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The USQ Tablet PC Project

The USQ Tablet PC Project. Birgit Loch Department of Mathematics & Computing and Division of ICT University of Southern Queensland Birgit.Loch@usq.edu.au http://www.sci.usq.edu.au/staff/lochb. Overview. USQ context Journey from one to many tablet PCs What we do with tablet PCs

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The USQ Tablet PC Project

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  1. The USQ Tablet PC Project Birgit Loch Department of Mathematics & Computing and Division of ICT University of Southern Queensland Birgit.Loch@usq.edu.au http://www.sci.usq.edu.au/staff/lochb

  2. Overview • USQ context • Journey from one to many tablet PCs • What we do with tablet PCs • New Camtasia software for lecture recording • Alternatives to tablet PCs • Examples • What about the students? • Preliminary outcomes

  3. USQ context • Regional university, located in Toowoomba 130km west of Brisbane. 2 smaller campuses • 27,000 students – ¾ study in distance mode • High percentage of low SES, mature age and part time students • High emphasis on ICTs and online delivery

  4. Journey from one to many tablet PCs • 2005: 1 (maths) • L&T Grant 2006: 7 (maths, stats, L&T support+3 for semester loan) • L&T Fellowship S1 2009 + additional: 50+ (all 5 Faculties, Library, L&T support) • Extension of L&T Fellowship into 2010:student tablet PCs

  5. USQ Senior L&T Fellowship in 2009 • $50,000: 100% teaching relief for 1 semester for fellow + Tablet PCs + software • plus $120,000: All Deans, CTO, VC, Toshiba (in kind) • Establishment of ICT policies and preferred model • Recruitment: targeted individuals and volunteers • Training and ongoing support • Community of Practice of Tablet PC users • Research into impact of Tablet PCs on teaching & learning • Strategic direction: Tablet PC University

  6. Evaluation • Feedback • Via email; from face to face informal meetings; via the community site, eg forum posts; “regular” reflections • Four staff surveys • Interviews • Student evaluations, student access of material, recordings

  7. Some Challenges • ICT support, technical issues • Uptake of new technology in time poor environment • One person driving the “trial”: what if • They leave the university • Drown under workload at end of teaching free semester • Decide to focus on different projects sustainable approach: distributive leadership, champions, “super users” (LTPF project)

  8. What we do with tablet PCs • Writing in lectures • To replace need for whiteboard. Keeps record. Distance students can see what was written in class. • Recording lectures • To provide a near on campus experience to distance students. Caters for more learning styles. To help students catch up on missed class. Repeat play back benefits international students. Mobile learning. http://tinyurl.com/austms

  9. What we do with tablet PCs • Marking assignments • Electronic submission encouraged at USQ. Faster feedback if marked and returned electronically. • Recording snippets • Concepts identified as difficult are explained in short recordings. Added to study material. Responses to forum questions, emails.

  10. What we do with tablet PCs • Recording individual student consultations in mathematics/statistics support • Allows students to play back later. Reinforces understanding. • Going wireless! • Handing the tablet PC to students. Encourages shy students or those without English as first language to contribute.

  11. What we do with tablet PCs • Running synchronous tutorials • Web conferencing: Elluminate Live, MSN Messenger

  12. New Camtasia software for lecture recording • Beta trial in 2008 • Faculty trial in S1 2009 • Roll out across USQ in S2 2009 • For ALL computers that can connect to the USQ server

  13. Alternatives to tablet PCs • Pen-enabled screens (LTPF Project) • Reducesneed fortablet PCsin class

  14. Alternatives to tablet PCs • Digital note pens

  15. Alternatives to tablet PCs • Ebook readers • Faculty of Business trial

  16. Thermodynamics: Andrew Wandell To be presented at AaeE conference in Adelaide

  17. Biodiversity & Conservation: Andy Le Brocque

  18. Programming: Michael de Raadt

  19. Finance: Peter Phillips

  20. Statistics, Christine McDonald

  21. The Library: Kaye England/ Ranald Simpson

  22. Mathematics: Trevor Langlands/ Birgit Loch

  23. Mathematics: Birgit Loch

  24. Nursing maths: Linda Galligan

  25. Nursing maths: Birgit Loch

  26. What about the students? • S1 2010 (VC’s strategic funds, Fellowship) • Multi-Touch net books

  27. Preliminary outcomes: Tablet PCs in S1 2009, general survey • 18 new fellowship tablet PCs (1 spare) • 8 new additional purchases • 12 existing tablet PCs • Approx 5,500 students taught with tablet PC in S1 Bold = fellowship + x = additional new (+ x) = existing

  28. The difference in perception of the need for a Tablet PC in various disciplines • Additional purchases in/after S1: • Engineering&Surveying, Sciences, Business • No additional purchases: • Education, Arts • Same training and support for all users Reasons: Sharing practice? Level of computer confidence? Quantitative nature of discipline? Faculty’s political situation?

  29. Has your teaching approach (pedagogy) changed • More collaborative • Students are now more involved in contributing • Freed from dot-point slides • Yes. I appreciate how much students prefer having you write […] • It has helped achieve my goal to close the 'soft' information gap between on and off campus students • Have based our class plans around the socio-cultural method of peer-learning • I have become more visual in the way that I teach • Not yet. No time to incorporate significant changes

  30. What was your students’ attitude to your use of the tablet technology? • VERY POSITIVE, excited, impressed by the use of this newer technology • They loved it • Mostly positive but again marred by the fact that I had a lot of technical difficulties • I asked and a couple responded to say they thought the handwritten comments were helpful but I suspect they would have found typewritten comments just as helpful.

  31. Have you obtained unexpected results • I thought the Tablet PC would be useful for working through quantitative work. I did not expect the more dynamic environment that it can help to generate and I did not expect it would be so useful for even the qualitative parts of the course. • Yes, whilst we thought the Tablet PC would increase student learning we were surprised by how much the Tablet PC increased our own engagement with technology. • In terms of how the use has invigorated my teaching. […] For the first time in years I have felt excited about my teaching and that is reflected in how I interact with students. So then they get excited […]

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