AC 2011-88: APPLYING THE INNOVATION IN ENGINEERING EDUCA- TION FRAMEWORK: ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY

One component in systematic educational innovation is examining the use and impact of instructional technology within the engineering undergraduate curriculum 1 . Instructional technology such as laptops, used in conjunction with software such as OneNote and Dyknow, course management systems, and social networking platforms can provide students and faculty access to shared learning spaces and allow for mobile learning. Regular use of these tools within the engineering curriculum by a cadre of faculty trained to use them effectively can provide students with opportunities to challenge traditional ways of thinking, creating changes in the educational environment 2,3 . National attention has been directed at the need to examine the use of instructional technology more closely, including whether use of these tools has the desired effect on the teaching and learning process 1 . This paper describes the assessment methods currently being employed at a Research I university that are designed to examine the effectiveness of an undergraduate Tablet PC laptop requirement as it relates to systematic change in the nature of undergraduate teaching and learning.