The iPad completely changed my recent experience consulting with a faculty member on her upcoming course. Let me preface this with a statement: I don't work for Apple although I do think they create interesting products. At our Center, we support both of the commonly used platforms. All that being said, I am going to try and share my interpretation of a discussion I had earlier this week with an instructor about further developing and supporting her course.
As the brainstorming session progressed, the instructor mentioned a nature preserve near downtown Atlanta where her students were going to do some exercises. I was unfamiliar with the location so I placed my iPad in between us and asked her to show me where this place was. Immediately, she was navigating the map, zooming in and out to locate the preserve. We could see the trails and the garden within the preserve where her student were going to learn about sustainability and nutrition. Then, as the discussion continued, she talked about a local group who was going to help with audio and video projects the students were creating about their neighborhood. We used the iPad go to the site and learn more about the equipment the group could offer her students so that we could continue the assistance when they came back to campus.
Finally, the discussion moved to what types of audio and video recording devices the instructor might get access to for the students to continue work outside the classroom. We used the iPad to go online and compare and contrast the capabilities of the devices as well as their availability for her class' time frame. Then, we talked about a technology for her to create a repository of her student's work throughout the course and used the iPad to run through a wiki and explain the process of creating an online collaborative space.
The one thing you can see from the story so far is that "we" has been used more than any other single word. This, I believe, is do to the iPad. Previously, during a discussion with an instructor, we would use a large display screen and CPU. Even with a wireless keyboard, more of our attention was fixed on the screen (that I controlled with the keyboard), not on each other to a greater degree. If I turned the keyboard over to the other person to show something, it was like I was giving them something owned by our Center. Much like I was being kind enough to share "our" computer. In addition to this, the first question was always "Is this a PC or Mac?" Using this type of technology still come with "barriers" and what I perceive as a teacher-learner environment.
Even with a SmartBoard, I still feel as though there must be a learning barrier to get over before interacting with the content on the screen. Interactive as it is, there is still a hesitancy to freely touch. Perhaps this is because the display is so large that others might see any mistakes, or maybe the "our" equipment issue weighs more than the interactive nature of the equipment. These feelings still exist if we meet in a semi-private area like our Center's Teaching Theatre.
With the iPad, the feeling was more like the instructor and I were learning and exploring together. The interface of the iPad removes any steep learning curves. The iPad screen is large enough for us to look together. I easily shared my iPad (simply by scooting it a little closer to the faculty member) and asking them to show me what they were planning to include in the course. It seemed as though all the barriers, either actual or perceived, were gone. There was much more of a working together by using the iPad than if I had used my laptop. With a laptop, there is still a barrier of the screen as well as a stronger issue of this is "my" computer that I happen to be sharing with you. With the iPad we could seamlessly hand-off and share a screen better suited for us (two of us). I felt it changed the feel of the entire discussion and removed any "I am the tech guy and your the teacher" feelings. As I said earlier, with the iPad, we were exploring, learning together. Our attention was on each other and the discussion, not the technology (this only after the initial "Oh boy, and iPad moment).
How one deals with others on a personal level of course plays an equally important role. However, I can't stop thinking about how this learning moment was positively impacted by the iPad. How I could not have developed that type of exchange with any of the other technology in our Center. My goal now is to see how it might change other teaching/learning moments between faculty, students and staff. Obviously it is not the solution for all of these types of exchanges, but I intend to capture and assess for which types of learning it works best.
