The Honors College at Southern Arkansas University has been selected to help develop a new learning management system (LMS) by participating in an iPad pilot project.
Dr. Ed Kardas, director of the SAU Honors College and professor of psychology, said he was approached by EmpoweredU, asking if his students would participate in the pilot program. EmpoweredU is creating a new educational mobile platform application (app). The SAU Honors College is among 11 institutions nationwide participating. Other institutions include Clemson University, University of California at San Diego and the University of San Francisco.
“We are anxious to see what unexpected benefits or pitfalls may result from our use of the app,” said Dr. Ed Kardas. “I provided content for the app, so it serves as another vehicle for instruction in addition to the textbook, my lectures in class and the student presentations.”
EmpoweredU read online about how Kardas had incorporated use of iPads with his students in the SAU Honors College. The company corresponded with Kardas online, and they entered into a mutually beneficial agreement.
“The benefit to us was the use of a free pilot app. The benefit to them was feedback from our students as to improve the app,” said Kardas.
Also as a part of the pilot project, Honors students will be creating two group projects each and uploading them to the LMS. The class is made of up four groups, and each group is responsible for presenting two chapters to the class throughout the semester. Kardas said he will cover the chapters as well, “for the sake of completeness.”
SAU Honors College began to implement the use of iPads four years ago thanks to an SAU research grant. Kardas was able to provide iPads for four students in a cognitive science esearch class. The group mapped the campus’ wireless network’s strength, evaluated and recommended apps, surveyed previous seminar students and began to create a student survival guide. They presented their findings at the 2011 Southern Regional Honors Council in Little Rock.
EmpoweredU’s LMS includes features like the ability to work offline, student-to-student and student-to-instructor collaboration and communication tools, and the ability to create essays and audio and video files.
To find out more about the SAU Honors College, visit the SAU Honors College website.
