As mobile devices continue to proliferate throughout society, the question of how higher education might take advantage of these devices for use in teaching and learning remains unclear. While many institutions now have ‘bring your own device’ (BYOD) policies, others have mandated access to mobile devices at the program or institutional level. The purpose of this session is present the case of how our department of forestry went about implementing a tablet initiative. The tablet was a required device for both faculty and students entering the program in September 2014 with the intended goals of reducing textbook purchase costs for students, mirroring industry standard practices in mobile device usage and enabling collaborative and active learning in the classroom. In the session we will share what we have learned thus far in supporting the initiative and reflect on feedback collected from faculty and students in interviews, focus groups and observations throughout the program. At the end of the session, participants should be able to identify the challenges, issues and best practices for implementing a tablet initiative at this level.

1. Mobile Technology Integration in an Applied Science Program:
Forestry goes Paperless
Prepared by:
Michael Paskevicius
Learning Technologies Application Developer
Centre for Innovation and Excellence in Learning CIEL
Vancouver Island University
Welcome to iPad for Dummies | from -
http://www.flickr.com/photos/26646199@N05/6986804413/ Author: Wouter de
Bruijn http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/deed.en
the iOS family pile (2012) | from - http://www.flickr.com/photos/blakespot/6860486028/ Author: blakespot
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en
Twitter on iPad | from -
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pennwic/8254681239/lightbox/ Author:
Weigle Information Commons http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-
nc-nd/2.0/deed.en

2. Agenda
Origins of the VIU Forestry Tablet Initiative
Logistics of launching the program
In class observations, usage, popular apps
Issues and challenges
Future plans
Student feedback on the initiative
Some takeaways

4. iPad Investigation - Field Mapping on an iPad 2
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/megstewart/6744596697/) / CC
BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/)

5. Timeline
• May, 2012 Review of program/course learning outcomes
• December, 2013 Initial planning for mobile initiative
• May, 2014 Ethics proposal for research
• August, 2014 Faculty interviews
• September, 2014 First year cohort enters program
• October, 2014 Initial student survey
• 2014-2015 Student interviews
• March, 2015 Student and faculty focus group
• April, 2015 Year end student survey
• May, 2015 Year end faculty interviews
Nanaimo Business News (2015). VIU Forestry Department To Go Paperless.
http://nanaimobusinessnews.ca/2015/05/14/viu-forestry-department-to-go-paperless/ [Accessed:
31 May 2015].
Assaf, M. (2014) VIU Forestry Department Goes Paperless. VIU News, September 9, 2014.
https://www.viu.ca/news/viu-forestry-department-goes-paperless [Accessed: 31 May 2015].

6. Goals of the Forestry Tablet Project
• Reduce textbook purchase costs for students: students will be offered
free and/or openly licensed digital textbooks available for reading on the
device
• Mirror industry standard practices : the forestry industry is gradually
using iPads as an industry standard device for navigation as well as access
to and collection of data in the field
• Enable collaborative learning in the classroom: allow students to use
iPads for group work in class and access to the projector to share results
(via Apple TV)

7. iOS Device Selection
• Supporting multiple operating systems
impossible in the first iteration of the project
• (baseline minimum of Air, iPad 2, Mini, Mini with
retina display)
• Only 3G devices include GPS unit
• Single platform:
• Allows level playing field for faculty and
students
• Enable peer support
• Availability of tablets to loan
• Enable device ownership and management
Apple.com. (2014). Apple — ipad — compare ipad models.. [online] Retrieved from:
https://www.apple.com/ca/ipad/compare/ [Accessed: 24 Jan 2014].
Device selection based on student survey

8. CIEL Involvement and Support
● Advising on initial rollout
● Classroom setup and configuration: Apple TV,
extra wireless, interactive whiteboards, power
● Initial workshop on tablet basics
(http://bit.ly/VIUTabletBasics)
● In class support, ongoing weekly class visits
● Researching of apps for instruction and student
learning
● Research project on tablet initiative

10. Student Privacy, Consent and Acceptable Use Policy
Identifiable Privacy Risks
● Creation of Apple IDs - Suggestion of alias or
pseudonym when setting up accounts
● Cloud data storage and accounts
Acceptable Use Policy
● General acceptable use policy

