Duke University and iPods in instruction

In the fall of 2004, Duke University provided incoming freshmen with 20GB iPods that were also equipped with Belkin voice recorders. This is a terrific example of universities embracing emerging technologies by providing their students with an instructional tool that can be used both in and outside of the classroom. Students were able to record classroom instruction as well as: access podcasts, store files, and use it as a field recording and study support tool.

This link provides arguments both for and against the usage of iPods in the classroom. It basically reiterates the Duke University discussion of the audio recording abilities of the device and how those can be used in a variety of situations. As far as the challenges concerned they pointed out that the battery life was limited, difficulty file sharing, and how "most students" weren't technologically savvy enough to work with the software. Although I was skeptical about that argument. Overall the biggest issue seemed to be the usage of iPods in the classroom beyond their intended use, which most of students surveyed said they used their iPods for other things half the time. Ultimately iPods should supplement classroom instruction rather than replace it.