Research
Doctoral Project
Tablet devices in the daily learning lives of university students

Image CC FlickR: gado-gado-gado
Rationale
Information and communications technologies (ICTs) are often viewed by universities and learners as a critical component of the student experence. Technologies such as computers, networks, learning management systems and mobile devices have been heralded as vital tools that teachers must master to satisfy and engage students of the 21st century, as the so-called ‘Net Generation’ (Oblinger and Oblinger, 2005) or ‘Digital Natives’ attend institutions run by ‘Digital Immigrants’ (Prensky, 2001).
At the same time, learners report having their time divided between increasing work commitments, resulting in a disengagement from university study (McInnis, 2002). Despite this, few studies have attempted to look at the role of technologies in the daily learning lives of students wherever they are. Educational technologies are primarily evaluated for their impact on the student experience as though classrooms and campuses are the only locus of learning.
This study will trace at first hand the complex and messy ways that heterogeneous networks associate students, devices, software, discourses, actions, classrooms, and a multitude of other things over space and time. Its rich description will provide new knowledge of pedagogic practice in university settings and potentially challenge existing conceptions of where, when and how this learning takes place.
Research Questions
- How can we best describe the learning experiences of students using tablet devices in a higher education context?
- What is the relationship between the use of these devices and the spaces and places in which learning occurs?
- When, where and how does this learning take place?
- In what ways are students using tablet devices to learn within a higher education setting?
- To what extent do students’ perceptions of learning and practices with regard to it change when using tablet devices?
Methodological and theoretical methods
In developing a thesis about the learning lives of university students, this project draws on a range of authors who have applied a sociomaterial approach within the field of education. Actor Network Theory in Education (Fenwick and Edwards, 2010) is an example of a new interest, and a particularly relevant reference here. This work espouses the idea of education as an emergent ‘network effect’ (Fenwick and Landri, 2012, p. 1) and foregrounds materiality in order to refocus on ‘webs of relations’ which are constantly adapted and renegotiated. According to this view, learning (and life) rather than being only about the personal and the social, “is about what we will refer to as the socio-material.†(Fenwick and Edwards, 2010, p. 4). Further, they argue, “pedagogy centres around, and is constantly mediated by, material things.â€Â These things are associated in heterogeneous networks, “exert force themselves†and “do not just respond to human intention and force.†(p. 5).
The research questions framed by this project are around the use of a particular set of technologies in the daily learning lives of university students, and the work of Johri (2011) is relevant in this respect. Johri focuses a sociomaterial lens on learning practices and technologies, describing a number of empirical examples, such as the use of Tablet PCs in a large classroom setting with the aim of introducing a ‘participatory conception’ to an otherwise didactic experience. A sociomaterial approach allows the author to trace emergent power relations within a particular setting and subsequently make further alterations in a process he terms ‘socio-material bricolage’.
Research Projects
2015 – present |
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2009 – 2010 |
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2009 – 2010 |
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2008 – 2010 |
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2008 |
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2007 |
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2006 |
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2005 |
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2005 |
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2001 |
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Selected Publications
- Hannon, J., Hirst, D. and Riddle, M. (2011) Implementing e-learning: A migration story (Concise paper), ascilite Conference, Hobart, December.
- Riddle, M. and Souter, K. Designing learning spaces using student perspectives, Journal of Learning Spaces, (accepted, submitted June 2011).
- Keppell, M., Souter, K. and Riddle, M. (eds) (2011) Physical and Virtual Learning Spaces in Higher Education: Concepts for the Modern Learning Environment, IGI Global: Hershey, PA.
- Keppell, M. and Riddle, M., (2011) Distributed Learning Spaces: Physical, Blended and Virtual Learning Spaces in Higher Education, in Keppell, M., Souter, K. and Riddle, M. (eds) Physical and Virtual Learning Spaces in Higher Education: Concepts for the Modern Learning Environment, IGI Global: Hershey, PA.
- Spencer, D., Riddle, M., and Knewstubb, B, Curriculum mapping to embed graduate capabilities, Higher Education Research & Development
- Burchielli, R., Coventry, K., Halteh, P., and Riddle, M., (2010). Just tell me what to do: enquiry based learning and the role of staff in student learning and engagement, Proceedings of International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation, Madrid, November.
- Riddle, M., The Campaign: a case study in identity construction through performance, ALT-J, 17:1, 63-72, Routledge, UK.
- Riddle, M. & Howell, C. (2008). You are here: Students map their own ICT landscapes, in Hello! Where are you in the landscape of educational technology? Proceedings ascilite Melbourne 2008.
- Riddle, M., and Arnold, M. (2008). The Shutdown Method: A Resource Kit.
- Carmichael, P., Riddle, M., Arnold, M., Howell, C., Tracey, F., Rafal, J. & Rivers, R. (2008). A day in the life of the student (Abstract only), in Proceedings of World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia and Telecommunications (p. 2832). Chesapeake, VA: AACE.
- Riddle, M., and Arnold, M. (2007). The Day Experience Method: A Resource Kit.
- Riddle, M., Arnold, M., and Howell, C. (2007). Devices, demands, and desires: tracing technology use in the daily life of Cambridge students, Short Paper, ALT-C 2007 Conference, Nottingham, UK, September.
- Morales, R., Riddle, M., Wilson, L. and Boyle, T. (2007). Symposium: Study of Reuse of Learning Materials: lessons learned by KRN and application to the RLO-CETL, BERA 2007 Annual Conference, London, September.
- Riddle, M., Howell, C., Wilson, L. and Hurst, S. (2006). Symposium: Next Generation Repositories: Lessons from KRN, ALT-C 2006 Conference, Edinburgh, September.
- Hirst, D., Riddle, M., and Young, S. (2005). Maintaining the Momentum throughout The Campaign — Role-play in political communication, ASCILITE 2005 Conference, Brisbane, December.
- Hirst, D., Brooks C., and Riddle, M. (2004). Courseware Design and Development Program: Providing Professional Development and Project Experience, ASCILITE 2004 Conference, Perth, December.
- Keppell, M., Riddle, M. & Arnold, M. (2002). Evaluation and redesign of the Clinicians Health Channel. In P. Barker & S. Rebelsky (Eds). Proceedings of ED-MEDIA 2002, World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia & Telecommunications, June 24-29, Denver, Colorado, USA (pp. 964-969).