Chemistry professors in Arts & Sciences are using laptop computers in class with a twist. Tablet PCs with covers that open like a laptop’s, but twist to accept pen input like a clipboard have helped engage students, add emphasis in class, and preserve in-class content. 

Tablet PCs have been widely available for nearly two years. Unlike early systems which had cramped screens, stubborn hinges and unreliable handwriting recognition, tablets can now be used more easily in a live classroom setting. And since tablets run most of the same software as other laptops, learning new programs is not required. You can use a stylus or pen to navigate and input in natural handwriting so using a tablet is similar to writing on surfaces such as chalkboards; a keyboard is optional. Software designed especially for tablets, like Microsoft OneNote further enhances using “digital ink.”

Amy Walker, shown at left, Assistant Professor of Chemistry had seen tablet PCs in stores and web advertisements; she began exploring their use in class after she noticed that PowerPoint slide-based lectures seemed too passive to keep students’ interest. In the current fall 2004 semester, “the General Chemistry Lab 151 has two lecture sections of nearly 300 students. Often in the lecture, I’m presenting concepts and ideas that require a lot of illustrations, diagrams and graphs, so it’s very difficult to use the blackboard.” she said. In previous semesters when she used PowerPoint presentations, Walker felt that students “were not really interacting well in class since they were looking at slides.” Also since the materials were posted to the course web site after each class, students felt that they didn’t necessarily have to attend the lectures.

To make lectures more interactive and interesting, Walker was inspired by a technique she had seen used at Cambridge University, UK.  She began posting “fill-in-the-blank” slides to the web site ahead of class time. She uses the tablet PC during the lecture to write in the blank spaces, requiring students to take notes actively while enjoying the benefit of the illustrations Walker has prepared in advance.

Lev Gelb, Assistant Professor of Chemistry began using a tablet PC in Chemistry 112 in the spring 2004 semester, to address practical problems of using a blackboard: poor visibility, chalk dust and material which is always a swipe away from obliteration." I try to keep up with computing technology,” Gelb. “I didn’t retool my class. I used the tablet as a ‘blackboard replacement.’” Concerned about the “slick nature” of PowerPoint slide lectures, Gelb used the Journal software included with the tablet to display a grid which made it “easier to draw complex diagrams, charts, etc. because I had the ‘graph paper’ as a guide.” He discovered that changing pen colors for emphasis, highlighting important points and scrolling back to previous material were quick and easy. Gelb appreciated having a complete record of a lecture after class and his students liked better visibility and the use of color, but he noticed that scrolling the screen could be disorienting for them when used too frequently.

“Active note-taking helps the student learn the material better,” said Regina Frey, Director of the Teaching Center and Senior Lecturer in Chemistry. And methods to increase students’ understanding such as illustrating a complex concept, contribute to more effective lectures. Gelb noted that he remained behind the lectern more often when using the tablet; “I would move around less though I tried to wave my arms a lot to compensate,” he quipped. Both Gelb and Walker agree that courses with illustrations and other graphical material might benefit a from using a tablet PC during class, especially where projected slides are already part of the lecture format. On the other hand, tablets can be awkward to use and the software that enables handwriting is still primitive. And as with any new classroom technique, more than a little practice to avoid “pen-mistakes” really pays off. “Application of this technology needs to be carefully planned and rehearsed." concluded Gelb.

by Liz Peterson, Associate Director, The Teaching Center

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