Article: How Use of an iPad Facilitated Reading Improvement

McClanahan, Barbara, et al. "A Breakthrough for Josh: How Use of an iPad Facilitated Reading Improvement." TechTrends 56.3 (2012): 20–28. Print.

Article summary:

Emerging tech redefining literacy in school, work, home
Tech difficult to define - changes so rapidly

iPad - comfortable size, weight, tough screen, wiFi data connection, affordable apps

Future of 1-1 ed delivery

CAI - gen ed classrooms - individualize instruction, promote sustained attn, improved work performance, learning tasks in multiple modalities, chuncking, allows repeated trials w/immediate feedback, self-paced, novelty of game format

Often leadership and direction for research comes from teachers trying out these technologies in their classrooms.
Teachers identify and studying issues of teaching in their own classroom - collect data, develop a plan of action PLUS add eval results through reflection PLUS - freedom to incorporate unexpected possibilities via discovery

This type of action research IS a valid form of PD

Overall, results cannot be generalized, but potential of tranferability is REAL

Apps and actions mentioned:
Specific eBooks (student recorded himself as he read - **BECAME Metacognitive about his own reading)
FlashCards+
Compound Boogie
Vocabulary Builder
Miss Spell's Class
ABC Alphabet Phonics
Stories 2 Go