P=0.009), but performance on the mid-semester examination was not affected (P=0.995).
The ‘Advanced Concept Teaching Space’ • Individual tablet screens, with collaboration facilitated by having students work in groups through DyKnow.
Selection of Learning Activities • These were in addition to standard textbook problems • Find a practical application of pistons (or similar devices) and use the first law to estimate the rate of heat & work transfer during operation of the piston. • Design an exam question (an example was provided). • Suggest improvements to example "solutions" (to help students focus on process)
Challenges and Affordances • Familiarity with software/hardware. • Alternatives if technical problems? • Balancing group and individual work • Set up groups only after some individual working time (also caters to late arrivals) • Distractions • Access to varied data sources; Specifications of real devices, etc. to allow authentic analysis. • Group collaboration and ‘arguments’ • More emphasis on staff preparation, but added freedom during session • Impetus for change
Implications • Improved problem solving skills with tablets? • Range of marks suggest a greater fraction of students from ‘ACTS’ group successfully attempted a specific exam question (analysis of mixing chamber). • Many informal comments that students enjoyed trying to deal with ‘real’ situations, but also found this difficult (tended to be from higher-performing cohort). • Potential bias due to self-selection.
Summary • Trial suggests improvements in learning above revised tutorial structure • Perhaps confounded by self-selection of participants • Students appreciate opportunity to use technology and work together on realistic situations • Sufficient positive outcomes to motivate further work – but need to reduce constraints to further enhance outcomes.
