iPads in action: an investigation into how the use of iPads can help improve Year 7 student engagement and attainment in a secondary grammar school

Digital technologies continue to increase in their popularity and use throughout all forms of education. In recent times windows devices with keyboards have been most popular in many schools but there may now be a shift towards using tablet devices. Therefore, it is important to ask what is the impact upon student engagement and attainment within computing of using iPads? In a selective girls grammar school, where all students in Years 7 to 9 had access to a netbook previously, this investigation looked at the implications of the move away from netbooks to iPads instead. It considered how the use of iPads could alter students’ engagement with regards to their learning and whether there are any benefits to attainment within computing lessons where they already have access to more traditional digital technologies. The investigation was carried out via an online survey which was completed by those students in Year 7 with access to an iPad. Once the survey had been completed 2 small focus groups were then selected and interviewed so as to further investigate the findings from the survey responses. Using computing as a case study, this investigation also considered the implications the use of iPads had on attainment. During this investigation is was discovered that the use of iPads did increase student engagement. There were a number of different reasons why students felt that the inclusion and use of iPads in their lessons increased their attainment. These included more competitiveness, increased independence speed and ease of use. The results found indicated that there were some benefits to student attainment in computing due to the use of iPads. These benefits were seen with regards to the value added results of the students in the study.