Teaching Innovation Projects Final Project Report Form 2012/13

Outcomes and impacts: The semester 1 component of this project took place in 2013 and was a huge success and formed the basis of two conference talks and my MA Learning Technology Project. Unfortunately, technical problems with my Apple laptop prevented me from carrying out the second phase in semester 2; this has been postponed until February 2015.

Further achievements: I have been invited by the Enhancing Fieldwork Showcase to present my research at an upcoming event in September. The showcase is now sponsored by the British Ecological Society and will reach a much bigger audience. I was short-listed for a student-led teaching award in Innovative Teaching with Technology” on the basis of this project: “She always goes above and beyond the teaching curriculum… creating iPad apps in which students can actively engage…”

Evaluation: The project was evaluated by the use of pre and post-TEQs, video reflective diaries and open discussions. The students thoroughly enjoyed the exercise, and wanted me to run more sessions. The overwhelming conclusion was that the iPads would be a great way of aiding learning. I learnt A LOT from this project and realise that I totally over did the amount of evaluation – sometimes less is more! I am very proud of what I have achieved and my personal reflections of the whole process will form one section of my portfolio for the MA Technology Enhanced Learning module. It has spurred me on to enrol for the MA Action Research module in which I plan to integrate the iPads into a third year module.

Learning and Professional Development Centre. July 2013

Dissemination and outputs, including materials developed: Taylor, S.L. (2014) iPads as collaborative tools to enhance biological identification skills in the lab and field. MA Learning Technology Project. Taylor, S.L. & Procter, T. (2014) iPads as collaborative tools to enhance biological identification skills in the lab and field. First International conference in iPads in Higher Education, Paphos, Greece, 20-22 March 2014. (Talk on preliminary results, incl. conference proceeding paper, also featured in Week at Keele) Taylor, S.L. (2013) iPads as collaborative tools to enhance biological identification skills in the lab and field. Enhancing Fieldwork Showcase, Rhyd-y-Creuau Field Centre, Betws-y-Coed, 13-15 September 2013. (Talk centred on proposal)

Future work: Taylor, S.L. Integrating mini self-guided field tours into lab sessions. Enhancing Fieldwork Showcase, Discovery Park, South Wales, 12-14 September 2014. (this talk will focus on the next step of my project) Taylor, S.L. & Procter, T. iPads as collaborative tools to enhance biological identification skills in the lab and field. JADE. (Russell Crawford has already accepted my MA technology project with very minor edits, waiting for MA marks before publish) Also plans in pipeline for a training workshop for Life Sciences staff

Author(s) contact details for future enquiries: Dr Sarah L. Taylor, School of Life Sciences, [email protected], 01782 733025 Trish Procter, School of Life Sciences, [email protected], 01782 733771

Please return completed form to [email protected].

Learning and Professional Development Centre. July 2013