Abstract:

E-learning has evolved over the last two decades from being a supplementary tool to becoming an essential companion to class teaching. This has become known as blended learning (Maina, Njoroge, Waiganjo, & Gitonga, 2015). Much of the initial focus of research has been on the software side of E-learning (Adams & Jansen, 1998; Laiw, 2008; Garrison, 2011). However, recently the hardware and the technology of delivering has been getting more attention in the form of M-learning or mobile learning (Georgiev, Georgiev, & Smirkarov, 2004). Researchers seem to agree that the use of tablets has potential that is underutilized in academia (Daccord & Reich, 2015; Maina, Njoroge, Waiganjo, & Gitonga, 2015; Moran, Hawkes, & Gayar, 2010). The team reviewed publications of experiments on the use of tablets in higher education identifying some key findings. From these findings, the team has developed system requirements for the design of a purpose-built educational tablet for higher education. These finding include selecting tablets that would mirror the institution’s own computer lab designs, including the operating system, educational applications, as well as restricting use of camera, restricting download of none-educational applications and apps. In addition, the team recommends the tablet to be pre-loaded with carefully selected educational apps that would complement and utilize the institution’s own email system in a form of instance message link to the tablet to enhance the benefit of the device as a dynamic and active-learning tool.

Keywords:

Educational, Tablet, e-learning, m-learning, Active-learning, Dynamic Learning, blended learning.