Today the new February Main 2012 students of Trinity College Foundation Studies (TCFS) begin their orientation activities. A key component of their academic orientation will be the distribution of iPads for use in the classroom and for study at home, in the library, or wherever students happen to be inspired or pressed by an assessment deadline. As we prepare a new cohort to commence their academic program using iPads, it is worthwhile reflecting both on the effectiveness of Trinity’s original iPad Pilot Program and the rationale for extending iPad use to all TCFS students and academic staff.
Final academic results for the iPad Pilot Group within Trinity College Foundation Studies show that iPad students achieved the highest individual scores in the 2011 February Main cohort. The iPad students achieved higher average scores than their February Main classmates. The iPad students also did better on average than classmates from their home countries.
TCFS became one of the first institutions in the world to trial iPads in the classroom when forty-four August Extended students and their teachers received the devices for use across the curriculum starting in August 2010. The August Extended students joined the February Main course in February 2011, comprising approximately 10% of the total February Main cohort of 406 students. These students completed their foundation studies in December 2011, prepared for entry to university in 2012. A higher percentage of the iPad students achieved scores required for entry to the University of Melbourne than non-iPad students who were enrolled in the same February Main course.
Background to August Extended
The August Extended Program is a long-established and academically successful small course that runs from August to February, with graduates joining the large February Main Program to complete their foundation studies before entering university. August Extended students are generally younger than their classmates in February Main, having in most cases left school in their home country one year earlier to come to Australia. August Extended students enter Trinity with lower IELTS scores than direct-entry February Main students (5.5 compared to 6). August Extended students come overwhelmingly from two countries: China and Indonesia, but a small number come from other countries such as Vietnam.
From August to early February, August Extended students study English (including Literature and Drama), History of Ideas, Mathematics, and a range of electives depending on their course objectives (Science or Arts/Commerce). Once they join the larger group in February Main, August Extended students undertake the same range of subjects and have the same classroom contact hours as other students in the February Main Program.
Despite entering TCFS with one year less of formal study in their home country and lower IELTS scores than their February Main direct-entry classmates, August Extended students traditionally achieve slightly higher average final scores than their February Main classmates. This trend was especially pronounced for the iPad Pilot Group at the top range of academic scores.
At the very peak of the marks scale, the iPad Pilot Group achieved the highest scores ever for August Extended students.
The joint top students for the February Main 2011 Intake came from the August Extended iPad Group, both with a Best 4 Average of 99%. This is the first time that the joint dux students have come from August Extended. Previous highest scores for recent August Extended students include: 96% in 2006; 98% in 2007; 97% in 2008; and 95% in 2009. None of these earlier August Extended students were dux of February Main.
August Extended iPad Pilot students performed significantly better than the general February Main cohort in terms of outstanding academic scores.
Students with a Best 4 Average of 95% or above
iPad Students: 19% All February Main: 7%
Students with a Best 4 Average of 90% or above
iPad Students: 42% All February Main: 33%
Best 4 Average All Students
iPad Students: 86.6% All February Main: 84.5%
August Extended iPad Pilot students also performed better than the cohort from their home country.
Final Best 4 Results by Nationality: iPad & Combined February Main
China (iPad): 86.88% All China: 85.2%
Indonesia (iPad): 84.85% All Indonesia: 84.5%
Vietnam (iPad): 92% All Vietnam: 88.1%
The statistics by nationality are significant given that August Extended students comprised a reasonably large proportion of the relevant nationality intakes:
China: 21% Indonesia: 28% Vietnam: 23%
Comparison of iPad August Extended and non-iPad August Extended
Of all August Extended groups, the iPad cohort achieved the best marks at the very highest range (students achieving Best 4 Average grades of 99% or above).
The iPad Pilot Group achieved the second highest Best 4 Average score of all August Extended cohorts (86.6% compared to 88.87% for the 2007 cohort).
The iPad Pilot Group achieved much better top-range scores than the average of the previous six years for August Extended students with excellent results (95% or above).
Students with a Best 4 Average of 95% or above
2004 to 2009 Average for August Extended: 9.9% 2010 iPad Group: 19%
In a series of surveys, interviews, and meetings held with participants in the original iPad Pilot, TCFS students and staff overwhelmingly recommended iPad use to future students and all teachers. They reported good educational outcomes from iPad use, particularly in the four areas of active learning techniques, individualising content for students, real time access to information, and collaborative learning. With the release of final academic results for the Pilot Program students in December 2011, it is very pleasing to see that recommendations from students and staff, and their comments about the quality of the educational experience with iPads, have been reinforced by the data on academic achievement.
The 2010 iPad Group was the largest August Extended cohort up to that time. (It has since grown 50% in 2011 after the successful introduction of the iPad). Throughout 2011 TCFS deployed iPads to all academic staff, with related training and a second trial of iPads with students in August Extended 2011 and September Extended 2011. As a result of the successful trials of iPads in 2010 and 2011, TCFS has implemented a program for all TCFS students to receive iPads for use in their studies. From the start of 2012 all new students in every intake will be allocated an iPad during Orientation. Our aim in using iPads across the curriculum is to provide students with the opportunity to go further academically, to go faster, and to have more fun. So far, all signs are positive.
