All across the U.S., young people are getting ready to head off to college for the first time. It is an event that millions of teenagers do every year, but for one university, the first day of class is going to look a little different because of the iPad mini.
According to a report from the Tab Times, students entering Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida, next weekend will be greeted by 600 tablets. Lynn president Kevin Ross said it was the culmination of several years of planning and preparation.
The university is going beyond just handing out the iPad minis to students and hoping they can figure out how to use them. The initiative includes a pilot training program for students, mentors and faculty, expansions to the IT infrastructure, additional wireless hotspots and an overhaul to the freshman curriculum.
"We've worked closely with Apple experts, faculty and others to identify the right apps to provide the right mix of functionalities for the students," Lynn CIO Chris Boniforti told the news source. "But the top-down approach is only one way to do this. We're also going to use organic, word-of-mouth sharing to cultivate a powerful list of apps that will ensure students and faculty have everything they need."
It is projected that the move will save students hundreds of dollars on the cost of textbooks and can help deliver an "enhanced" multimedia experience.
This could be a glimpse into the future of the education system. If so, institutions around the country would be wise to partner with an IT consulting firm that specializes in handling an iPad deployment.
