A Tablet PC-based teaching approach using conceptual maps

There are clear evidences that technology can drive major positive changes in the classroom addressing problems associated with traditional lecture-based pedagogy. In particular, the flexibility of Tablet PCs and digital ink has the potential to achieve a wide range of educational goals and promote a more dynamic classroom environment. However, as the possibilities of these educational technologies grow, it seems necessary to consider their role by conceptualizing the knowledge they provide. In this work we propose a teaching approach based on the use of conceptual maps to generate instructor guidelines for Tablet PC-based courses. Our approach combines the instructional domain with the technological one in order to offer practical guidelines to design and develop both lecture materials and active learning experiences, providing a systematic and flexible way to guide the teaching process in a Tablet PC-based learning scenarios. We present a case study on how to implement the approach in a first-year Computer Engineering course reporting the introduction of the Tablet PC in this educational setting.