ADOPTION OF THE TABLET PC BY THE ENGINEERING EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AT VIRGINIA TECH

摘要

The College of Engineering (COE) at Virginia Tech is considered to be a forerunner with using new technology to enrich the teaching and learning experience. In 1984, they were the one of the few universities who had a personal computer requirement. In 2002, they had a laptop requirement for all engineering students and in 2006; the COE started the Tablet PC initiative which required all incoming engineering freshman students to purchase a Tablet PC. The department of ENGE is the first stop for engineering students within the college as all incoming freshman are required to take two introductory courses offered by the department. A qualitative investigation revealed that ENGE's faculty members not only readily adopted the tablet PC but have also helped faculty members outside of their department learn how to effectively use the Tablet. Some of the faculty members within this department are also considered to be champions of other forms of instructional technologies. The COE has been finding it challenging to get other departments to wholeheartedly accept the tablet PC like ENGE did and are using the results of this study to assist in identifying strategies that can assist with greater diffusion of instructional technology across departments.