Tablet

Tablet

Patricia Rosen, Memorial University of Newfoundland

Definitions and background

Tablet computers first made an appearance as far back as the 1980s as convertible laptops or standalone slates that used Windows operating systems (Coniam, 2013). The novelty of these early tablet pcs was their portability, their connectedness via Wi-Fi and, more notably, their stylus and digital ink handwriting recognition technology that allowed users to write directly onto the tablet (Reins, 2007). These machines were expensive compared to other types of computers (Weitz, Wachsmuth, & Mirliss, 2006). Tablet PCs were first used in education in middle and high schools and gradually made their way into primary and post-secondary institutions (Couse & Chen, 2010). Since 2010, with the introduction of Apple’s touch tablet computer, the iPad, and the since proliferation of other touch tablets, they became increasingly recognized as compelling learning tools for students and teachers (Li et al, 2010). Fabian and MacLean (2014) noted a growing interest in their potential as learning tools. Later tablets had touch screens that were large enough for convenience of use yet small enough for ease of portability as well as for their multimedia capabilities via numerous apps and their wifi or 3G connectivity (Chen, 2013).