On March 13th and 14th, 2024, Altoona Instructional Design offered a workshop, Instructional Technology Tools that Create Powerful Learning Experiences,in partnership with our colleague, Ian Camera, at Apple Education. During the workshop, Ian showcased how the features on an iPad empower individuals to lead more fulfilling lives.
Not only do these features offer essential tools for everyday tasks, but they also enable learners to actively participate and excel in the classroom. They are flexible, ubiquitous, and offer invaluable support for learners, ensuring inclusivity and facilitating personalized learning experiences. Ian demonstrated several built-in tools included on iPads. Some of the features explored were:
| Tool | Description | Video Demo | Instructional Uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magnifier | Allows you to magnify or illuminate objects, apply color filters, or change the contrast. | How to Use Magnifier on iPad | Students can enlarge text or images in course materials to make them easier to read or to focus on details. |
| Read all text | Allows you to have your device read selected text or the whole screen and give you insights to correct text you write | How to Have iPad read text to you | These features can be immensely helpful to learners who have reading difficulties, such as dyslexia, visual impairments, or cognitive disabilities. It can also provide an alternative for individuals who prefer auditory learning or as a component in both reading and listening to content. |
| Live captions | Provides captions for audio | How to Use Live Captions on iPad | Live captions are beneficial to learners who are deaf or hard of hearing. They also provide an alternative format for audio content, if learners prefer textual versions or can be a component in being able to both read and listen to content. |
| Assistive touch | Create your own menus and gestures | How to Use Assistive Touch on iPad | Students can set up customized menus or gestures that help them enable certain features on their phone. This is especially helpful for individuals who have mobility impairments. |
Mobile toolsets have the capacity to support student communication, functional skills, and academics (Chambers, et al., 2017). In fact, a report from Jorsen indicates that 41% of instructors supported academic learning with usability features on a mobile device, while another 42% supported communication and social skills via mobile. The integration of mobile device usability features fosters an inclusive learning environment, empowering students of diverse needs to fully engage and thrive academically.
If you would like to explore additional features on your mobile device that are not described above, check out our Device Accessibility resource. It provides links to usability features on both Apple and Android devices. Penn State Altoona’s instructional design site also provides a video playlist of iPad accessibility features.
Can you envision uses for these tools in your life, or in your classroom? How might they be applied? To explore the integration of a tool in your classroom, reach out to Jen Wagner at jlw83@psu.edu. Watch for future blog posts on this topic, too!
