Developing Digital Wisdom by Students and Teachers: The Impact of Integrating Tablet Computers on Learning and Pedagogy in an Elementary School

This article investigates a pilot of integrating tablet computers in the elementary education. The research questions address the impact of tablet integration on learning and pedagogy. This qualitative case study crosschecks non-participated observations on students who work with tablet PCs, the school staff reflection on the integration as presented on the school blog, a focus group of fifth graders, interviews with the school principal and four teachers who are involved in the implementation, and three parents who assisted in a tablet-based extracurriculum project. The findings revealed that the most significant added value of tablet use is in mobile learning in out-of-class setting, while in in-class learning teacher would prefer using laptops because of tablet technical limitations. The findings are discussed in terms of technological pedagogical and content knowledge TPACK framework and "digital wisdom" of teachers and students. Pedagogical potential of tablet in developing digital wisdom is analyzed based on five metaphors of mobile learning: using a device as a "toolbox," "creative mind," "participation activator," "shared mobile desktop," and "connected world." For massive implementation in the education system, we recommend that decision makers should integrate tablets only if mobile learning is a significant component in the instructional design.