iPad as a Textbook

My intent when I began this blog was to learn about and share the strengths and weaknesses of a specific textbook provided by a specific publisher.  Fortunately, or unfortunately, my research has taken a detour as I have begun to look at the iPad.  The Chronicle of Higher Education provided an article today focused on institutions that provide incoming students with iPads. 

http://chronicle.com/blogPost/Classroom-iPad-Programs-Get/27046/?sid=at&utm_source=at&utm_medium=en

The area of most interest to me is the use of an iPad as a textbook.  Like the Kindle, the iPad textbook application allows students to add notes within the text.  Additionally, the iPad enables the student to communicate directly with the professor to ask questions or seek clarification.  One example in the article indicated that a professor at the University of Seton Hill actually enters the students virtual textbook and reads the marginalia (student notes in the margin) in order to correct misinterpretations the student may have. 

Although some may see this as a privacy issue, I see an application for my statistics course.  For example, I asked my students during class to calculate a z-score related to their own ACT and asked them to describe the results.  Nearly 1/3 of the students described the results incorrectly.  Knowing this, I was able to address the issue in class which improves the actual learning.  Obviously, reading student notes would help to achieve this same goal without using class time to complete an assignment.  My office will be receiving an iPad shortly so I will try to test this functionality shortly.  See ya!

Online Textbook Technology

For the past few years I have been considering adopting online textbooks for my classes.  On Friday, the Statistics department I teach for put a call out for proposals to select a common textbook for the Statistics I course offered at UST.  As such, I intend to explore the idea of using an online textbook rather than the paper version common in higher education.  In part, I chose this area for my blog topic as many of the faculty in my department believe our students do not read the current paper text.  Perhaps the adoption of an online version will change this perception of the faculty. 

My initial search has led me to Atomic Dog publishers, which specializes in online textbook technology.  The textbook I have begun to review is called Introductory Statistics: Concepts, Models, and Applications by David Stockburger.  This particular text offers interactive tools such as statistical calculators, glossaries, and end of chapter quizzes.

Please check back as I will explore these various interactive tools in order to develop my proposal.   As I do so, I intend to share my findings within this blog.  If you have specific questions you would like to have answered, please let me know and I will do my best to respond.