Laura Sloan Patterson, Ph.D., associate professor, English, incorporated the iPad into her classes seamlessly.

“I used the iPad to help students generate ideas for writing, to have them respond to each other’s writing via peer review and idea share and to draw visual representations of literary elements, such as plot and structure,” said Patterson.

Patterson noted that her students enjoyed using the iPad.

“Traditionally less engaged students completed more in-class work when we were using the iPad than when we did not use it,” said Patterson. “They particularly liked activities that had them moving around the room and looking at the work on other students’ iPads.”

According to Patterson, the benefits of the iPad use are increased engagement and community if the technology is used purposefully and carefully to meet the goals.