Oklahoma State University president Burns Hargis announced this morning the University will pilot an Apple iPad initiative during the Fall 2010 semester with select courses in the School of Media and Strategic Communications and the Spears School of Business at both the Stillwater and Tulsa campuses.
“This pilot initiative will provide valuable insight into the research benefits of the Apple iPad in the classroom,” said Hargis. “The iPad has had an amazing impact since it was introduced last April and we are excited to be able to put this powerful and creative tool in the hands of students and faculty and see what happens.”
The Pilot will be led by myself and Tracy Suter, associate professor of marketing in the Spears School of Business. Each of us will integrate the iPad differently but will focus on specific measurable outcomes.
The iPad pilot will be launched this fall with approximately 125 students in five different courses and will be focused on fields of study where we believe we can best determine the higher education value of the iPad. We will evaluate the academic enhancement to the courses, how the iPad and its specific apps and web-based tools can be integrated in this capacity, and perhaps most importantly, how the integration of these mobile tools can expand the tactical abilities of students as they enter the workforce.
The iPad and other mobile tools are already integrated into daily business use. In both schools, the iPad will be used for academic purposes and to explore innovative uses and tactical uses specific to each school’s industry needs.
Professor Suter offers this perspectives, “In addition to mobility, the iPad will allow us to work in real-time. For example, data collection and analysis in a research context can be a multi-day to multi-week process. By using the iPad, we can replace paper-and-pencil research with the immediate process of data collection, review and summary over a Web interface.
I certainly have ideas of how I would like to use an iPad. But collectively we will discover new uses a single individual might not have conceived independently. Putting the newest technology in the hands of students allows them to stretch the limits of how it can be used.”
Cost savings for students will also be evaluated. In one case, students using the iPad in a single course will save more than $100 on a single textbook, which can be downloaded in an ePub format.
OSU is leading the way in the integration of technology in the classroom. It is already using a variety of tools such as iTunesU and YouTube, along with other collaborative tools. OSU is also exploring the development of mobile applications to integrate current publications into an online and app platform, offering expense savings and enhanced distribution.
Members of the media interested in more information can contact me or Carrie Hulsey-Greene | 405.744.9081 | Carrie.hulsey_greene@okstate.edu
I would be remiss if I didn’t add, “Oklahoma State University is a modern land-grant system that cuts across disciplines to better prepare students for a new world. Oklahoma’s only university with a statewide presence, OSU improves the lives of people in Oklahoma, the nation, and the world through integrated, high-quality teaching, research and outreach. OSU has more than 32,000 students across its five-campus system and more than 19,000 on its Stillwater campus, with students from all 50 states and about 110 nations. Established in 1890, OSU has graduated more than 200,000 students who have made a lasting impact on Oklahoma and the world.” That and GO POKES!!!
CREATE – INNOVATE – EDUCATE – GO STATE!
Stay tunes, more to come…
[...] With many schools supporting the use of iPads in the classroom and professors such as Bill Handy at Oklahoma State University creating special courses for the device, there are plenty of note-taking apps to test out. Students seems to [...]
As an OSU alum, tech enthusiast and iPad owner, I am glad to see OSU taking the lead in exploring the use of new technology. I would be very interested in the outcome of the research project.
I’m really excited about this as well! Is there any word on which specific classes will be offering these iPads? As an MIS major, I still have to take some Marketing classes and am very interested in trying new technology. Thanks!
Hi Brett, we aren’t announcing the classes just yet simply because we don’t want students taking the classes to be part of the pilot which might skew the findings. We will keep everyone posted.
This sounds great! Is there any word on which specific classes will be offering these iPads?
From the AP – Oklahoma State regents approve $1B budget, 4 percent tuition hike — and iPad pilot program http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Oklahoma-State-regents-OK-1B-apf-1837526038.html?x=0&.v=1
Maybe I my reading comprehension has gone down since graduation, but who is paying for the iPads? The Comms School? The student?
Hey Meg, hope all is well in your world. I doubt highly your reading comprehension has gone down.
My understanding is the project will be funded via a research fund and tuition dollars are not being used to fund the pilot.
Hi Meg, I asked for a bit more clarification – the pilot is being funded through a classroom equipment account which is funded by normal operating funds.
Thanks again for stopping by.
Sounds great!
I think this is great for our school! I’ve gotten to play around a little with my team’s iPad at work. Love it. I want one of my own!
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Derrison Steer, Davod Nematpour. Davod Nematpour said: billhandy: OKState to launch iPad pilot in Biz and Strat Com Schools http://bit.ly/ds5R1b [...]
I am elated to read this. Go Pokes!!!!!!
Thanks Alanna, hope all is well in your world!
All is well here. Thank you. Thank you too for offering this information on your blog. I enjoyed reading it! I look forward to learning more about this project as it progresses. Best of luck!