Another use for iPods?

How to integrate technology in the classroom is a valid concern for educators in higher learning institutions.  Is technology a benefit or a distraction when it comes to learning information?  Does technology help the student retain information, or is it just an easy or lazy method of doling out information to students?  This study was conducted on a sample of 35 nursing students, some with access to iPods, some just attending lectures, and some using the podcasts for review prior to their tests.  The iPods portability, interactivity and video-streaming capabilities make it a perfect device to utilize when promoting effective and efficient techniques to educate nursing students, and also other students in higher education. 

Literature was reviewed that showed support of the iPod as an interactive device that was accessible and allowing distribution of content to many students, who could access podcasts when convenient to study and support their learning.  The literature review did show that efficacy was based on the student’s style of learning, not just on the accessibility of the device.  It also noted that while the human brain has plasticity, it does not do well with multitasking.  Thus using the iPod in a manner that allowed distractions, or while multitasking, may not be effective. 

The researchers felt that the iPods would be found to be effective in enhancing the grades of the undergraduate nursing students, and they were surprised to find that it was just the opposite.  When comparing the control group with the iPod using group on the final exam, there was a significant (p=0.058) difference, with the iPod group getting poorer grades.  This only occurred though, when incorporating the effects of the “super user” group, those students that used their iPods not only for learning in this experiment, but on an ongoing basis.  Because these “super users” were very technologically savvy, they were exposed to the effects of multitasking more frequently and may have been poorer students overall. 

I was very surprised at these findings.  I felt that the iPods would increase their access of the teacher’s lectures, allowing students to review information presented and pick up on things that they might have missed.  I think that it would be very worthwhile to study the effects of the multitasking, something that they included in the study, but was not significant with results.  Did the student’s replace the lecture with the podcasts (attendance was not part of the study)?  The podcast was basically the lecture that was taped.  Was this visually effective enough? 

This article really made me pause and think about the effectiveness of technology and our assumptions that using technology is always “better” for learning.  As we learned in our Vella article, there are many different learning styles and life experiences that need to be taken into account before assuming technology enhances learning.  Along with access to the devices and ease and knowledge of use of the device, maybe we need to teach how learning can be circumvented by incorrect methods of using technology and by the effects of multitasking.  Those points were the most poignant of the article to me, and that knowledge is what I am going to take forward to my use in the classroom.

Johnston, R., Hepworthy, J., Goldsmith, M., & Lacasse, C.  (2010). Use of iPod technology in medical-surgical nursing courses:  Effect on grades.  International Journal of Nursing Education Scholarship, (7)1, 1-17.