Strategies for
Effective Laptop Use
in Higher Education
Dr. Robin Kay & Dr. Liesel Knaack
University of Ontario Institute of Technology
Presented at EDUCAUSE 2004, Denver.
University of Ontario Institute of
Technology
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Canada’s newest university
Opened Sept 2003
1 hour east of Toronto
Focus on sciences, business/IT,
criminology, education
2000 students – 6500 in 2010
All laptop (IBM Thinkpad)
Community college/university
partnership
Underlying Philosophy
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If one of your goals is to make students
more proficient in using computers
• Laptops are the way to go
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The lecture format is ineffective – it
simply does not work well
• Laptops can change the fundamental way
education is delivered
Overview
Sound Pedagogical Theory
Student Use in Class
Teacher Use in Class
Teacher Use Outside Class
Student Use Outside Class
The Results
Sound Pedagogical Theory
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Cooperative Learning (Johnson & Johnson,1994)
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Constructivism (Bruner, 1983, 1986; Vygotsky, 1978)
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Learning Styles (Gardner, 1983)
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Problem Based Learning (Collins, et. al., 1989)
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Higher-Level Thinking Skills (Resnick, 1989)
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Connect to Real World Knowledge (Lampert, 1986)
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Applying Knowledge (Carroll, 1990)
Student Use In Class
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Debates
Case Studies
WebQuest
Research
Online Surveys
Software
Robotics
Digital Video
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Probes
Kits &
Activities
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Java Applets
Streamed Videos
Fast Feedback
Web Articles
Student Use Outside Class
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Discussion Boards
Posting Solutions
Streamed Videos
Mini Educational
Video Clips
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Portfolios
Video Projects
Resource Collections
Group Projects
Teacher Use In Class
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Organizer
PowerPoint
Polling Students
Brainstorming
Teacher Use Outside Class
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Web Page
Lesson Plans
Communication
Web Resources
Online Discussion
Student Use In Class
Debates
Description
Divide students into learning teams
(3-4 students)
 Introduce topics of discussion
 Assign teams topics (for and against)
 Teams post ideas in online discussion board
 Winners get bonus marks
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Examples
What teaching methods are most effective?
 Should we have standardized tests ?
 Is technology useful in education?
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Student Use In Class
Case Studies
Description
Present case study (text and/or video)
 Have students work in teams of 3 to come up with a solution
 Post solution in discussion board
 Respond to another groups solutions
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Examples
Difficult teaching scenarios?
 Challenging students?
 A good culminating task
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Student Use In Class
WebQuest
Description
Well organized web-based
research activity
 Work in groups of 3-4
 Provide key starting resources
 Clearly defined role for each group member
 Bring together work in final project
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Examples
Math on Trial
 Comparing teaching philosophies
 See http://webquest.org/
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Student Use In Class
Research
Description
Search for information on specific topic
 Can use library resources,
electronic database
 Evaluate quality of resources used
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Examples
Survey research in teaching and education
 Collecting good lesson plans
 Any topic(s) related to lecture
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Student Use In Class
Online Survey
Description
Find survey on topic being discussed
 Create your own survey
 Good introductory activity that gets personal
involvement
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Examples
Learning Style Survey
 Knowledge about Learning Disabilities
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Student Use In Class
Java Applets
Description
Find related, interactive applets ahead of time
 Have students interact to solve problems
 Can be used for practice, exploration, and/or demonstration
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Examples
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Math Virtual Manipulatives
Student Use In Class
Videos
Description
Short video clips on specific
topics
 Can be used for demonstration purposes
 Ideal for linking to real world knowledge
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Examples
Annenberg Video Collection
 Teaching Vignettes
 Illustrating Learning Disabilities
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Student Use In Class
Fast Feedback
Description
Using a free online survey tool
at www.getfast.ca
 2-3 questions to get student feedback
on class, pace, assignments, confusions,
questions
Give students 5 minutes at the end of each class
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Examples
www.getfast.ca
 Learning objectives covered?
 Were assignments useful?
