Transcript Title

The USQ Tablet PC Project
Birgit Loch
Department of Mathematics & Computing
and Division of ICT
University of Southern Queensland
[email protected]
http://www.sci.usq.edu.au/staff/lochb
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
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USQ context
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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
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
USQ Senior L&T Fellowship in 2009
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$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
Evaluation

Feedback
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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
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Some Challenges

ICT support, technical issues
 Uptake of new technology in time poor
environment
 One person driving the “trial”: what if
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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)
What we do with tablet PCs
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Writing in lectures
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To replace need for whiteboard. Keeps record.
Distance students can see what was written in
class.
Recording lectures
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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
What we do with tablet PCs
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Marking assignments
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Electronic submission encouraged at USQ.
Faster feedback if marked and returned
electronically.
Recording snippets
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Concepts identified as difficult are
explained in short recordings. Added to
study material. Responses to forum
questions, emails.
What we do with tablet PCs
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Recording individual student consultations
in mathematics/statistics support
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Allows students to play back later. Reinforces
understanding.
Going wireless!
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Handing the tablet PC to
students. Encourages shy
students or those without
English as first language to
contribute.
What we do with tablet PCs
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Running synchronous tutorials
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Web conferencing:
Elluminate Live,
MSN Messenger
New Camtasia software for lecture
recording
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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
Alternatives to tablet PCs
Pen-enabled screens (LTPF Project)
 Reduces
need for
tablet PCs
in class
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Alternatives to tablet PCs
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Digital note pens
Alternatives to tablet PCs
Ebook readers
 Faculty of
Business trial
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Thermodynamics: Andrew Wandell
To be presented at AaeE conference in Adelaide
Biodiversity & Conservation:
Andy Le Brocque
Programming: Michael de Raadt
Finance: Peter Phillips
Statistics, Christine McDonald
The Library:
Kaye England/ Ranald Simpson
Mathematics:
Trevor Langlands/ Birgit Loch
Mathematics: Birgit Loch
Nursing maths: Linda Galligan
Nursing maths: Birgit Loch
What about the students?
S1 2010 (VC’s strategic funds, Fellowship)
 Multi-Touch net books
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Preliminary outcomes:
Tablet PCs in S1 2009, general survey
Faculty/
Division
# responses
# Successful users
# courses
Tablet PCs
Education
3
2
2
3
Business
6
5
7
5 (+ 2)
Arts
2
1
4
2+1
Sciences
11
10
12
2 + 5 (+ 8)
Engineering 6
& Surveying
4
7
4 + 2 (+2)
Library
4
3
3+
1
total
32
25
35 +
17 + 8 (+12)
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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
The difference in perception of the need for a
Tablet PC in various disciplines
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Additional purchases in/after S1:
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No additional purchases:
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Engineering&Surveying, Sciences,
Business
Education, Arts
Same training and support for all users
Reasons: Sharing practice? Level of computer
confidence? Quantitative nature of discipline?
Faculty’s political situation?
Has your teaching approach (pedagogy)
changed
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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
What was your students’ attitude to your
use of the tablet technology?
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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.
Have you obtained unexpected results
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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 […]