Strategies for Effective Laptop Use in Higher Education

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Strategies for Effective Laptop Use in Higher
Education

• Liesel Knaack
• Assistant Professor
• Faculty of Education, UOIT
• This is IT Conference
• May 24, 2007.

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Underlying Philosophy

• If one of your goals is to make students more
  proficient in using computers
• Laptops are the way to go (tablets, handhelds)
• Laptops can change the fundamental way education
  is delivered one bit at a time

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Scaffolding the Use of Laptops

• Laptop Distribution Time
• 4 Hours on Laptop Instruction
• Components Basic elements
• Hardware Printers, Home
• Software File Management
• Tech Use in Faculty Atomic Learning
• Sharing - website, conferences, workshops, staff
  meetings
• Core Tech Course for all students, advanced
  skills applications
• Investigation into other technologies
  SMARTBoards, new software, classroom response
  system

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

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Student Use In Class

• Probes
• Kits Activities
• Java Applets
• Streamed Videos
• Fast Feedback
• Clickers
• Web Articles
• Learning Objects
• Website Design

• Debates
• Case Studies
• WebQuest
• Research
• Software
• Robotics
• Digital Video
• Concept Mapping
• Wikis Blogs

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Student Use Outside Class

• Discussion Boards
• Posting Solutions
• Photo Story
• Mini Educational Video Clips

• Portfolios
• Video Projects
• Resource Collections
• Group Projects

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Student Use In Class Debates
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Student Use In Class Case Studies
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Student Use In Class WebQuest
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Student Use In Class Research
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Student Use In Class Java Applets
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Student Use In Class Videos
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Student Use In Class Fast Feedback
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Student Use In Class Web Articles
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Student Use In Class Lego Robotics
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Student Use In Class Software
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Student Use In ClassDigital Video Capture and
Analysis
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Student Use In Class Probes Probeware
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Student Use In Class Kits Activities
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Student Use Outside Class Online Discussion
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Student Use Outside Class Posting Solutions
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Student Use Outside Class Photo Story
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Student Use In Class Clickers
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Student Use In Class Web Site Design
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Student Use In Class Wikis Blogs
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Student Use In Class Learning Objects
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Student Use In Class Concept Mapping
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Student Use Outside Class Streamed Videos
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Student Use Outside Class Mini Video Clips
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Student Use Outside Class Portfolios
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Student Use Outside Class Video Projects
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Student Use Outside Class Resource Collections
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Student Use Outside Class Group Projects
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The Results

• Attitude
• Ability
• Levelling the playing field

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Attitudes
p lt .001
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Ability
Before
After
p lt .001
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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

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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

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Contact Information

• Dr. Liesel Knaack
• Assistant Professor
• Faculty of Education
• UOIT
• liesel.knaack_at_uoit.ca