Faculty Debate iPad Implementation in Harkness Classrooms

Following the mathematics department’s initial vote to support the requirement for students to own tablets, faculty have been debating the future of technology usage in classrooms, drawing mixed reactions from students and collegues alike.

In response to the rapid technological advancements of the past few years, Exeter has been “strategically planning” to incorporate modern technologies in classrooms. Many years back, graphing calculators became part of the mathematics curriculum. Three years ago, an iPad pilot program for faculty was initiated.

Those who were in favor of the extension of tablet usage, like math instructor Thomas Seidenberg, said that tablets like iPads will enhance the courses and facilitate graphing. 

"I am very much in favor of the iPad policy. The iPad apps I've used, Desmos and GeoGebra, for example, are better and easier to use than the calculator,” Seidenberg said. “And, they're free. Anything that makes more mathematics more accessible to more students is a good thing.”

Some faculty members, however, saw the requirement as unnecessary and excessive, such as math instructor Joe Wolfson, who wrote a letter to Principal Hassan to express his sentiments.

“I sent [him] a typed, four-page document enumerating the many reasons why I think requiring tablets is a bad idea or at least a premature idea. I understand that the tablet might be a good idea for certain classes, though even then, I'd need to be convinced that the software available for the tablet is available only for the tablet,” Wolfson said.  

Wolfson noted that tablets in math classrooms are unnecessary when students already own laptops, which function “just as fine as a tablet, if not better.”

“If comparable or identical software is available for a laptop computer, I think it's irresponsible for us to require anyone to spend extra money on a tablet,” Wolfson said.

Others, like lower Meena Jagadeesan, felt that the requirement would promote an emphasis and dependence on technology that could downgrade students’ mathematical abilities.

“I believe that students already rely too much on their TI-89 calculators, which weakens their algebra skills,” Jagadeesan said. “Having even more technology in the math classroom will only exacerbate this problem —students need to learn to visualize in 3-D and do integral calculations by hand,” she added.

Wolfson acknowledged this point of view and called the decision premature, saying that the pros and cons of graphing calculators have not yet become clear.  “There is still controversy about whether students are aided or hindered by TI-89 calculators, so introducing something even flashier seems premature, at best. So, I see us as being fashionable, but irresponsible, in taking this current path,” he said.

Lower Angela Song felt that introduction of tablets was unnecessary. “We already have relatively high-tech calculators. My calculator serves all of the purposes I need it to serve,” Song said. “Also, a lot of people with tablets now use them to take pictures of other students' solutions, and at least for me, I find that manually copying down the board helps me remember better.”

Seidenberg, however, felt that tablets would be more practical in the classroom setting. The interface of an iPad, he said, was more user-friendly than that of a laptop. 

“The iPad is better than a laptop because there is no boot-up time, no screen in front of each student at the table, and is tactile - you zoom on a graph by pinching your fingers across the screen, find coordinates of zeroes of a function by pointing at them,” Seidenberg said.

Another advantage of tablets that seemed to be recognized by both faculty and students was the eco-friendly aspect of its usage. Seidenberg said that the utilization of iPads as textbooks would be saving the environment as well as money. “The iPad is an e-reader and, since all of our materials are available in PDF format, can drastically reduce paper use,” he said.

Lower Darius Shi agreed that the environmental benefits would aid both instructors and students.

“I heard that e-textbooks will replace traditional textbooks in the future. If that is the case, tablets are necessary for all classes,” Shi said.  

“[Although] I personally think paper books are more personal and more enjoyable, the tablet idea definitely saves money and is more environmentally friendly.”

Despite these advantages, many students were indifferent to the benefits and felt that the current circumstances, where instructors implement differing degrees of technology usage in the classroom, needs no change. 

“Currently, some teachers use tablets during class, some teachers use computers and some try to stray away from technology, and I think the different policies of each teacher functions without any fatal disadvantages to students, so I don’t think the requirement of students purchasing and using tablets is necessary,” lower Eugene Park said.

Some were not against promotion of tablet usage in classrooms, but objected to the high costs. Lower Joon Kim said that although he will not feel any financial burden from the purchase of tablets, many of his peers may.

“Personally, buying a tablet is financially not a problem. However, what I don't understand is why we need to require tablets. Requiring computers is no problem as most of us have one anyway,” Kim said