THE TABLET PC IN GEOSCIENCE EDUCATION

The use of mobile technologies, including tablet computers, in geoscience education contexts continues to increase. Much of the literature, however, regarding their effective use is situated in the fields of design, business, or medicine (for example Brann & Sloop, 2006; Foster, 2003). The relatively anemic body of literature in science education is in need of expansion, particularly in the earth sciences. As more educators employ tablet computers in science education and teacher education contexts it becomes increasingly important to understand how this specific technology impacts geoscience teaching and learning. This session will introduce geoscience educators to some potential uses of tablet computers and will report on data collected in the context of tablet pc enhanced pedagogy regarding geoscience content. Data were collected using pre/post test measures, classroom observations, and semi-structured interviews (McMillan & Schumacher, 2007). Analysis involved both qualitative and quantitative methods. Results indicate that tablet computers may serve as effective instructional tools regarding geoscience content, particularly with respect to spatial reasoning and visualization.