Integrating iPads: Perspectives and Possibilities in a High School ELA Context
Abstract: This case study presents participatory action research examining the experiences of a pre-service teacher implementing iPads during practicum. For two weeks, the pre-service teacher integrated a set of 20 iPads into a grade 10 Media Literacy Unit. Coded data from the teacher’s daily blog, interviews with students, and interviews with observers revealed these main themes: 1) teacher planning (challenges, benefits, future goals); 2) teacher delivery (challenges, benefits, future goals); 3) observed student behavior, 4) perceived student learning, and 4) implications for teacher education. While generalizations to other ELA classes cannot be made, the results of this pilot study suggest that tablet technology has the potential to aid the transition to 21st century learning at the secondary level, and warrants further research and attention.