new technologies in education

The first project shows that the iPad can be extremely useful for the elderly with a reasonable level of health. Thanks to its relatively easy interface and the fact that it weighs very little, the iPad means that the elderly adapt quickly to using it. Easy access to the resources on this tablet and their applications develop social interrelations among the elderly and help foster creativity.

This project has helped the elderly lose their fear of new technologies in an age dominated by digitalisation. “The aim of this project is to bring people to technology and not the other way round,” says Margarida Romero, one of the driving forces behind this research. “Very often, we have to ‘train' people for technology, instead of considering that we should adapt technology to people.” As well as Romero, Elena Barberà also took part in this project, both being members of the EDUS group (University and School Distance Learning) at the UOC's eLearn Center.

The project was carried out in Finland. However, we hope to develop this type of research into the elderly in Spain, and specifically Catalonia, over the coming years.

The second study shows that “due to its deeply-rooted nature and closed design”, the iPad helps with gathering forensic information to aid police investigations and improve crime clear-up rates. The Apple tablet has a series of information detection features that distinguish it from other tablets by different brands.

Of these, the research's co-author, Luis Gómez, has highlighted the most standard points offered by the iPad operating system, such as cloud stored information (iCloud platform), the fact that the device can be located at any time (the Find My iPhone service) and wireless printing (Airprint service), which is one of the key relevant points to this research. Gómez also believes that “there are other products that offer similar features, but the differences in implementation make it necessary for each platform to be studied separately.”

In relation to crime clear-up, there are proven instances where the iPad has been conclusive. “I have worked personally on cases of threats and blackmail where the devices that work with the iOS operating system have been the decisive element of proof,” says Luis Gómez. “It's also easy to imagine the iPad as key in cases of information leaks,” he added.This study was conducted by Joan Arnedo, researcher at the UOC's research institute, IN3, and Luis Gómez, UOC PhD student.

These two projects analyse and show empirically that the iPad can be used far beyond the confines of the technological uses of the digital age and that tablets, in this specific case the iPad, offer significant work and learning possibilities for different sectors of the population.

Related links

·         EDUS

·         IN3

·         eLearn Center

28 September 2012

The aim of the “Future of Education” conference is to promote transnational cooperation and share good practice and in the field of the application of innovation for Education.

The conference focuses on the following topics:

• Art Education
• Distance Education
• Education and New Technologies
• Education and People with Disabilities
• E-learning
• Gender Equality in Education
• Innovative Teaching and Learning Methodologies
• Learning Games
• Media Literacy Education
• Music Education
• Studies on Education
• Studies on Second Language Acquisition