Could have in-class mini-quizzes too to test understanding
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Student Use In Class
Web Articles
Description
Find current article, table of statistics, website on topic
 Nice introduction – focuses class
 Relates knowledge to real world
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Examples
Announcement by Ministry of Education
 Article in paper or journal
 Education statistics
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Student Use In Class
Robotics: Hands On Activities
Description
Robots are built and program is
downloaded to robot
 Programming on laptop
 Able to take to schools
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Examples
Lego
Mindstorms (Robotics):
iconic programming
 Contests and higher level
problem solving
Student Use In Class
Software
Description
64 software titles, documents, manuals
 Teach and use software in context of lesson
 Student access software immediately,
use within lesson as another tool
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Examples
Subject Specific (e.g., Science)
 Career Specific (e.g., marks programs)
 Creative (e.g., web page, photo editing)
 Utilities & Productivity (e.g., Camtasia,)
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Student Use In Class
Digital Video Capture and Analysis
Description
Use of laptop to download digital video taken with camera
 Students capture video of themselves presenting, teaching
 Aids in self-analysis, communication skills etc.
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Examples
Making mini-movies – use in learning
 Mini-Teaching Storytelling
 Skits and Presentations
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Student Use In Class
Probes & Probeware
Description
Use laptop to connect probe
 Use software on laptop to gather data and
plot/analyze information
 Can take into field (e.g., forest, streams)
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Examples
Pasco & Data Studio
 Vernier & Logger Pro
 Chemistry, Physics, Sciences
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Student Use In Class
Kits & Activities
Description
Use laptop to use kit materials
 Electronic engineering kit for
high school
 Can take into field and use
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Examples
Breadboard
 LED lights and chip
 Use parallel port connection
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Student Use Outside Class
Online Discussion
Description
Small groups (5-10)
 Focussed topics
 Short time period for participation (1 week)
 Clear subject line, short specific posts, references
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Examples
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Is technology and effective tool for teaching mathematics?
Collaboration, Competition, or Individual:
Which is the best approach to teaching a new concept?
Student Use Outside Class
Posting Solutions
Description
Typed answers, scanned diagrams, concept maps
 Effective way to share solutions and promote discussion
 Get students to evaluate each others answers
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Examples
Solutions to a math problem
 Strategies to deal with a case study
 Concept maps of how they understand teaching
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Student Use Outside Class
Streamed Videos
Description
Depends on discipline
 10-30 minute videos to view
and evaluate
 Share observations in discussion
board
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Examples
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Annenberg Videos
• Arts, Education, Foreign Language, Literature, Science, History
Student Use Outside Class
Mini Educational Video Clips
Description
Short 1-3 minute clips
 Explain how to do a specific problem
or task
 Both video and audio explanation
 Organized on a web page
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Examples
Camtasia Video and Audio Capture of math solutions
 Clips to explain how to use software
 Demonstrations
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Student Use Outside Class
Portfolios
Description
Culminating Task often done with web page
 Electronically records what you did during the year
 Students reflect/evaluate assignment
 Summary of key projects, tasks done throughout the year
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Examples
Problem Sets or Assignments
 Summary documents
 Works well in education
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Student Use Outside Class
Video Projects
Description
Short (5-10) video clips of students presenting or demonstrating
 Video clip is digitized
 Students & Teacher evaluate clip
 Clips can be used in subsequent years
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Examples
Microteaching
 Business / Technical Presentations
 Demonstration of how to do a specific task
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Student Use Outside Class
Resource Collections
Description
Students analyse web pages or other resources
 Provided annotated reviews of resources (give template)
 Could do mini clip as well on resource
 Post review in discussion board
 Organize reviews in web page
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Examples
Educational resources for lesson plans
 Good Programming Web Sites
 Reviews of streamed videos
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Student Use Outside Class
Group Projects
Description
Students (4-6) work together on a specific project
 Can use discussion board, email, shared documents,
synchronous communication
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Examples
HyperStudio music projects
 Creating web pages
 Teaching modules
 Video Projects
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Teacher Use In Class
Organizer
Description
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Graphic that gives overview of where class is going
Electronic agenda of what will be covered
Examples
Lesson Plan
 Graphic guide in PowerPoint
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Teacher Use In Class
PowerPoint
Description
Don’t over use (no longer than 10-15 minutes) – then activity
 Keep it simple – One background, one transition
 Limit text per page
 Add videos / graphics
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Examples
Intro to topic
 Demonstration
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Teacher Use In Class
Polling Students
Description
Use www.getfast.ca to poll
students whether they understand
a concept
 Can look at results immediately
 Gets students to focus
 Allows teacher to back track
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Examples
Did you understand how to do problem A?
