Early Findings

Although this project is not yet complete, feedback received to date from the staff, students and external practitioners has been extremely positive. A student focus group and a steering group consisting of students, academics and practitioners were established to provide feedback throughout the project on elements such as presentation, content and design. An online discussion area was setup to enable the entire cohort to offer feedback throughout the semester. The tutor also recorded his thoughts and observations in a weekly diary in order to critically reflect on the success of the project at the end of the semester. End of semester surveys and module marks will also be used as a method of gauging success. Feedback from individuals within the focus group to date indicates that students are favouring the integration of 3D models, CAD details and video clips.

Comments have included:

“Reading about the foundations then viewing real foundations in the video is a great way to make things clear. Again the 3D models are good to use and easy to use, enabling me to view different areas as I need to”

“The use of CAD details is excellent because as a student it is essential to know what the details are showing and how to draw these details....”

“In the EBook you can link to other design software such as Google Sketch Up which provided the students [with] a better idea of what the lecture[r]

was talking about….”

A big advantage, which a number of students commented upon, was the fact that there was no buffering period when playing videos. Individuals indicated that this was beneficial in maintaining levels of concentration and focus. The general feeling from members of the focus group, which included students without access to an iPad, was that although the PDF version of the presentation was professional, the ability to view the iBook content (especially video and 3D models) so effortlessly, whilst listening to a live lecture and having the option to create revision cards, would transform their learning experience. Individuals also suggested that it was superior to PowerPoint in terms of a presentation method. One student commented:

“The use of these iBooks during class would be a massive gain to the students, they would be able to interact with the lecture/lecturer and they would feel more involved rather than flicking through a PowerPoint…Having access to these iBooks in class means that the student can also use the 3D models within the iBook to give them a better understanding of what the lecture and iBook is saying”

The tutor noted that levels of interaction in class appeared to be greater when the iBook/iPad was used to deliver the lectures. Apps, especially Paper and Bamboo Paper, proved popular with students as a way of presenting building details. Positive feedback was also received from practitioners involved in the steering group. One stated that the iBook presentation and the use of interactive 3D models, video clips and CAD details within, made the delivery look “extremely professional” and helped to make some rather mundane subject areas “engaging”. The diary entries from the tutor focused on the ease and speed of setup for the lecture. When the VGA adapter was used to connect the iPad to the projector, the only equipment required to be taken to the lecture theatre was the iPad and VGA adapter cable. This was much more compact and lightweight compared to carrying a laptop. A second noteworthy point was that the creation of the iBook (type A) did take longer than expected, but becoming more familiar with the software has helped reduce production times.

5. Conclusion

Although this project is in its infancy, early signs suggest that this is a teaching technology that has considerable promise. To the tutor, it seems students are indeed engaging more in classes and initial feedback suggests

they appear to favour this over PowerPoint as a teaching method. In addition, the use of the Architectural related Apps has been an unexpected success, with students finding them beneficial in understanding difficult elements of detailing. The study has also raised unexpected operational and logistical issues which educational establishments will need to address such as the requirement for more bandwidth and access points as more staff and students use Wi-Fi to access and present resources in class. There are still questions to answer, such as students’ comparison of the PDF output against the iBook, and further analysis will take place at the end of the current semester. This study is a single snapshot of the experiences of a small group with the technology, and while it is clear there are benefits being raised by both the tutor and students in this particular module, further research over a longer period and with greater numbers will be required in order to gain a fuller understanding of the impact of this new teaching resource.

Acknowledgements

A Teaching Development Grant awarded from the Higher Education Academy funded this project. Funding was also received from the Centre for Higher Education Practice at the University of Ulster for the creation of a series of quizzes to be incorporated into the iBooks. Thanks must also be given to those who contributed video footage and images for use within the iBooks.

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QUANTITATIVE MATERIALS, DYNAMIC QUANTITIES