Mobile Technology Integration in an Applied Science Program: Forestry goes Paperless

Prepared by:

Michael Paskevicius

Learning Technologies Application Developer

Centre for Innovation and Excellence in Learning CIEL

Vancouver Island University

Welcome to iPad for Dummies | from - http://www.flickr.com/photos/26646199@N05/6986804413/ Author: Wouter de Bruijn http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/deed.en

the iOS family pile (2012) | from - http://www.flickr.com/photos/blakespot/6860486028/ Author: blakespot http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en

Twitter on iPad | from - http://www.flickr.com/photos/pennwic/8254681239/lightbox/ Author: Weigle Information Commons http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/deed.en

AgendaOrigins of the VIU Forestry Tablet InitiativeLogistics of launching the program In class observations, usage, popular apps Issues and challenges Future plans Student feedback on the initiative Some takeaways

iPad Investigation - Field Mapping on an iPad 2 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/megstewart/6744596697/) / CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/)

Timeline• May, 2012 Review of program/course learning outcomes

• December, 2013 Initial planning for mobile initiative

• May, 2014 Ethics proposal for research

• August, 2014 Faculty interviews

• September, 2014 First year cohort enters program

• October, 2014 Initial student survey

• 2014-2015 Student interviews

• March, 2015 Student and faculty focus group

• April, 2015 Year end student survey

• May, 2015 Year end faculty interviews

Nanaimo Business News (2015). VIU Forestry Department To Go Paperless. http://nanaimobusinessnews.ca/2015/05/14/viu-forestry-department-to-go-paperless/ [Accessed: 31 May 2015].

Assaf, M. (2014) VIU Forestry Department Goes Paperless. VIU News, September 9, 2014. https://www.viu.ca/news/viu-forestry-department-goes-paperless [Accessed: 31 May 2015].

Goals of the Forestry Tablet Project

• Reduce textbook purchase costs for students: students will be offered free and/or openly licensed digital textbooks available for reading on the device

• Mirror industry standard practices : the forestry industry is gradually using iPads as an industry standard device for navigation as well as access to and collection of data in the field

• Enable collaborative learning in the classroom: allow students to use iPads for group work in class and access to the projector to share results (via Apple TV)

iOS Device Selection • Supporting multiple operating systems impossible

in the first iteration of the project

• (baseline minimum of Air, iPad 2, Mini, Mini with retina display)

• Only 3G devices include GPS unit

• Single platform:

• Allows level playing field for faculty and students

• Enable peer support

• Availability of tablets to loan

• Enable device ownership and management

Apple.com. (2014). Apple — ipad — compare ipad models.. [online] Retrieved from: https://www.apple.com/ca/ipad/compare/ [Accessed: 24 Jan 2014].

Device selection based on student survey

CIEL Involvement and Support

● Advising on initial rollout

● Classroom setup and configuration: Apple TV, extra wireless, interactive whiteboards, power

● Initial workshop on tablet basics (http://bit.ly/VIUTabletBasics)

● In class support, ongoing weekly class visits

● Researching of apps for instruction and student learning

● Research project on tablet initiative

Student Privacy, Consent and Acceptable Use Policy

Identifiable Privacy Risks

● Creation of Apple IDs - Suggestion of alias or pseudonym when setting up accounts

● Cloud data storage and accounts

Acceptable Use Policy

● General acceptable use policy

Peripherals and usage ● Waterproof case (Lifeproof,

Otterbox or Griffen)

● Most taking notes on device using external input device

● Use of camera for capturing whiteboard or blackboard diagrams

● Cell phone / calculator / pen and paper side by side for multitasking

Popular Apps

PDF Expert

Brainscape Evernote

SimpleMind

Office Apps

iOS Productivity

Penultimate

QuickPics

Dropbox Graph Paper

+ A host of forestry specific apps

Brainscape App

• Student generated flashcard decks developed for forestry courses

• Flashcards were shared amongst the class

• Flashcard decks were collaboratively improved

• Instructors started creating decks as well

● Airdrop not working as expected

● VIULearn (Desire2Learn) usability on tablet

● Lack of mouse pointer on device

● Productivity - multitasking lacking

● Wifi access across and off campus

● Experiences using devices in other courses

● Native Apple formats for docs/spreadsheets

● iOS Updates

Issues

The future ● Promote further feedback and engagement in class with iPad

○ Socrative / Polls.io

● Student presentations via AppleTV

● Location based quizzes○ QuesTInSitu

● September 2015 cohort

● Building apps for forestry processes?

● Undergraduate research - paper comparing tablet GPS, mobile GPS and professional grade Trimble GNSS receiver

Familiarity with the device and forestry specific applications perceived to increase employability.

The fact that it's industry standard, I am excited to go out and apply the mapping and surveying skills in the "real world," when I get a job this summer!

I really like how we are learning about the "old school" methods of forestry, but I think it's awesome, that we are learning more relevant/current industry standards.

I think it is incredibly cool to be using the iPads because it is a tool being used in the forestry industry. 4 of the jobs I have applied for ask that applicants have experience using the iPad in the field.

I have had a few interviews where employers are very interested in my knowledge of iPads. Adding these devices to the program has given my resume an advantage over other applicants and prepared me for work.

Based on survey feedback

Links to industry

Students appreciated having access to resources on demand at all times with the ability to search, query, share, annotate and compute electronic resources.

It is nice to be able to do labs on my iPad and hand them in day of. Workload at home is decreased somewhat because of how efficient it is in the classroom with the iPad.

To have the slides available that are being used in class. Taking pictures out in labs or in classroom demonstrations.

Easy access to d2l, and saving assignment sheets

I was biking everyday, so it was so awesome to just have this one device. I didn’t have to choose which textbook to bring that day and hope it was the one that I was going to use in the class.

Based on survey feedback

Convenience

Accessing a library of resources on a single device may promote engagement

I feel like I use more books and references because of it. I definitely do actually. Its not difficult to go and get hold of an ebook, especially with VIU having so many links available through the e-library.

You can just maximize efficient use of time. Between classes I am more likely to look over what is going to be in the lecture for the next class then I am if I was having to pull out a book, reference it, grab my laptop, see what pages I had to read. Its just a lot easier to simply flip through and be able to see what we are going to be working on that day. Based on interview and council presentation feedback

http://wordpress.viu.ca/council/mobile-learning-with-ipads/

Engagement

Observations

Students developed technological competencies using mobile devices and mobile productivity.

With students all using the same device there was an opportunity for improved peer-to-peer collaboration. Students share useful apps and workflows leading to shared peer-to-peer competency development.

Student didn't require as much technological help as we initially imagined as they worked together and helped one other.

I am competent with mobile technology, including tablets (such as an iPad mini, iPad Air, or tablet equivalent)

Spring 2015

Fall 2014

Knowledge Sharing

Program Level Mobile Device Implementation Document in process

1. Developing rationale 2. Infrastructure planning and required

supports 3. Pedagogical approaches

http://bit.ly/VIUTablets

Project blog

http://wordpress.viu.ca/ipadintegration

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit

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Prepared by: Michael Paskevicius Learning Technologies Application DeveloperCentre for Innovation and Excellence in Learningmichael.paskevicus@viu.ca

Follow me: http://twitter.com/mpaskevi

Blog: http://wordpress.viu.ca/ciel/

Presentations: http://www.slideshare.net/mpaskevi