Research and Evaluation: A Work in Progress
24/10/2011
In conjunction with the latest iPad Pilot underway at Trinity College Foundation Studies, there is research and evaluation work in progress to determine how we can best develop the most engaging and challenging programs for our Foundation Studies students. If you are interested in knowing more about this research, please look here at some excerpts from the Literature Review which has been undertaken, including the interim research questions, rationale for the research focus, and a selection of the Works Cited from the Literature Review. Our first pilot was also extensively evaluated in the Step Forward Report, which is also still available
As educators all around the world consider the fast developing options for personal mobile technologies available to their students, it is essential to share experiences, discuss, debate and engage with one another. As our last post demonstrated, collaboration between institutions, and sharing information and experiences really adds to the feeling of being embarked on an exciting journey as educators – an experience which students should be invited into, and enabled in many ways to shape for themselves.
It is also important to consider the systems and supports which are required to maintain the programs and curriculum – including the ways staff are engaging in professional development; the ways students are using their iPads in and out of the classroom for learning, and from these findings, to determine how to direct our future plans in ways which will maximise the benefits for our students. 
One key reference text which is guiding the research process is a collection of essays edited by Vavoula Giasemi, Norbert Pachler, and Agnes Kukulska-Hulme. Researching Mobile Learning: Frameworks, Tools and Research Designs.(2009) Oxford, Bern, Berlin: Peter Lang Verlag.
If you have any questions about the research, please comment here, or at the Academia.edu site. Comments and questions welcome.
Ongoing Educational Exchange
02/09/2011
On Tuesday 23 August, one day after the launch of Trinity’s second iPad pilot, we were pleased to host colleagues from Redlands College in Queensland. Craig Zaki, Annamari Twomey, Lucy Clinch and Adam Ayling dropped by to share experiences using iPads in the classroom. While Jennifer Mitchell and I were not in a position to demonstrate the use of iPads in the classroom that morning (because our August and September students had only arrived on Monday and were still undergoing orientation activities) we were happy to share the results of our earlier trial that ran from August 2010 until February 2011. We also discussed the extensive professional development with Trinity staff that has taken place throughout 2011.
In a broad ranging discussion we shared classroom experiences, anecdotes of how the varying cohorts of students adapt to the devices, useful applications to apply across disciplines or for very specific subjects, and the trials and tribulations of dealing with certain technical issues and attitudes. We agreed that things evolve quickly and are worth revisiting. (For example, Trinity had less than ideal experiences with E-Clicker in 2010 but Redlands has been using it seamlessly this year. We shared work together on SyncSpace, an application that is fairly new to us, and discussed the potential of SyncSpace for collaborative work in the classroom. Both Redlands and Trinity reported good experiences with Dropbox, and we’ve also appreciated updates and developments in a range of other applications, including Evernote.)
From discussions ranging through Maths and English to Physics and Japanese, with parallel conversations about staff professional development workshops and our experiences with Moodle and Turnitin, it is obvious that Craig, Annamari, Lucy and Adam have put a great deal of effort and imagination into the Redlands program and like Trinity see use of the iPads in a comprehensive and evolving manner. It is also clear both from their continued enthusiasm and the dynamic experiences in their classrooms that students and staff are finding real benefits.
We also discussed the light-hearted and the vexing. We learnt the tricks of students playfully locking classmates out of their devices (something Trinity hadn’t experienced before) and in turn discussed the wi-fi load issues that can complicate roll out to big groups of students when large numbers suddenly connect all at once (something that Trinity had experienced the previous day). We also explored the manner in which both Redlands and Trinity are using modern technology to encourage greater responsibility, independence and creativity among students, and the way in which iPads as a fast, light, flexible and connected device enable group work inside and outside the classroom as well as greater scope for students to individualise their work. Read the rest of this entry »
Two Pilots Are Better Than One
26/08/2011
TCFS students receive their iPads, 22 August 2011
On 22 August 2011 we moved to the next stage of our iPad trial at Trinity College Foundation Studies by welcoming students into the August Extended and September Extended programs. Each student was allocated an iPad to be used throughout their studies in Melbourne.
Use of iPads with the August and September cohorts of students is the final preparation before using iPads with every new student in every subject for all TCFS intakes commencing in 2012.
We ran our original trial of iPads in the classroom from August 2010 until February 2011, and this trial was very successful, leading to a recommendation from staff and students to expand the program in 2011 and beyond. Earlier this year Trinity rolled out iPads to all academic staff, with associated professional development led by Jennifer Mitchell and educational discussions held within academic departments. This preparation enabled plenty of time for skills training and curriculum development before the full implementation in 2012. At the same time we had ongoing improvements to our classroom AV equipment and close collaboration with staff in Information Technology Services, especially Martin Steers and Trent Anderson, to make sure that iPads were well integrated in teaching spaces and well supported.
