Tablet PC Technology Research Articles

Possibilities for Correcting Emotional and Behavioral Impairments in Stroke Patients during Rehabilitation Therapy

Objectives. To assess the efficacy of a set of rehabilitation measures including use of mechanotherapy and cognitive stimulation using tablet PC technology in relation to emotional and behavioral impairments in patients during the acute phase of ischemic stroke. Materials and methods. The study included 100 patients with ischemic stroke admitted to hospital in the acute period. All patients were randomized to two groups: a study group and a control group. The study group (50 patients) received daily robot mechanotherapy using a MOTOmed bedside trainer and tablet PC technology for independent exercises for patients to develop memory, perception, reactions, and counting. Patients of the control group (50 patients) received standard therapy. Functional status was assessed using the modifi ed Rankin scale. Objective evaluation of emotional and behavioral impairments was obtained using psychometric scales (Beck Depression and Anxiety Scales). Results. Use of complex rehabilitation programs in the acute period of ischemic stroke promoted regression of emotional and behavioral impairments (p = 0.0001). The severity of depressive disorders was decreased in patients of the study group by the end of the in-patient period, and further regression in these patients continued throughout the observation period, to the six-month point (p = 0.001). Measures of anxiety showed statistically significant decreases during the whole of the observation period in patients of the study group (p = 0.0001), in contrast to those of the control group, where no changes were seen. Functional recovery was better in patients of the study group, as evidenced by statistically significant changes in mean measures of changes on the Rankin scale. Conclusions. The rehabilitation program presented here, including mechanotherapy and cognitive stimulation using tablet PC technology, is a simple and accessible method for correcting emotional and behavioral impairments in patients in the acute period of ischemic stroke. The results achieved not only persisted over time, but were followed by further improvements in measures at three and six months.

I See What You Are Doing: Student Views on Lecturer Use of Tablet PCs in the Engineering Mathematics Classroom

Mathematically intensive engineering subjects at a tertiary level have traditionally been taught in classroom environments using whiteboards or blackboards. This paper reports on student views of the effectiveness of board and alternative technologies used within existing classroom contexts. Students in this study revealed a strong preference for the use of pen-enabled Tablet PCs as a delivery technology. The maintenance of a handwritten approach, combined with ready visibility of material, support for inclusion of other digital outputs and post-class access to material, were key factors influencing student preferences. Although this introduction of technology did not involve substantive changes in classroom pedagogical approaches, the study suggests that the Tablet PC technology may facilitate future development of more flexible approaches.

Design and Implementation of Digital Medical Prescription Device

The project aim is to design a digital medical prescription device for doctors and medical professionals to enable the creation of hand written digital prescriptions in real time. By utilizing Tablet PC technology, doctors can create, edit and store the hand written prescriptions directly into a digital medium hence creating a patient record for future reference. The device has built-in Online Character Recognition software which is able to recognize the characters written by the doctor on the Touchscreen GUI. A doctor can study the patient prescription from history simply by entering the patient's medical ID.

AN OPTIMIZATION OF REHABILITATION PROCEDURE IN A PATIENT WITH AN ACUTE STROKE BASED ON MECHANOTHERAPY AND COGNITIVE STIMULATION WITH THE USE OF TABLET PC TECHNOLOGY

The use of physical exercise and computer-based stimulation programs is considered to be a promising method for rehabilitation of cognitive dysfunction after a stroke. The article presents the results of a complex rehabilitation strategy in a 58-year old patient with an acute ischemic stroke with hemiparesis and moderate cognitive dysfunction. The optimized approach consisted of cyclic mechanotherapy combined with cognitive training performed by the patient himself and including the use of computer-based stimulation programs and tablet PC technology. Changes in cognitive and motor dysfunction were assessed with quantitative scales for motor functioning and neuropsychologic status. After the treatment course, there was a substantial improvement of the patient subjective well-being, as well as cognitive and motor functions on all rating scales.

A Platform of Lightning Protection Business Based on Tablet-PC

As a most grievous meteorological disaster in the world, lighting calamity is destructive and could be inducement of fire explosion accidents. Lightning protection business mainly consists of lightning protection devices (LPD) inspection, lightning disasters authentication and lightning risk evaluation, for which on-site data gathering is indispensible, and the status in quo has common defects. Based on tablet-PC and mobile information technology, we developed a platform including such seven modules as system configuration, LPD inspection of existing buildings, LPD inspection of under-construction buildings, identification of lightning disasters, lightning risk assessment, location of inspected clients and location of inspectors. Mobil GIS technology and fast-developing method of forms were taken into use as key technologies. With its help, an promotion of facilitation, standardization and intellectualization of lightning protection business is achieved.

