Practices and Attitudes of Students and Teachers Using iPads in High School Mathematics Classes

Abstract

This chapter reports on a study that examined the practices and attitudes of students and teachers in using iPads in high school mathematics classes. Participants in the study were 5 teachers and 80 students in a charter school in New Jersey. The study examined the students' classroom behavior and their perceptions along with the teachers' perceptions of the new class environment throughout a six-week period. The results show that the replacement of class materials with a single device helped students to become more organized and better prepared. The study also reveals that the use of iPads enabled students to interact with the materials through enriched multimedia content, which increased their interest and engagement. Utilizing iPads created a dynamic and collaborative learning environment that enhanced student-centered active learning. However, findings also show that iPads could become a source of potential distraction if used inappropriately, which creates new challenges for teachers in classroom management and instruction.