The TCFS iTunes Card Mural
Well, it’s less than a week until the new students taking part in our pilot repeat arrive to begin their education journey with iPads at Trinity College Foundation Studies. Our preparation, as you can read in earlier posts, has focused on training our teachers, exploring new approaches to teaching and learning, and maximising student engagement. We’ve been pondering not only the logistics of implementation, distribution, and management, but also paying close attention to how we will be using iPads in the classroom, and how to best meet the needs of our particular students. It’s not all about the apps. Still, we’d like to share with you our app list for this Pilot – take two.
Apologies for the lack of posts over the past few months. It’s been a very busy time for everyone here at Trinity College Foundation Studies. In late April we got the go ahead to proceed to the final stage of our pilot program – the full rollout of iPads to all new students enrolled in our Foundation Studies programs, from 2012. This exciting news and the certainty it brings has given the “Step Forward Program” a new surge of energy and activity.
Foremost among the activities taking up much of our attention is supporting over eighty teachers to further develop their expertise in mobile technology, and integrate the iPad into their teaching practices. We are currently planning and working towards another pilot with students in the August and September intakes in 2011. This will be a chance to further experiment, conduct some quality research and evaluation, and refine our approaches before commencing with our main programs from February 2012.
iPad Professional Development for Teachers
09/03/2011
***The Professional Development opportunity listed below was in May, 2011.
If you are interested in Professional Development with other teachers at Trinity College, please make a comment below, or get in touch with us, here.
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Teachers who are interested in the iPad pilot at Trinity College Foundation Studies and would like to consider the teaching and learning opportunities of iPads at their school might be interested in an upcoming PD session at Trinity. This full-day session will be run by Glen Jennings and Jennifer Mitchell on 4 May.
Trinity College iPad Pilot Report Available
05/03/2011
As I reported below, the Report from our six month 1:1 iPad pilot was completed in January. The Report lays the foundations for bringing about the full vision that the Step Forward Pilot Project encompasses – a dynamic, engaging, active and creative curriculum for all students in the Foundation Studies Programs at Trinity College. Foundation Studies is a bridging program for International students preparing for studies at University. For more.
We can now share with you the full version of our ‘Step Forward’ iPad Pilot Report, which is available for viewing in a shared Google Doc.
Report on the Step Forward iPad Pilot Project
by Glen Jennings, Trent Anderson, Mark Dorset, and Jennifer Mitchell.
We have opened the report to comments and suggestions from the Academic Faculty at Trinity College, and we also welcome any and all comments, questions and reflections from our readers here. Feedback is an essential ingredient in any major institutional change – from both those involved, and from external observers.
In the next post soon to come, the philosophical and pedagogical underpinnings of Phase Two of the Project, detailed in an earlier post, will be outlined. I am also hoping to include a guest post from one of the students who undertook the August Early Entry program in 2010. Our students’ experiences and voices are another essential ingredient, and as Phase Two progresses, students will continue to be involved in the project. Several of the former August students have purchased their own iPads for their studies in the February Main Program. These students’ reflections and observations about the ways iPads are being used in the classrooms by teachers, and contributing to their learning experiences and study skills, will be sought and incorporated into the second pilot currently scheduled for 2011.
Please follow the link, and leave comments or questions.
Photos by Mark Chew
Jennifer
Pilot Report Findings and Phase Two
18/02/2011
We are just now into the second exciting phase of the ‘Step Forward’ iPad Pilot Project. 2011 will see all teaching, and many administrative staff at Trinity College Foundation Studies in possession of an iPad. This is going to be a year of much sharing of expertise and ideas, as well as a steep learning curve for most of us. The range of subjects taught with iPads in Phase Two will expand from the original subjects: English for Academic Purposes, Physics, Chemistry, Literature, History of Ideas, Drama, Environment and Development, Economics, and Maths 1, to now include Media and Communications, Accounting, Psychology, Maths 2, and Biology.
I include myself in the general mass for whom integrating a new technology into our work practices is a challenging undertaking. Under normal conditions I teach Literature. However, the departure of Mark Dorset to his exciting new role led to me being offered a great opportunity – a secondment as Education Technology Manager to support staff throughout this year of change.
There is a growing list of schools and educational institutions experimenting with iPads around the world, and the data arising from the first pilot studies is only now emerging. Trinity College is among the leaders forging a pathway into 1:1 mobile learning. Our report into the pilot program presents findings from the second survey administered to students and staff – and shows overwhelming endorsement of the iPad in teaching and learning.
Read more about the key findings and recommendations after the break.
Moving & Change
14/01/2011
Apologies for the lack of posts over the past month. Several events have been occurring recently in conjunction with the end of our six month pilot.
We’ve completed more surveys with staff and students, and used the large collection of data that we’ve amassed over the past few months to create a final report numbering roughly 20 pages. I hope that we’ll be able to publish it on this blog shortly.
Additionally, I was recently offered a new role that will allow me to assist a great number of educational institutions with their technology needs, and was too good an opportunity to refuse. As such, it’s with some sadness that I’ll be leaving Trinity College. Luckily, the iPad pilot is in great (if not better) hands now, with Trent Anderson and Jennifer Mitchell coming on board to ensure that the teachers are given strong support as our investigations into mobile technology continue.
cheers, and thanks for reading!
Photos by Mark Chew
Mark
