Using iPads to Increase Academic Task Completion Critique (Article Critique Sample)

Using iPads to Increase Academic Task Completion
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Using iPads to Increase Academic Task Completion
The effectiveness of using iPads to Increase Academic Task Completion by Students with Autism is an academic research study that was carried out to assess the contribution of Information Technology integration into the academics of students living with autism. The study was conducted in a special needs school in Baltimore by four researchers, namely; Patricia O'Malley, M.E.B. Lewis, Claire Donehower and David Stone. The study focused on seven students with Autism Spectrum of Disorders who were enrolled in the school, to assess the impact this intervention has on their basic mathematic performance, student compliance, and assignment completion, about their disability. It was guided by four research questions, which were:
1 Does the iPad intervention improve basic math skills?
2 Does the iPad intervention reduce noncompliant Behaviors?
3 Does the iPad intervention increase independent task Completion?
4 What are the advantages of and challenges to using IPads for classroom instruction? (O'Malley, Lewis, Donehower, & Stone, 2014).
The study came up with various conclusions as per the objective of the survey as well as answering the four questions efficiently.
This iPad intervention study was conducted in a classroom in Baltimore Maryland, which takes care of students with severe to moderate developmental disabilities, using a single subject design study. The seven students were aged 10 to 13 years and lasted for four weeks, during which the use IPads were introduced into the student's studies and the impact assessed (Dillard, 2014). This was with regard that particular needs can pose a lot of problems for the learning and development of the students, due to their limited mental coordination capacity (Shattucke et al., 2007). Fist, the intervention increased independent task completion by the students. Using the IPad ensured their coordination and interest in their tasks independently without the need of constant supervision, thereby increasing independent task completion. Secondly, this intervention increased the basic math skills on a LAP-3 basis, comparing the results of pretest and posttest results. Five out of the seven students who were enrolled showed significant change over a period of four weeks.
In addition to those, the intervention showed a significant reduction in non-compliant behavior by the student (O'Malley, Lewis, Donehower, & Stone, 2014). Students distractions and strays from their core business in school seemed to be tamed, thereby indicating a greater level of compliance with their teacher instructions. The use of iPad enhanced their concentration and fascination by education, even though they were not well acclaimed to the utilization of the gadgets. Passive noncompliance decreased between the first and the second intervention, which can be attributed to the unfamiliar tasks for the students. This is expected to decrease with increased practice and acclimatization (O'Malley, Lewis, Donehower, & Stone, 2014). Lastly, the study came up with various findings on the contribution of this intervention to the overall education system for the students. First, there was a decrease in teacher support, as student independence grew. The IPad could also be modified to fit the moderate to severely disabled children. There was an overall reduction in noncompliance and quicker progress towards the learning goals of the students. The challenges included a significant need for technological support, varied range of teacher opinion, logistical issues such as the use, storage and maintenance of the IPad posed a challenge to the institution, as they are delicate and the students are less careful about gadget safety due to their mental state (O'Malley, Lewis, Donehower, & Stone, 2014).
The researchers were very explorative of their subject, and the report is very informative. The structuring of their thesis and the study questions, as well as the general address of the subject matter, is very particular, which makes the report easily comprehensive and communicative. The research was conducted within a short period of only one month, during which many outcomes were identified and well analyzed to produce this document. This is imperative that the authors are very keen and explorative in their study (Buchner et al, 2015). The paper was well researched for, evident from the literature review in the introduction, where various aspects of autism and co...