Tablet Computing Seminar

Weekly Plan:
Posting the instructions in batches rather than all at once will be done in an order to avoid any
information overload or appearing to overwhelm people. If members of the seminar need the
work ahead of time I can privately email it to them.
The timeline for the instructions is:
Topic 1: Friday
Topic 2: Sunday
Topic 3: Tuesday
Topic 4: Thursday evening discussion
Ill engage and respond to participants discussion posts and comments throughout the week.
Twitter hashtag will be #oltdTablets and G+ hashtag will be #tablets. Id like to use our groups
Google+ page in order to keep everything centralized and perhaps spark the interest of other
participants in other seminars. If you could make me a section Id appreciate it.
Participant Instructions:
1. Tablet computing has is a very hot topic in education today. Only five years ago no one knew
about tablet computing or even the concept that tablets were even remotely possible in an
educational environment. Since this time there have been a number of schools, districts, and
individual educators who have explored the pedagogical benefits of tablet computers.
It has not been without its challenges, and there are many who feel that tablet computers are
inappropriate tools for classroom use. Still other teachers feel that they are excellent learning
tools which can further educational goals within a classroom.
Consider both sides of these arguments and create a Google+ post using the hashtag #tablets
outlining your agreement with one (or some of both) sides of the argument surrounding tablet
computers in the classroom. Please make specific mention of any areas that you feel tablets
are replacing a more primitive tool, or simply augmenting one.
Four articles to get you started, but feel free to consider any additional resources you find:
Potential Issues:
http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2013/top-3-problems-with-tablets-in-the-classroom/
http://www.emergingedtech.com/2014/02/7-potential-issues-to-be-prepared-for-when-bringingtablets-into-the-classroom/
Positives:
http://www.teachthought.com/technology/reasons-to-use-tablets-in-the-21st-century-classroom/

http://content.mobicip.com/content/benefits-tablets-classroom-learning
2. Consider the following video and diagram:
http://www.elearninglaura.net/2012/04/05/video-ipad-lesson-workflows/
http://pln.mulgrave.com/6rj/files/2013/02/iPad-placemat-1v0wejv.pdf
Using the definition of a workflow, consider a lesson or series of lessons that would require at
least three connected applications. Why were these applications chosen? What potential
problems may exist with respect to the workflow? Would a more universal application achieve
the same goal?
Create a post on Google+ using the hashtag #tablets discussing your workflow.
3. There are a number of excellent applications that tablet computers can use. These
applications, however, may be designed for specific user experiences in mind (one user,
multiple users, etc). It is important to consider that teachers may not have access to a full set of
tablets, or if they do, they will need to utilize these tablets differently than if they only had a few.
Consider the following scenarios in a class of 28 students:
1 tablet available
4 tablets available
14 tablets available
28 tablets available
Consider the following two excellent lists of educational apps. These are certainly not
exhaustive, however, they are a good breakdown of some of the more popular applications
available.
http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2012/12/a-list-of-all-best-ipad-apps-teachers.html
http://www.schrockguide.net/bloomin-apps.html
Using these applications, consider what differences (which to purchase, how to use) would
occur depending on the number of tablets in the classroom. Post these similarities and
differences to Google+ using the hashtag #tablets.

4. Please join me on DATE for a 30 minute concluding discussion about the uses of tablets in
the classroom. This will be a roundtable discussion and I will act as moderator rather than
instructor. OR potentially:
Complete a summative Google+ post discussing the relevance of tablet computing with respect
to the critical challenge question.