At Duke University, it doesn't just seem like every student on campus has an Apple iPod, they actually do. At least every non-transfer sophomore does.
As part of the Duke Digital Initiative, every freshman entering Duke last year received a free fourth-generation audio iPod. In 2005, Duke continued distributing iPods but on a course-specific basis to allow wider benefit of the technology.
"There was an evaluation last spring, and based on those results it was determined how to use the [iPods] this year," David Menzies, news and information manager for Duke's Office of Information Technology, said. "We expect to match or exceed the number [of university-issued iPods] this year from the 2004-05 year."
Students who received iPods upon entering Duke last year, as well as students who received iPods for their courses this year, will be allowed to keep them indefinitely.
Matt Dekow, a sophomore at Duke, cited some of the student benefits of having a personal iPod.
"Because I'm an engineering major, I used mine a lot for academic reasons," he said via e-mail. "In lab, I had to figure out how it actually stores music using certain types of programming. Other students used them to record lectures that they thought were important."
Although the University of Wisconsin says it values new technology to advance teaching and learning, it does not seem likely UW students will enjoy the same benefit, according to Brian Rust, communications director for the Division of Information Technology at UW.
"This is not unlike a few years ago when it was a hot topic whether or not to let students get a laptop," Rust said. "It may have been a relevant question fairly early on in laptop use, but wait a little while and most students get the device if they really need it."
After increased laptop demand, the UW InfoLabs Laptop Checkout System began in 2002 and has grown considerably in popularity and availability. Laptops can now be checked out at 14 different locations on the UW campus.
UW's technological endeavors have not stopped there.
"The whole podcast thing involves being able to listen to audio regardless of the device (computer, mp3 player or iPod) and where you are," Rust said referring to UW's Engage, a newly implemented podcasting program. "But I don't foresee the time when we would require students to own a certain device."
However, Duke's DDI has adapted to accommodate when a certain device is needed for a certain class.
"If, in 2004, a student was given an iPod without photo or video capabilities, that student can trade it in and get a new one to replace the old audio iPod," Menzies said.
In addition to its academic benefits, Dekow admits students do not use their iPods solely for university related purposes.
"[The iPod] is beneficial to me both for entertainment and for class," he said. "With that being said, a majority of my friends use it strictly for entertainment purposes."
Rust also remarked about the possible academic limitations of iPods.
"If I was in a science class where I needed to see images, and a faculty member had 500 images in a database that I could access, I don't think I would want to access them with an iPod with its little screen but access them on a laptop," he said. "But students tend to adopt it if it is a useful technology."
