Elementary Students Using a Tablet-Based Note-Taking Application in the Science Classroom

This exploratory study investigates the potential of a tablet-based note-taking application (TbNA) to serve as a digital notebook in support of students' classroom science practices. An elementary teacher (Grades 4-5) from a public charter school integrated a TbNA into her science class for one semester while participating in professional development. Data from a student survey, a classroom observation, and a teacher interview were collected. Findings suggest that students were successful using the TbNA but did not use all of the tools as expected. The results have implications for teacher education, in that professional development must go beyond exploration to the use of technology in subject-specific situations. The work underscores the importance of researching educational technology in authentic classroom contexts.