Abstract
THIS ARTICLE provides an overview of the successful laptop implementation in the College of Education at the University of South Florida (USF). The pilot initiative began with one cohort of preservice teachers in 2003; since then, the program has expanded throughout the college. Through a chronological outline of the issues, formative evaluations, modifications, and expansion of the project as it progressed through the years, this article shares lessons learned related to the process and outcomes. For example, initial implementation decisions included issues such as whether participation should be voluntary or mandatory, which computer platforms would be supported, and how training and support would be provided. As the project expanded, questions related to ongoing maintenance, financial aid, and other issues were addressed.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Ann E. Barron is Professor of Instructional Technology at the University of South Florida, where she teaches graduate level courses in instructional design and multimedia development. She is the author of several books and numerous articles that focus on technology integration, instructional design, and multimedia development.
Carine M. Feyten is Dean of the School of Education and Allied Professions at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Prior to her appointment as Dean, she was the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the College of Education at the University of South Florida and spearheaded the laptop initiative during her tenure. Dr. Feyten's special interests include Integration of Technology in Education, Foreign Language Education, Cross-Cultural Communication Issues, Second Language Acquisition, and the area of Listening. She is a respected and sought after consultant, reseacher, author, speaker and workshop leader in the U.S. and abroad.
Melissa Venable is a doctoral candidate in Curriculum and Instruction —Instructional Technology at the University of South Florida. Her professional and research interests include instructional design, Web-based instruction, and career development.
Amy Hilbelink received her PhD in Instructional Technology from the University of South Florida. She is a faculty member for Kaplan Online University School of Health Sciences where she is Course Leader for the Anatomy and Physiology I and II courses. her research interests include the incorporation of technology into health education.
Kristine Y. Hogarty is Director of Assessment for the College of Education, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave. EDU162, Tampa, FL 33620. Her primary research interests are applied statistics and data analysis. She is currently involved in the expansion of an electronic portfolio initiative in the College of Education and K-12 environments.
Jeffrey D. Kromrey is Professor and Chair of the Department of Educational Measurement and Research. Dr. Kromrey's specializations are applied statistics and data analysis. He has a general interest in the behavior of numbers, and summaries of numbers, in the context of research.
Thomas R. Lang II is a doctoral student in the Department of Measurement and Research, University of South Florida. His interests include quantitative data analysis, integration of technology in assessment and measurement, and SAS programming.
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Barron, A.E., Feyten, C.M., Venable, M. et al. Laptop computers in teacher preparation: Lessons learned from the University of South Florida implementation. J. Comput. High. Educ. 20, 95–117 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03033433
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03033433