Eurell Jo Ann C, Diamond Nancy A, Buie Brandon, Grant David, Pijanowski Gerald J
Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Illinois, 2001 S. Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61802, USA.
J Vet Med Educ. 2005 Spring;32(1):113-6. doi: 10.3138/jvme.32.1.113.
Tablet computers offer a new method of information management in veterinary medical education. With the tablet computer, students can annotate class notes using electronic ink, search for keywords, and convert handwriting to text as needed. Additional electronic learning resources, such as medical dictionaries and electronic textbooks, can be readily available. Eleven first-year veterinary students purchased tablet computers and participated in an investigation of their working methods and perceptions of the tablet computer as an educational tool. Most students found the technology useful. The small size and portability of the tablet allowed easy transport and use in a variety of environments. Most students adapted to electronic notetaking by the second week of classes; negative experiences with the tablet centered on a failure to become comfortable with taking notes and navigating on the computer as opposed to writing and searching on paper. A few performance-related problems, including short battery life, were reported. Tablet software allowed conversion of faculty course notes from a variety of original formats, meaning that instructors could maintain their original methods of note preparation. Adopting a consistent naming convention for files helped students to locate the files on their computers, and smaller file sizes helped with computer performance. Collaboration between students was fostered by tablet use, which offers possibilities for future development of collaborative learning environments.
平板电脑为兽医医学教育提供了一种新的信息管理方法。借助平板电脑，学生可以使用电子墨水对课堂笔记进行注释、搜索关键词，并根据需要将手写内容转换为文本。此外，诸如医学词典和电子教科书等电子学习资源也唾手可得。11名兽医专业一年级学生购买了平板电脑，并参与了一项关于其使用方法以及对平板电脑作为教育工具的看法的调查。大多数学生发现这项技术很有用。平板电脑体积小、便于携带，可在各种环境中轻松携带和使用。大多数学生在上课第二周就适应了电子笔记；使用平板电脑的负面体验主要集中在无法像在纸上书写和查找那样自如地在电脑上做笔记和操作。有报告称出现了一些与性能相关的问题，包括电池续航时间短。平板电脑软件能够将教师的课程笔记从各种原始格式进行转换，这意味着教师可以保持其原来的笔记编写方式。采用一致的文件命名规范有助于学生在电脑上找到文件，而较小的文件大小有助于提升电脑性能。使用平板电脑促进了学生之间的协作，为协作学习环境的未来发展提供了可能性。