 What questions do you have?
 What don’t you understand?
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Teacher Use In Class
Brainstorming
Description
Ask for ideas, thoughts, opinions on a
specific topics
 Record ideas electronically
(get fast typist in class to do this)
 Post ideas on web page
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Examples
Introducing a new area / concept
 Strategies for dealing with a problem
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Teacher Use Outside Class
Web Page
Description
Keeping track of announcements, policies, lessons plans,
resources, assignments
 Great organizer
You have to notify students of key changes you make
You have to go through each section with students
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Examples
Math Methods Course
 WebCT or Blackboard Course
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Teacher Use Outside Class
Lesson Plans
Description
Post key areas covered each lesson and resources
 Simple overview, not complete lecture notes
 Gives student idea of what they missed
 Helps organize flow of class
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Examples
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Lesson Plan for Education Course
Teacher Use Outside Class
Communication (Email)
Description
Respond ASAP
 Keep message short (it sets the tone)
 “I need help” emails
 Group email can be effective (reading rate 60%)
especially school-base email
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Examples
Student questions / concerns
 Reminders or forgotten announcements
 A new kind of office hour?
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Teacher Use Outside Class
Web Resources
Description
Invaluable to student BUT
 Limit to 5 good one per area
 Emphasize 1 or 2 because that is all many students can handle
 Annotate (you or the students)
 Give student time to look at them in class
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Examples
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Key educational web resources organized in web page
Teacher Use Outside Class
Online Discussion
Description
Limit the number of participants (5-10 per group)
 Limit teacher posts
 Monitor student use (quality, when, how often)
 Evaluate whether it worked
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Examples
Any number of controversial topics
 Learning a new task (programming language / HTML)
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The Results
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Attitude
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Ability
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Levelling the playing
field
Attitudes
Before Laptop
Attitude Measure
After Laptop
M
(SD)
M
(SD)
Affective
52.1
( 8.7)
54.1
(10.1)
50
-1.71
Cognitive
80.3
(10.3)
82.2
(11.0)
51
-1.35
Behavioural
54.2
(14.4)
59.7
( 8.8)
50
-3.45 *
Perceived Control
32.1
(38.6)
38.6
( 7.5)
51
-6.72 *
* p < .001
df
t
Ability
Before
After
Operating Systems
60.1
(19.2)
73.5
(11.9)
-7.71 *
Communication
41.5
(12.9)
51.7
( 8.0)
-8.24 *
WWW Skills
44.6
(15.1)
59.7
( 9.7)
-8.89 *
Word Processing
52.3
(14.6)
66.1
( 9.1)
-8.05 *
Spreadsheets
20.4
( 7.0)
26.0
( 4.8)
-6.62 *
Database
14.2
( 8.5)
18.4
( 7.8)
-5.13 *
Graphics
13.8
( 7.3)
21.9
( 7.0)
-8.24 *
Multimedia
13.8
( 6.6)
24.0
( 5.4)
-13.92 *
Create Web Page
25.6
(15.2)
57.2
(15.7)
-27.23 *
Programming
23.8
(15.5)
29.8
(18.2)
-4.16 *
* p < .001
Levelling the Playing Field
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Individual differences in ability between
males and females disappeared after 8
months
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Individual difference between beginners and
experts disappeared after 8 months
Summary
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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
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Engages students
Improves attitude & ability
Acts as an equalizer
Contact Information
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Robin Kay
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Liesel Knaack
• robin.kay@uoit.ca
• liesel.knaack@uoit.ca