Graduation Term

2019

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

School of Teaching and Learning

Committee Chair

Barbara B. Meyer

Abstract

With the increase of technology in classrooms today, school districts are using devices to prepare students to be literate in the digital world. Besides using computers, schools are introducing iPads as a way to give their students experiences with digital learning. One district embarked on a district-issued one-to-one iPad initiative in which every student was given an iPad to use for their academic and personal use. Despite iPads infiltrating high school classrooms, little research exists on the students’ perspectives of the use of the iPad for personal and academic use and the impact they have on student learning. In this study, students were interviewed about their experiences with the iPads and observed using the iPads in class. After the observations, the students were interviewed in a follow-up interview in which the students shared a work sample that was created using the iPad. These students were studied to understand how they were using the iPads and how the devices impacted their learning in the digital age. Using the constructivist theory and the SAMA model as guides, this study found that the students not only enjoyed using the iPads but were also able to navigate their education to effectively learn using the iPads. Although most of their implementation was at the substitution level, some students have used the iPads for higher-level activities in which they could produce items at the redefinition level that were never thought possible years ago.

Access Type

Dissertation-Open Access

DOI

http://doi.org/10.30707/ETD2020.Hess.S

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