Deconstruction of the Introduction

In the first paragraph, the authors establish a context for the use of technology in the classroom, emphasizing the broad potential for value in improving classroom teaching and learning. Citing a key and recognized figure in the education technology community—Seymour Papert—the authors initiate an argument that technology in the classroom is already established as valuable and positive.

Next, the authors identify that, while technology use in the classroom is increasingly pervasive, at least one article has identified a shift away from the use of iPads in the classroom because they run contrary to learning. This indicates that there may be a conflict emerging in the research related to how to design software that is appropriate for the classroom, and the conflict represents a societal problem as related to technology implementation. The authors argue that this question is underexplored, and to successfully explore it means conducting long-term inquiry with multiple stakeholders (including teachers and children); this is a clear transition to show why the research to be described in this paper is important.

The authors conclude the introduction by indicating their methodological approach was exactly this: to conduct a long-term study into the use of iPads in classrooms. The result of this study was the development of a theoretical structure for how iPads show up in teaching and learning. This structure presents the idea that technology can be a Friend, a Functionary, or a Facilitator. This model, the authors argue, will “lay the foundation for future work” in designing software delivered in a classroom on a tablet device. Additionally, the model can be used to then facilitate future studies of a similar nature.

Paper’s Contributions to HCI

This paper offers a model and theory-based contribution to the existing literature in HCI as related to technology in the classroom. This expectation is established in the introduction, and then repeated in the discussion, where the authors argue that they have created a “new vocabulary” to support the study of tablet devices in teaching and learning. They conclude the paper by again arguing that their classification system can enable entirely new perspectives around tablet integration in schools.

The Bodies of Literature the Paper Draws On

The authors draw on a wide variety of educational technology literature in order to ground their work. They reference existing studies showing that tablets are more effective than other computing devices in the classroom to legitimize their focus on iPads, and state that existing literature does not describe how tablets are used broadly in classroom activities (which foreshadows their activity-based findings). The authors also describe different existing models of technology use in schools (one focused on impact, and another emphasizing ways technology enhances learning), but argue that these models fail to ground their work in “modern classrooms.” The authors have clearly delineated a gap in existing research: there is no existing model or framework that shows the “modes” that tablet-based technology presents during classroom use.

Main Findings

The main finding of this paper is that tablets in the classroom take on different roles during teaching and learning, roles that they characterize as Friend, Functionary, and Facilitator. When a tablet acts as a Friend, students work to personalize the device and want to have the device around them. As a Functionary, the tablet presents a passive display of information, often replaces more traditional classroom tools and aids, and supports group and collaborative learning. When the iPad is a Facilitator, the technology is required for a given learning activity; apps become central and integrated firmly into learning. The authors also found that the roles have fluid boundaries, matching the active nature of the classroom.

Main Takeaways for HCI Based On The Findings

The main implication of this work for the HCI community is that, when designing or implementing a tablet-based educational experience, one should consider the activities that could be supported by the technology, and what activities might be already present in the classroom that should be taken into account. The classification of Friend, Functionary, and Facilitator offers a lens for designers to use, and for researchers to leverage, in order to ensure tablet-based educational experiences are effective.