UWIRE – The iPhones and iPod touches required for freshman journalism students this year have yet to be used extensively in class, said Brian Brooks, associate dean for undergraduate studies at the journalism school.
Students using the devices have had problems setting up wireless Internet and iTunes U, but he said the iPods will be very useful once the kinks are worked out.
Brooks said perhaps the devices’ most important feature is their mobility.
Journalism students can check e-mail, read textbooks and listen to lectures as they are walking to class or working out.
“With more than 35,000 applications, many of them free, the iPod Touch [and iPhone] is a portable toolbox for working reporters,” the journalism school Web site states. “No similar array of applications is available on any other audio-video player.”
The Web site said the J school prefers the iPod Touch to other devices, such as the Blackberry or Zune, because of its numerous capabilities.
IPods can record and play audio and video files, provide portable access to the Internet and use custom applications.
Keith Politte, manager of the Reynolds Journalism Institute Technology Testing Center, called it mobile journalism.
“We know that students are already embracing a variety of mobile devices,” he said.
Politte said one reason for the journalism school faculty’s decision to make the iPod a requirement was that most students already own one.
At least 85 percent of MU students own iPods, based on the school computer store’s sales information, the journalism school Web site states.
“That’s an enormous asset that the university can be leveraging in many ways,” Politte said. “These devices are pervasive already. We need to think about what that means for education.”
So far, the only class using the iPod touch is J1010, Career Explorations in Journalism.
Students in that class have downloaded an application called Mojo1010, which lets them view their class syllabus, schedule and announcements on their iPod touches.
The class also requires a digital textbook, which can be read on the device.
Politte said the iPod touches and iPhones can also be used to take mass surveys, which is useful for a class of more than 400 students.
Students can answer a question asked by the professor, participate in a poll or give feedback about a lecture.
“Think of it as a clicker on steroids,” Politte said.
Freshman Laura Davison, a student in J1010, said she uses her iPod outside of class to check on news updates and e-mails, but has had problems with MU’s wireless Internet in class.
“I haven’t used it a whole lot yet,” she said. “It’s a really cool idea and it’ll be good once the kinks are worked out.”
Freshman Jake Schlegel said he thinks the iPod requirement was a bad idea and computers can be used instead.
He said he prefers using his laptop, rather than the iPod touch or iPhone.
Brooks said the journalism school hopes to implement the use of iPods in other classes by this spring or fall semester 2010 at the latest, and the Division of Informational Technology is developing an application called iMizzou, expected to be available by next fall.
The program will give all students portable access to myZou, as well as tools to let them view campus maps and purchase event tickets.
“We’re experimenting with things at this point, a lot of things,” Brooks said. “We just need a little time.”
Good article. Ipods are slowly turning us into antisocial freaks.