DESIGNING MOBILE TABLET PRODUCTS FOR DIVERSE K-12 LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS

School systems in countries around the world are moving towards a 1:1 e-learning environment utilizing touch and writing optimized mobile devices. However, school administrators faced with the challenging task of selecting hardware and software that can endure harsh treatment by children and meet the e-learning goals of teachers.

This paper presents a case for establishing and evaluating mobile-learning design criteria for K-12 tablet usages in diverse markets. The reader will learn how an education group at Intel designs tablets that are relevant to diverse needs within education environments.

Specifically, this paper addresses the following topics:

Designing for the physical and pedagogical needs of K-12 students:
Physically, products must withstand the realities of usage by school-aged children. Ethnographic research in classrooms reveals how tablet devices are handled and where they become vulnerable to damage due to routine drops and spills. Primary research conducted in schools also provides insight into software usage characteristics and behaviors where tablets are used to augment or facilitate learning tasks through science-based inquiry, supplementary reference and intrinsic learning reinforcement.

Designing for teacher’s needs:
A primary barrier to mobile learning is the fear from teachers that tablets coupled with Internet access can quickly become detractors rather than enablers of learning experiences. In addition, the introduction of anything perceived as technical threatens the risk tablets will be utilized as a novelty rather than routinely during learning tasks. This paper addresses methods for utilizing software and teaching practices to direct the mobile learning experience and blend tablet usage in ways that make teachers feel more comfortable with behavioral and classroom management implications.

The nature of the tablet form factor and specific software applications tailored for classroom environments creates new opportunities for micro-mobility and ad-hoc teachable moments that would otherwise not be possible. This paper cites these opportunities as revealed through both primary research evidence and peer reviewed academic research. Specifically methods for using tablets to conduct formative assessment and capture learning analytic data are explored in the context of emerging usage opportunities.

Designing for IT administrator needs:
As new tablets enter the marketplace, solutions to maintain software and hardware, keep track of device utilization, and ensure smooth operation are either absent or lagging behind specific needs in education contexts. This paper identifies the issues K-12 IT managers are concerned with when evaluating or deploying tablets and how those issues can be addressed via platform management solutions.

Concepts presented in this paper are derived from a primary research process currently being applied to evaluate the applicability and prioritization of concepts designed for tablet technology in school environments worldwide. Since the concept of utilizing low-cost tablets is relatively new to education markets, the researcher presents a user-centered design process to evaluate emergent education usage scenarios, identify product design opportunities based on those usage scenarios and define stimuli that can be comprehended during primary research with students, teachers, and IT administrators.