A recent article from Ars Technica includes an overview of some of the iPad programs occurring at institutions this fall. Oklahoma State University, Illinois Institute of Technology, Seton Hill University, George Fox University, Reed College, North Carolina State University Libraries, Duke University's Global Health Institute, and the University of Maryland are some of the institutions that have implemented programs. The programs differ among the schools but aim to answer similar questions such as:
- Does the iPad enhance learning?
- Does the device provide a cost savings to students?
- Is the iPad worth investing in for future students?
- How can the iPad and its apps be integrated into curriculums?
- How can mobile devices be integrated into the workplace?
For Reed College, it will be their second experiment with e-reader devices. Last fall, the college participated in the Kindle DX pilot and found that the technology was still limited and required improvement for educational use. This fall, Reed will repeat the experiment with iPads.
Martin Ringle, chief technology officer at Reed College, commented on the experiment. "If I were to predict, I would say that the results are going to be dramatically different and much better and they're going to point the way to what role this technology is going to play in higher education."
We look forward to hearing the results from the programs in the coming months.
