Teaching & Learning

SMD upholds a strong culture around collaborative learning models, and the iPad has become an important compliment to that learning model. Throughout the first and second years, students participate in problem-based learning (PBL) and team-based learning (TBL) sessions several days a week and rely on their iPad to quickly and easily access informational materials from Blackboard, take notes, share notes with team members, and present their findings at subsequent sessions.

Student Access to Technology

The portability of the iPad means that every student has a device on hand to access materials and participate. One such example is when team-based learning sessions require students to complete the individual and team readiness assurance tests at the beginning of a class session. Students access these in Blackboard as class begins and students have an opportunity to participate because they all have access to a portable device.

In courses where lecture is still the primary source of content delivery, incorporating live polling, via Poll Everywhere, has been helpful in breaking the lecture up and allowing for student reflection and response. Students are able to gauge their own understanding in comparison to their classmates and instructors can identify where additional focus is needed in the instruction. Students can easily access Poll Everywhere on their iPad and respond to in-class prompts.

Student Creation of Content

The iPad offers a number of features that allow for creative student assignments, as students can use the camera app to record themselves in sample patient encounters and submit these short videos for faculty review or to do a self-critique of their skills using a supplied checklist. Students are also asked to create flashcards for their courses using the Anki application and to share these with their classmates.