ABSTRACT
Technology has often been a catalyst for educational change and tablet computers such as the iPad are no different. For example, like a calculator, an iPad can be used as a tool to enhance education and learning. Our research involved using iPads and specific software applications (“apps”) as replacement equipment for two traditional laboratory experiments in an introductory physics course. In the past, these experiments have utilized laboratory equipment to measure kinematical properties of motion (e.g., position, velocity, acceleration, etc.) and electronic properties in a circuit (e.g., voltage, resistance, etc.). The iPad and apps provided tools that allowed students to automate repetitive and multiple tasks (e.g., tracking position of a moving object and performing motion analysis), enabled simplified interfaces (e.g., virtual oscilloscope), and promoted mobility of experiments. The results of our case study show how iPads and apps provide automation and a simplified interface that can help promote student engagement, enhance measurement accuracy and consistency, and reduce student anxiety.
