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This small-scale qualitative case study aimed to investigate English language teachers’ perceptions of the impact of iPads in classrooms in ideal, actual and realistic terms. The study took place at the end of a five-year initiative that saw iPads introduced to English Language classrooms in a UAE Federal Institution. The investigation was carried out from a constructivist epistemology perspective using observations and interviews, analysed through the lens of the SAMR Model (Puentedura, 2010). While curriculum constraints limited the impact in this initiative, the device has the potential to engage students in collaborative tasks and assist in classroom management. A potential two-dimensional SAMR model is proposed, as are opportunities for further research.

ﺗﮭ د ف د را ﺳﺔ اﻟ ﺣﺎﻟ ﺔ اﻟﻧ وﻋﯾ ﺔ اﻟ ﻣ ﺻ ﻐرة ھذه إﻟ ﻰ اﻟﺑ ﺣ ث ﻓ ﻲ ﺗ ﺻ ورا ت ﻣﻌﻠ ﻣ ﻲ اﻟﻠ ﻐﺔ ا ﻹﻧ ﺟﻠﯾ زﯾ ﺔ ﺣول ﺗﺄﺛﯾ ر ا ﻷﺟﮭزة اﻟﻠ وﺣﯾ ﺔ ﻓ ﻲ اﻟﻔ ﺻ ول اﻟد ر ا ﺳ ﯾ ﺔ ﺑ ﺻ و ر ة ﻣﺛﺎﻟﯾ ﺔ و و اﻗ ﻌﯾ ﺔ و ﺣ ﻘﯾﻘﯾ ﺔ. و ﻗد ﺑﻧﯾ ت ھ ذه اﻟد ر ا ﺳ ﺔ ﻋ ﻠ ﻰ ﻣﻧ ظ و ر ﻧ ظ ر ﯾ ﺔ اﻟﻣﻌر ﻓﺔ اﻟ ﺑﻧﺎﺋﯾ ﺔ ﺑﺎ ﺳ ﺗ ﺧ دا م اﻟﻣ ﻼ ﺣ ظ ﺎ ت و اﻟﻣﻘﺎﺑ ﻼ ت ، وا ﻟﺗ ﻲ ﺗم ﺗ ﺣﻠﯾﻠ ﮭﺎ ﻣ ن ﺧﻼل ﻋد ﺳﺔ ﻧ ﻣوذ ج SAMR .(Puentedura, 2010) ( ﻓﺑﺎﻟ رﻏم ﻣ ن أ ن ﻗﯾ ود اﻟ ﻣﻧﺎ ھﺞ ﺣد ت ﻣ ن ﺗﺄﺛﯾ ر ا ﻷﺟﮭزة اﻟﻠ و ﺣ ﯾ ﺔ إ ﻻ أ ن ﻟ دﯾ ﮭﺎ اﻟ ﻘد ر ة ﻋ ﻠ ﻰ إ ﺷ ر ا ك اﻟط ﻼ ب ﻓ ﻲ اﻟﻣﮭﺎم اﻟ ﺗ ﻌﺎ و ﻧﯾ ﺔ و اﻟﻣ ﺳ ﺎ ﻋ دة ﻓ ﻲ إ دا ر ة اﻟ ﻔ ﺻ و ل اﻟد ر ا ﺳ ﯾ ﺔ. ﺗﻘﺗ ر ح ھ ذه اﻟد ر ا ﺳ ﺔ ﻧ ﻣو ذ ج SAMR ذو أﺑ ﻌﺎد ﺛﻧﺎﺋﯾﺔ، ﺑﺎ ﻹ ﺿ ﺎﻓﺔ إﻟ ﻰ ﻓ ر ص ﻹﺟرا ء ﻣزﯾد ﻣ ن اﻟﺑ ﺣو ث.

This paper describes a small research project undertaken in a technical college in Qatar on the use of iPads in the classroom. iPads were trialed for a semester each in mathematics and physics classes; students completed pre- and post-surveys. Classroom observations were carried out and interviews were conducted with both faculty (N=3) and students (N=19). Over 80% of students reported positively on the iPad as being “helpful” to “very helpful” for learning new things and course materials, for increasing their interaction with online course materials and getting course information and for exploring additional material related to course topics. Faculty perceptions of iPad use in class were also positive.

Managing educational innovation in higher education institutions is a complex process that requires specific strategies based on research and proven frameworks. The aim of this paper was to examine how Bolman and Deal’s (2003) theoretical framework can be used to analyse organisational change processes and to evaluate the progress and outcomes of an educational innovation initiative at a university in the Gulf. This educational innovation involved the use of iPads in curricular practices to enhance pedagogical strategies and student learning outcomes.

An ethnographic case study methodology was used to make an empirical inquiry that investigated data obtained from direct observations, informal interviews, holistic field notes and documents to better understand a contemporary phenomenon within its real-life context.

A critical analysis of this iPad initiative suggested that the main areas of leading and managing this innovation, through Bolman and Deal’s framework, were effectively centred around the human resources, structural and political frames but were less affected by the symbolic frame.

The authors provide suggestions, based on their experiences as faculty members and academic administrators, on how such innovations can be effectively led and managed. In addition, a new cross-cultural model is proposed for managing future educational innovations in higher education, particularly in the Gulf region. This new model could also be used to effectively evaluate the implementation and management of other educational changes such as those precipitated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

As publishers and academia swiftly head towards e-textbooks, it is important to understand how students feel about using e-textbooks as a primary learning tool. This paper discusses results of a small-scale study looking into how a group of language learners view and use e-textbooks as learning tools in ESL classrooms. The paper concludes by offering teaching implications that could ease integrating e-textbooks in language classrooms in a more effective and efficient manner.