Tablets as a way to encourage less paper
August 28, 2009
Some of you may be aware that there are a few tablet computers available for loan through our educational technologist Marlene Jacobson. I have requested one to use for most of the semester and this week I graded my first assignments with it. All I can say is WOW!
Though I am a bit of a technology geek, I have been hesitant to move to a paperless classroom. In the past I have required students to turn in hard copies of all assignments and papers. My primary reasons for this is that I could not mark assignments electronically as I would with a paper and pen. With a tablet I now have no excuse other than perhaps I do not prefer reading on a screen (something that honestly I am able to deal with more and more).
I know that some people on campus have a tablet as their issued work computer and given my own experiences I believe that Morningside should give the option of a tablet to any facutly member who requests it. I understand that they are more expensive, but the ability to treat my screen like a piece of paper is truely worth it. I wonder how much could be saved from printing costs just by going as paperless as possible.
This semester (as long as I have access to a tablet) I will have very little paper in my courses. My students seem pleased by this overall. Most are tech savvy and most of us are aware of the dismal printer situation in the dorms (constantly breaking down).
The tablets are easy to use, and once you know the trick to marking up a non-MSOffice document you are able to use one of these tablets as you would one of our Smartboards on campus.
So perhaps I am lobbying for more accesibility of tablets for the faculty. Perhaps we will find tablets useful for other offices and even students. But I think the faculty would benefit the most right now (but perhaps I am biased!).
