The College of Education began its 1:1 Mobile Learning Initiative in 2016. As part of this initiative, students in upper division teacher preparation courses must purchase or obtain an iPad for use in these designated courses.
Almost a decade later, this initiative, now called the Bears EmpowerED Initiative, continues to focus on transforming our classrooms to reflect the evolving realities of education today. Places of learning are becoming increasingly democratized, and students expect engagement, agency, and a sense of belonging from the classroom experience.
The Bears EmpowerED Initiative is also an opportunity for the UCA College of Education to further its commitment to explore new technologies to improve student learning and success and to increase collaboration among faculty (InTasc, CAEP, & ISTE Standards).
The College of Education has adopted the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Standards for Educators as our college technology competencies. Students in our Bears EmpowerED Initiative courses consistently rate their confidence in their ability to meet the ISTE Standards higher than students not enrolled in 1:1 iPad courses.
Why tablets?
Tablets offer unparalleled mobility and access to a wealth of teaching materials, anytime and anywhere. They provide access to UCA resources, like Blackboard and Google Classroom, as well as digital textbooks and a wide variety of productivity and content-specific apps. Unlike laptops, tablets are highly portable, versatile, and have a long battery life. They can serve as interactive response systems, cameras, notepads, mind-mapping spaces, PDF and image annotators, calculators, video recorders, e-readers and more, giving you the power to learn in the way that suits you best.
Why iPads?
iPads are part of a larger ecosystem that offers a unique learning experience. This 
ecosystem includes open access resources, built-in productivity and multimedia authoring apps (GarageBand, iMovie, Clips, Keynote, Pages, Numbers), and connectivity among multiple devices (AirDrop, Airplay). iPad also boasts a number of accessibility features built into the device’s hardware and operating system, including assistive technologies for the visually and hearing impaired as well as those with physical or motor skills impairments. These features not only help those with disabilities but also enhance the learning experience for all students through the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL).
Some students have asked why they need an iPad specifically for these courses. Besides the reasons stated above and the fact they no longer pay $150 for a textbook in many of these courses, it is important to remember that by learning how to use the iPad and the apps within the Apple ecosystem, they are expanding their ability to incorporate a wide range of technology-enhanced activities and assessments.
Some students may even be teaching at a school with 1:1 Chromebooks, and they may ask, “So, why not have us buy a Chromebook?” The short answer is that “You can do anything you can do on a Chromebook on an iPad, but you can’t do everything you can do on an iPad on a Chromebook.” Teaching and learning with the iPad allows students to experience a wider range of options than the Chromebook, which limits students to web apps and browsing. Furthermore, students with the iPad can easily share their digital creations with the instructor and their classmates with AirPlay and AirDrop.
One might also consider that there is so much more creative potential and mobility using the iPad. In many classes, we use most of the creative apps from the Apple side and the productivity apps from the Google (as well as Microsoft) side. By becoming proficient in both ecosystems, students are preparing themselves for a future where they may not know what devices they will have available to them. This preparation will give them confidence and a competitive edge in their future careers.
Learn more about the Bears EmpowerED Initiative!
Meet Our Apple Distinguished Educators:
Dr. Victoria Groves-Scott
Dean, College of Education
Apple Distinguished Educator Class of 2017
Dr. Donna Wake
Director of Assessment and Accreditation Professor, Teaching & Learning
Apple Distinguished Educator Class of 2017
Dr. Jessica Herring-Watson
Coordinator, Bears EmpowerED Initiative
Assistant Professor, Teaching & Learning
Apple Distinguished Educator Class of 2015
