The impact of introducing iPads in teacher education: A case study

Abstract

While continuing apace, deploying 1:1 technologies in educational institutions is characterised by inconsistent implementational effectiveness. For every study that points to the potential of personalised classroom technologies, another highlights their failures. Among the most pronounced problems are the inadequate digital capabilities of teachers. This case study examined how deploying 1:1 iPads in an undergraduate Individual Teacher Education (ITE) degree influenced the digital competencies of its participants. An online survey was disseminated twice—at the beginning of the 2019 academic year and one semester later—to a cohort (n=184) of ITE students who participated in the eLearning Programme at the School of Education at the University of Adelaide and a control group (n=178).Additional data from the participant groups were also collected. The digital capabilities of the experimental group improved significantly across the study’s time frame, whereas they remained static for the control group. The amount of printing per experimental group participant (an indicator of the extent of the digitisation of participants’ processes) was markedly lower than that of the control group. The study concluded that a comprehensive, multifaceted programme targeting the digital capabilities of ITE students assisted in achieving the aim. This case study presents findings of practical relevance to ITE institutions on how digital capabilities and their application to teaching and learning can be enhanced in their programmes.