When students want to get information, they  grab their phones and turn to wikipedia for answers.  They do random word searches and whole sentence searches in Google. However, if students want to  search academic databases for information, they need to know  different search strategies  such as:(1) what databases would be most valuable to search for what content material, and (1) how to do Boolean searches.  Because the Healey Library has access to  digitized  academic and field specific journals and databases, students  today can use their smartphone, laptop and tablet to access information from a universe of reputable sources. Our Healey Librarians  can show them how.

          On November 20, the iPad in the Classroom event  co-sponsored by IT and the Healey Library  demonstrated to faculty  how,  through using mobile devices, students can get valuable research information.   Teresa Maceira and  Mary Moser explained  that reference librarians are available to visit  faculty classrooms to show students how to do this. During the media event, they explained their  collaboration with  Professor Victoria Kingsley’s English 101 courses.  Prof. Kingsley has been a participant in the iPad in the Classroom program for two years.  Reference librarians visited her  classrooms that use the  iPad cart   to provide   students with hands-on experience with   online searches.  Prof. Kingsley explained that her students have retained their knowledge about journal and database search techniques much more from these hands-on exercises with the iPads and other mobile devices.  Clearly, the interactivist model engages and empowers students by reinforcing new learning skills through experimentation.

          During the event, IT staff  John Mazzarella, Venu Garjjala and Mary Simone demonstrated how the reflector app enabled students to mirror their iPads on a projection screen in the classroom.  Prof. Kingsley explained that when her students wish to project their writing , they walk up to the front of the class and attach the vga adapter “dongle” to their own iPad.  Using the reflector app, the student can remain seated and just log in to the projector through the reflector app to show their work.  Also, it is possible to project two iPads simultaneously making it possible to view an annotated text on one iPad, with a student’s unmarked text projected beside it – all on one screen.

           This iPad in the Classroom media event included a lively discussion about the role of mobile in the classroom.  You can  preview the event that was captured  http://bit.ly/I265XL