Manual Control Age and Sex Differences in 4 to 11 Year Old Children

To what degree does being male or female influence the development of manual skills in pre-pubescent children? This question is important because of the emphasis placed on developing important new manual skills during this period of a child's education (e.g. writing, drawing, using computers). We investigated age and sex-differences in the ability of 422 children to control a handheld stylus. A task battery deployed using tablet PC technology presented interactive visual targets on a computer screen whilst simultaneously recording participant's objective kinematic responses, via their interactions with the on-screen stimuli using the handheld stylus. The battery required children use the stylus to: (i) make a series of aiming movements, (ii) trace a series of abstract shapes and (iii) track a moving object. The tasks were not familiar to the children, allowing measurement of a general ability that might be meaningfully labelled ‘manual control’, whilst minimising culturally determined differences in experience (as much as possible). A reliable interaction between sex and age was found on the aiming task, with girls' movement times being faster than boys in younger age groups (e.g. 4–5 years) but with this pattern reversing in older children (10–11 years). The improved performance in older boys on the aiming task is consistent with prior evidence of a male advantage for gross-motor aiming tasks, which begins to emerge during adolescence. A small but reliable sex difference was found in tracing skill, with girls showing a slightly higher level of performance than boys irrespective of age. There were no reliable sex differences between boys and girls on the tracking task. Overall, the findings suggest that prepubescent girls are more likely to have superior manual control abilities for performing novel tasks. However, these small population differences do not suggest that the sexes require different educational support whilst developing their manual skills.

Implementing tablet PCs in schools: Students’ attitudes and opinions

In this study, the attitudes, expectations and views of 206 students in four high schools within the scope of the FATİH project in Turkey were assessed regarding tablet PC technology after six months of a pilot plan that included the distribution of tablet PCs to students. The research questions of this study are whether there is a meaningful difference between tablet PC use by male and female students and the effect of computer and Internet by students on attitudes toward tablet PC use. Qualitative and quantitative data collection tools were used in the research. The Computer Attitude Measure for Young students (CAMYS) developed by Teo and Noyes (2008) was used in evaluating the students’ attitudes toward the tablet PC usage. Interviews were conducted with eight teachers at pilot schools concerning the integration of tablet PCs into their classes; the positive and negative dimensions of tablet PCs were analyzed. The findings indicate that students have a positive attitude toward tablet PCs. There was not a meaningful difference between the attitudes of male and female students toward tablet PCs. The length of computer and Internet by the students did not affect their attitudes toward tablet PCs. The ways that teachers used tablet PCs in classes, the positive and negative aspects of tablet PC usage and the students’ expectations of tablet PCs were discussed in the study.

Student reflections on preference and use of lecture notes and recordings

This study examines feedback from students about the use of Tablet PC technology in material science lectures to help us understand how students use available learning resources and to inform the creation of future materials. Students commented on their preferences for being given full notes or partial notes which were annotated during the lectures and also on how they used notes and recordings in their learning. Students presented conflicting views on which style of note-taking they preferred with a varied range of reasons for their preferences. Feedback indicated that students perceive that live lectures are important and that the distribution of complete notes and recordings were useful as revision aids and if missing a lecture was unavoidable. Suggestions were made that the technology could also be used to produce podcasts of key points and videos of demonstrations performed in lectures.

An integrated approach to the use of complementary visual learning tools in an undergraduate microbiology class

The ability to appreciate the inter-connectedness of complex biological relationships can be difficult for many students. Graphical knowledge in the form of concept maps and flow charts are learning tools which can assist students to recognise the inter-connectivity. This report focuses on a trial which incorporates these two related visual learning tools using a tablet PC to support their instruction in an undergraduate introductory microbiology class. The objectives of the trial were to introduce both concept maps and flow charts so as to assist students in linking theory with practical knowledge, to make connections within and outside their course of study, and to increase student preparedness and time management in laboratories. An integrated approach to teaching using a pen-based technology with live audio visual in both lectures and laboratories was used. This report details the implementation of the teaching approach focusing on the application of the concept maps and flow charts and how tablet PC technology was incorporated in both settings. The evaluation results of the trial are also reported indicating the impact of the integrated teaching approach on student learning experience and concludes with potential areas for future consideration.

Pre-Service Teacher Training in Mathematics Using Tablet PC Technology

This study focuses on the use of innovative Tablet PC technology in learning and teaching mathematics. Specifically the effects of incorporating Tablet PC technology in pre-service teachers' mathematics education were analyzed. The significant impact of technology use in mathematics education was assessed by evaluating and comparing students' final project and course grades. Grade performance of two groups of students was compared. One group was the treatment group where students extensively used Tablet PCs to work on mathematical investigations and explorations and to create lesson plans and animated games through PowerPoint presentations. The other group was the control group where students worked on identical mathematics investigations and created lesson plans without utilizing any technology. The outcome shows that the technology enhanced group achieved significantly higher scores than the control group. This outcome indicates a greater improvement in the treatment group's understanding of mathematical content versus that of the control group's.

