Collaborative Teacher Inquiry Into iPad Use in Grade 3 Classrooms: Mobilizing Knowledge Through a Long-term School-University Partnership

Ruth Mcquirter,Jennifer Boin,Cathy Rath,Nancy Meeussen,Donna Dortmans

doi:10.26522/brocked.v25i1.457

Ruth Mcquirter, Jennifer Boin + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.26522/brocked.v25i1.457

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Abstract

In this paper, we report on a longitudinal case study exploring Grade 3 teachers’ implementation of iPads in the Language Arts classroom. A school-university partnership was formed based on a collaborative teacher inquiry model. We examined factors that shaped our collaboration. The project resulted in greater teacher sharing of iPad implementation strategies and growth in leadership skills among the teachers. A surprising finding was the degree of reciprocal learning about digital pedagogy that the university researchers experienced during the study and were able to share with their Pre-service Education classes. We emphasize the potential of school-university partnerships for narrowing the current gap between theory and practice in technology-enhanced learning.

Highlights

Digital technology has the potential to reform classrooms in ways that were seldom considered before the beginning of the 21st century
In the fall of 2013, two Grade 3 classroom teachers in an Ontario school board met with a former colleague and a university researcher from a nearby Faculty of Education to discuss the possibilities of a collaborative inquiry into iPad implementation in their Grade 3 classrooms
In this study we explored the potential for a school-university partnership to mobilize and build knowledge related to iPad implementation in Grade 3 classrooms

Summary

Introduction

Digital technology has the potential to reform classrooms in ways that were seldom considered before the beginning of the 21st century. In the fall of 2013, two Grade 3 classroom teachers in an Ontario school board met with a former colleague and a university researcher from a nearby Faculty of Education to discuss the possibilities of a collaborative inquiry into iPad implementation in their Grade 3 classrooms. The former colleague and retired teacher, Deborah (all names are pseudonyms), had connections with both the teachers, Candace and Natalie, and with Rita, the university researcher.

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