11. Peripherals and usage
● Waterproof case (Lifeproof,
Otterbox or Griffen)
● Most taking notes on device using
external input device
● Use of camera for capturing
whiteboard or blackboard diagrams
● Cell phone / calculator / pen and
paper side by side for multitasking

13. Popular Apps
PDF Expert
Brainscape Evernote
SimpleMind
Office Apps
iOS Productivity
Penultimate
QuickPics
Dropbox Graph Paper
+ A host of forestry specific apps

14. Brainscape App
• Student generated flashcard
decks developed for forestry
courses
• Flashcards were shared amongst
the class
• Flashcard decks were
collaboratively improved
• Instructors started creating
decks as well

15. ● Airdrop not working as expected
● VIULearn (Desire2Learn) usability on tablet
● Lack of mouse pointer on device
● Productivity - multitasking lacking
● Wifi access across and off campus
● Experiences using devices in other courses
● Native Apple formats for docs/spreadsheets
● iOS Updates
Issues

16. The future
● Promote further feedback and engagement in class with iPad
○ Socrative / Polls.io
● Student presentations via AppleTV
● Location based quizzes
○ QuesTInSitu
● September 2015 cohort
● Building apps for forestry processes?
● Undergraduate research - paper comparing tablet GPS,
mobile GPS and professional grade Trimble GNSS receiver

17.  Familiarity with the device and forestry specific applications perceived to increase
employability.
The fact that it's industry standard, I am excited to go out and apply the mapping and
surveying skills in the "real world," when I get a job this summer!
I really like how we are learning about the "old school" methods of forestry, but I think
it's awesome, that we are learning more relevant/current industry standards.
I think it is incredibly cool to be using the iPads because it is a tool being used in the
forestry industry. 4 of the jobs I have applied for ask that applicants have experience
using the iPad in the field.
I have had a few interviews where employers are very interested in my knowledge of
iPads. Adding these devices to the program has given my resume an advantage over
other applicants and prepared me for work.
Based on survey feedback
Links to industry

18.  Students appreciated having access to resources on demand at all times with the
ability to search, query, share, annotate and compute electronic resources.
 It is nice to be able to do labs on my iPad and hand them in day of. Workload at
home is decreased somewhat because of how efficient it is in the classroom with
the iPad.
 To have the slides available that are being used in class. Taking pictures out in labs
or in classroom demonstrations.
 Easy access to d2l, and saving assignment sheets
 I was biking everyday, so it was so awesome to just have this one device. I didn’t
have to choose which textbook to bring that day and hope it was the one that I was
going to use in the class.
Based on survey feedback
Convenience

19.  Accessing a library of resources on a single device may promote engagement
 I feel like I use more books and references because
of it. I definitely do actually. Its not difficult to go
and get hold of an ebook, especially with VIU
having so many links available through the e-
library.
 You can just maximize efficient use of time.
Between classes I am more likely to look over what
is going to be in the lecture for the next class then I
am if I was having to pull out a book, reference it,
grab my laptop, see what pages I had to read. Its
just a lot easier to simply flip through and be able
to see what we are going to be working on that
day. Based on interview and council presentation feedback
http://wordpress.viu.ca/council/mobile-learning-with-ipads/
Engagement

20. Observations
Students developed technological
competencies using mobile devices and
mobile productivity.
With students all using the same device there
was an opportunity for improved peer-to-
peer collaboration. Students share useful
apps and workflows leading to shared peer-
to-peer competency development.
Student didn't require as much technological
help as we initially imagined as they worked
together and helped one other.
I am competent with mobile technology, including tablets
(such as an iPad mini, iPad Air, or tablet equivalent)
Spring 2015
Fall 2014

21. Knowledge Sharing
Program Level Mobile Device
Implementation Document in process
1. Developing rationale
2. Infrastructure planning and required
supports
3. Pedagogical approaches
http://bit.ly/VIUTablets
 Project blog
http://wordpress.viu.ca/ipadintegration

22. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike
4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
Prepared by: Michael Paskevicius
Learning Technologies Application Developer
Centre for Innovation and Excellence in Learning
michael.paskevicus@viu.ca
Follow me: http://twitter.com/mpaskevi
Blog: http://wordpress.viu.ca/ciel/
Presentations: http://www.slideshare.net/mpaskevi