As the first university in the nation to provide every full-time student and faculty member, Seton Hill University is a pioneer in mobile technology. A recent survey reveals some interesting data about how faculty use the iPad to enhance teaching at learning at Seton Hill.

According to data collected after one semester, 66 percent of the faculty indicate that they use the iPad in classroom instruction once a week or in every class session.

Early assessment data reveals that faculty are using the iPad for immediate and authentic information gathering. For example, a faculty member may use the Google Earth app in a history class or use the Art Authority app to retrieve information on a piece of art on display in a gallery. Faculty also research the information students are presenting in class.

Faculty use the iPad for instruction and reinforcement of the curriculum. They use apps for building resource directories for small group discussions, creating excitement about writing, illustrating concepts taught in class and back channeling to allow active participation of students of all abilities.

Several faculty have adopted electronic texts, or e-books. The user friendly e-book provides interactivity and social collaboration both in and out of the classroom. Some e-books offer opportunities for immediate feedback from a faculty member or classmates. E-books are available to students for a lower cost than traditional texts.

Faculty also use the iPad for instructional presentations. Students may participate in interactive games to learn concepts, retrieve statistical information to support or refute a point and observe laboratory experiments to further explain procedures, faculty have the opportunity to present information to students using new tools.

The majority of the students, 61 percent, report using the iPad to achieve course learning objectives at least once a week if not in every class session.