Chapter 7: Curricular Use of the iPad 2 by a First-Year Undergraduate Learning Community

Abstract

Chapter 7 of Library Technology Reports (vol. 48, no. 8) “Rethinking Reference and Instruction with Tablets” reports out the results of an original research study that investigated how a first-year undergraduate learning community at the University of Illinois made use of an iPad 2 as part of their first-year course work. The study reports on data from two instruments: 1) the students completed an online Web-based survey and 2) also shared their curricular use of the iPad 2 through focus groups. Findings show that there are curricular uses of the iPad 2, particularly for in-class use, that allow students to connect with course-specific content such as their course management site for taking online quizzes and for class outlines and other lecture material; additional course uses of the iPad 2 by students are reported.