Slashdot Mirror
University Tries "One iPhone Per Student"
alphadogg writes to tell us that one freshman class has a little more than usual to be excited about. When students at Abilene Christian University showed up for their first days of class they were greeted with the choice of either a new iPhone 3g or an iPod Touch plus a package of custom web apps to use on them. "The hardware is part of the Texas university's pilot mobile learning project, which has been gestating for over a year. About 650 first-year students chose the iPhone, and about 300 the iPod Touch, which is a very similar device but without the 3G radio (both devices incorporate an 802.11g Wi-Fi adapter). ACU pays for the hardware, student (or their parents) select and pay for their monthly AT&T service plan."
How time flies. That's almost 1/3000th of the Earth's age ago.
Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
Because I'd rather they invest that money on hiring and training instructors?
You know what students need to help them learn? A good teacher, a book, and a blackboard. Not a goddamn iPhone.
We don't have a state-run media we have a media-run state.
Did the money magically appear from out of nowhere or did ACU tack the money onto the tuition somehow? I mean really. That iPhone which typically costs $199 at an Apple Store when connected to the expensive AT&T plan probably cost each student closer to $600 on their tuition.
Wouldn't it have been better to use the money more productively and made "A Web Enbabled Mobile Device" a prerequisit?
Of course it's a University that declares math and science irrelevant, so I'm guessing it was actually a message from God that the Uni should deploy the Jesus Phone.