At what point do instruction, online guidance, tutorials, and lecture notes lead students toward their learning goals too much? Many educators, especially those who teach at a distance, often have questions as to how much information is enough. In designing learning activities, are we directing students to just the information they need to earn a grade or complete an assignment, sabotaging their motivation to learn more deeply and develop better critical thinking skills about a subject? This paper will investigate these concerns both through review of current literature of instructional design, distance learning, direct instruction, and constructivist teaching strategies, as well as through research conducted in an undergraduate Organizational Leadership and Supervision (OLS) online course taught at Purdue University Calumet in Hammond, Indiana, United States.
This mixed-method case study followed K-5 elementary teachers through their first year of 1:1 iPad adoption in one elementary school. All teachers in the school were surveyed in September and December 2015 and May 2016. Focus groups consisting of two teachers from each grade level were held during these same months. Teacher perceptions were gathered in regard to iPads in curriculum, management, differentiation, collaboration, assessment, and inquiry learning. Struggles during the first year included lack of professional development, rushed decisions made by administration, technical problems, and poor planning. Success was found in differentiation and improvement throughout the year.
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