Guest Editors' Introduction: Tablet PC Technology--The Next Generation

Early adopters in higher education have developed Tablet PC teaching platforms that incorporate active learning techniques and support in-class collaborations.

Evaluation of a tablet PC technology to screen and educate oncology patients

The aim of the study was to evaluate The Patient Assessment, Care and Education (PACE) System-an electronic patient symptom screening and reporting system for oncology. Specifically, the study determined provider and patient opinions of The PACE System and documented evidence as to whether symptom assessment rates increased after this system was implemented. Ninety-two providers (i.e., physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants) at 16 community oncology clinics were surveyed about their experiences with The PACE System. In addition, 100 patients at two community oncology clinics were surveyed about their perceptions of The PACE System. Finally, at two oncology clinics, 100 patient charts were abstracted in the year before implementation of The PACE System, and 100 patient charts were abstracted in the year after its implementation to evaluate changes in symptom assessment rates. Providers seemed to value the system. In particular, they reported that the screening and reporting system helped them to identify, track, and document the patients' most important symptoms. The patient survey indicated that the majority of patients at the two sites found the system easy to use and generally helpful and would recommend it to others. The chart review indicated that assessment rates for depression, fatigue, and pain increased after The PACE System was implemented. The PACE System appears to be a promising approach to addressing the widespread problem of under-identification and under-treatment of symptoms in patients receiving cancer treatment.

Virtual office hours using a tablet PC: E‐lluminating biochemistry in an online environment

The availability of online collaboration software has provided new opportunities for instructors to interact with students outside the classroom. This report describes how Elluminate Live!®, a particular conferencing software package, can be used with a tablet PC to conduct virtual office hours in a biochemistry course. The educational value of engaging students in an online environment, with text messaging, voice-over-internet protocol (VoIP), and application sharing is also discussed. A student perspective is provided to illustrate the advantages of conducting virtual office hours and how the combination of online collaboration software and tablet PC technology can provide an enhanced learning experience.

Using Mobile Mapping to Determine Rates of Meander Migration in an Undergraduate Geomorphology Course

Students in an undergraduate geomorphology course used tablet computers equipped with Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software to map the current location of a stream that crosses the Vassar College campus in Dutchess County, New York. They also digitized the position of the stream on aerial photographs taken in 1959 to determine meander migration rates over the last ~45 years of ~0.2 m/yr. The purpose of the exercise was to introduce basic GIS skills, such as georeferencing of air photos, digitization, acquisition of GPS data points, data projection, and creation of maps. Students were evaluated on the quality of their maps and on an accompanying short scientific article. Here we discuss the exercise and the pros and cons of the tablet PC technology.

Reaching through the Screen: Using a Tablet PC to Provide Feedback in Online Classes

Growth in the number of online classes in higher education has provided additional post-secondary opportunities to students in rural communities. This growth has also resulted in challenges for students and faculty. Using the digital ink of a tablet PC to provide hand written feedback on document files allows faculty to efficiently provide precise feedback. Students indicate that feedback provided with the tablet PC contains clear information as well as a “human touch” for online assignments. Faculty members report the ease of using tablet PC technology increases the efficiency with which they can provide more detailed digital feedback.

The Glance software package

We describe the Glance software package, which takes advantage of tablet PC technology to control experiments that require participants to reconstruct complex stimuli, as with the Chase and Simon (1973) chess reconstruction task, and to present tests that require participants to refer briefly to critical displays, as with the digit-symbol task. Participants press the space bar, which allows access to the stimulus and, simultaneously, prohibits drawing on the tablet. At release of the space bar--or optionally, after some period of time--the stimulus is hidden, and the drawing tools are enabled. Output from Glance allows analysis as fine grained as each stroke or as coarse as the entire image.

Enabling the roving reference librarian: wireless access with tablet PCs

While many academic libraries are reporting fewer reference interactions, gate counts are not dropping at the same rate. To many students, asking questions is taking a risk that they will appear unknowledgeable. Librarians have branched out to find new ways to communicate with these students. This article describes the creation and testing of a roving reference strategy at the Texas A&M University Libraries that sought to re‐establish the face‐to‐face element by going directly to the student. Tablet PC technology was evaluated and utilized as a means to equip the librarians with the necessary electronic access as they roved in student study areas.