Research Question Choice
“What are the stated differences between the attitudes of students and teachers to the iPad initiative in the UAE?” is the research question chosen as the basis for the interviews.
Interview One
The iPad initiative is the topic that has been lately discussed for a long period of time. Can you please tell me more about your feelings concerning the necessity to implement mobile devices in the classroom and your observations on how students accepted this initiative?
In fact, I have heard about the possibility to implement this initiative several (to be more exact, four) years ago. My colleagues started talking about this topic, and I was wondering what could happen if special mobile devices were offered for students in the classrooms. I tried to search for more information online and realize if I wanted the same initiative being implemented in our classrooms. To my surprise, our University approved this initiative in 2012. I was ready and eager to check if the outcomes of that initiative’s use could be possible or negative.
As for my feelings, I think I was lucky to use this new approach for teaching students. I believe that nowadays, people have to be technologically literate. It is hard to imagine the current world without technologies. That is why the idea to use mobile devices in the classrooms is a good opportunity for students to learn new material and improve their technological skills and for teachers to improve their technological background and to save time and efforts. Teachers do not have to explain the same concepts for a number of times. It is enough to create a post and ask students address any time they need clarifications.
Actually, I think that the use of mobile devices in the sphere of education is a good chance to change and improve the current situation. I observe the fact that modern students like changes. They lose their interest in education working under the same conditions. The use of mobile devices is an opportunity to try something new. In my opinion, this initiative cannot be neglected, and its benefits like student satisfaction and readiness to work are evident even before its implementation.
Interview Two
You are one the teachers, who know a lot about the iPad initiative. It has been already implemented in your classrooms. Can you tell me more about the conditions under which it was implemented, if you were forced or eager to use iPads as a new opportunity in the sphere of education?
I remember the changes that took place in 2012. In spite of the fact that it seemed like teachers and students were forced to use the offered initiative in their classrooms, they were eager to try this new concept and observe the results they could achieve. I think that success of this innovation can be explained by the possibility to organize its implementation properly.
First, important data was collected about teachers’ perceptions of iPads and their personal readiness to use these mobile devices as a teaching tool. It was necessary to clarify if teachers were in need of special pedagogic preparations.
Then, teachers got two or three months to get prepared for the implementation of the idea of iPads in the classroom. The supporters of the initiative tried to do everything possible to make teachers comfortable and satisfied with this innovation. We were explained how to use iPads, what programs were more appropriate for our educational purposes, and why the initiative should not be accepted as a challenge but a chance to improve the current educational process. I think that due to the technological and personal preparations, the process of the iPad implementation was not too difficult. It was accepted as something that had been expected for a long period of time. I want to believe that this initiative opens new horizons in the sphere of education and provides students and teachers with new options to rely on.
Summary of the Interviews
Variables: students’ satisfaction (dependent), teachers’ preparations (independent), iPad initiative (independent), motivation (independent).
Analysis. The first interview proves the fact that technological literacy turns out to be a crucial point for consideration (Gitsaki et al. 1). It helps to understand that teachers expect to benefit with the iPad initiative in a variety of ways. In spite of the fact that the iPad initiative is enforced by its nature, it seems that students and teachers are not disappointed with the task they face. The use of mobile devices is regarded as an opportunity to spend less time on giving instructions and explaining the details of the work that has to be done. iPad is a key to a fast and credible access to information that is necessary for students. There is no need to interrupt a person and clarify some points. It is enough to click and find the required portion of information. The second interview also discusses the conditions under which the initiative has been implemented. This conversation helps to realize that students, as well as teachers, are in need of specially prepared learning materials to understand how to use mobile technologies and benefit with them (Ally 6).
Works Cited
Ally, Mohamed. “Mobile Learning: From Research to Practice to Impact Education.” Learning and Teaching in Higher Education: Gulf Perspectives, 10. 2 (2013): 1-10. Print.
Gitsaki, Christina, Robby, Matthew, Priest, Troy, Hamdan, Khaled, & Yazid Ben-Chabane. “A Research Agenda for the UAE IPad Initiative.” Learning and Teaching in Higher Education: Gulf Perspectives 10. 2 (2013): 1-15. Print.