iPad & Paper: Teacher Perceptions of Tablet Literacy Outcomes on Middle School Students

Abstract

Since the development of the first mass-produced iPad in 2010, American tablet ownership has skyrocketed both within our homes and now within K-12 public schools throughout the United States. Yet as 1:1 classroom technology has transformed from an anomaly to a mere commonplace expectation in many regions of the country in just seven years, the questions arises as to how tablet use may be impacting the overall reading and writing of our students. Through two data sets, this study uses a convenience sampling of 22 middle school teachers to analyze their perceptions on the ways in which they believe 1:1 tablet use may or may not be impacting various aspects of student literacy. All survey and interview data collected from the study’s 22 teachers were analyzed using the constant comparative method to reveal emerging themes within the data that were later confirmed by additional literacy specialists. Overall, this study reveals five common trends in teachers’ responses, all of which yield substantial implications on middle school literacy instruction.