Duke to Give iPods to Incoming Freshman

[MacRumors]

In followup to a Page 2 rumor (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2004/07/20040713004840.shtml) that Duke University would be offering iPods to their incoming freshman, CBS Marketwatch provides (http://cbs.marketwatch.com/news/story.asp?guid=%7BD9767465-77A6-4E5A-B53D-6593FCF68A2B%7D&siteid=google&dist=google) confirmation of this report.

According to the news site:

Apple also said that this fall Duke University will give iPods to all incoming freshman. Duke will hand out approximately 1,800 iPods that will be pre-loaded with Duke-related content and will allow students to download supplementary university material in addition to being able to play music.

[Mudbug]

a little corroboration: http://news.com.com/Apple+hatches+newest+iPod/2100-1041_3-5274032.html?tag=nefd.top

Separately, Apple said that Duke University will give Apple iPods to each of its 1,650 freshman this fall, allowing them to access class schedules and course information, as well as play music via the devices. A custom version of the iTunes site will allow students to both buy music and download class information. The school characterized the effort as a pilot program between Duke and Apple that will be evaluated after this year, adding that students will be able to keep their iPods either way.


"We're approaching this as an experiment, one we hope will motivate our faculty and students to think creatively about using digital audio content and a mobile computing environment to advance educational goals in the same way that iPods and similar devices have had such a big impact on music distribution," Tracy Futhey, Duke's vice president of information technology, said in a statement.

[ArticulatedArm]

The RIAA ought to love this one!

[dho]

Lucky lucky little ******

I wonder if more schools will follow

[realityisterror]

i guess i should go to duke...
:cool:
reality

[The Cheat]

Lucky bastards...my frosh kit consisted of a few mini chocolate bars and some samples of Tide.

[Mudbug]

Lucky lucky little ******

I wonder if more schools will follow

what worries me is how many schools will see this as a good idea, but realize they can do the same with the extremely less expensive other MP3 players on the market for a LOT less money.

[Soire]

I just went to GW, and they now have that Napster deal going. This beats the hell out of that, but it does seem that the RIAA would have a hissy fit. Given that the university is now requiring students to use a device that can be used to pirate music. Eh, y'know what? F-those a-holes.

I have a long list of reasons for not liking the RIAA, and I think they deserve a kick in the pants... wait this is all way off topic... :o

[ArticulatedArm]

Are these standard iPods though?

It seems a PDA would be much better for this unless these are some prototype iPods.

[MacCoaster]

what worries me is how many schools will see this as a good idea, but realize they can do the same with the extremely less expensive other MP3 players on the market for a LOT less money.
Except the iPod is more of a desired object because it is a symbol of status. I mean, being at Duke *isn't* enough! :D

[Groves]

You don't need to worry, because Apple isn't relying strictly on the ipod to make this a glorious thing.

The customized iTunes store that allows them to download school related things in addition to music is the real key here.......it's the same power that works with keeping the iPod at the top of the field, too.

The iPod + iTunes Music Store = a fantastic music experience.

The iPod + Duke University + Special Duke/iTunes Music Store = a fantastic Duke University/music experience.

[rishio]

why go to the boring classes when they will be able to get audio recordings of their lecture on their special itunes. To bad I didn't have that option when i was in college. It would be fantastic to get class audio related material via itunes and ipod.

[ArticulatedArm]

People are always saying how a video iPod has no use... wouldn't video of say a mathematics lecture be a good thing on these iPods for this application as well?

[appleface]

i'm definately interested in hearing how this pilot turns out. the ipods will definately be engraved to deter theft (i'm just thinking out loud). i wonder if they'll be duke colors (yeah right).

[iGary]

Knowing Duke, it will come preloaded with Brittany Spears and N'Sync. :D

[jxyama]

if duke really wanted this to be a serious educational thing, iPod should be loaned to students instead of diverting some of the tuition money to purchase them.

99% of these iPod will be used to listen to music, with almost no "educational" value. having an educational use is a pretty thin attempt at justifying providing "gadgets" IMHO...

:rolleyes:

[joeboy_45101]

Is there any kind of Speak-N-Spell for the iPod. I remember those things when I was a kid, ugly red and had the voice of the Devil.

[Gherkin]

People are always saying how a video iPod has no use... wouldn't video of say a mathematics lecture be a good thing on these iPods for this application as well?

No. Why not just watch that video on your computer in the dorm? Or in one of the many computer labs on campus?

iPods should be kept primarily as music devices. Who wants to be squinting at the tiny 2 inch screen trying to figure out differential equations from the latest video lecture?

[joeboy_45101]

Lucky bastards...my frosh kit consisted of a few mini chocolate bars and some samples of Tide.

Seriously, the only thing I got was a credit card offer after orientation was over. Don't come to Ohio for the education.

[Gherkin]

if duke really wanted this to be a serious educational thing, iPod should be loaned to students instead of diverting some of the tuition money to purchase them.

99% of these iPod will be used to listen to music, with almost no "educational" value. having an educational use is a pretty thin attempt at justifying providing "gadgets" IMHO...

:rolleyes:

Well this IS just a test program to see if it can actually work. Why not have an open mind about it instead of being bitter?

[rikers_mailbox]

"Duke to Give iPods to Incoming Freshman"

So, are the iPods really "given" to the students?? Or will they remain school property and be returned when the student leaves?

[mac_gal]

a little corroboration: http://news.com.com/Apple+hatches+newest+iPod/2100-1041_3-5274032.html?tag=nefd.top

I'm surprised no one has mentioned this tidbit from that article:

"Apple said that the company has no current plans for a 60GB iPod. Toshiba, which supplies the drives used in the iPod, said in June that a 60GB drive was in the works. A Toshiba executive was quoted in overseas press reports as saying Apple was a customer, though Toshiba executives in the United States would not comment."

Is Apple deceiving us, or could there be another portable device w/HD coming out?

EDIT: Nobody mentioned this because it's already in a bunch of forums. Oops.

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=941631#post941631

[kugino]

if duke really wanted this to be a serious educational thing, iPod should be loaned to students instead of diverting some of the tuition money to purchase them.

99% of these iPod will be used to listen to music, with almost no "educational" value. having an educational use is a pretty thin attempt at justifying providing "gadgets" IMHO...

:rolleyes:

how someone uses it and what it's intended to be used for are different things. most college students use their computers for email, surfing the web, and playing games. maybe a small percentage is actually used for "educational purposes." that doesn't make it useless or justify it as a necessary item. even if students will spend the bulk of their time listening to music, that doesn't mean it can't serve an educational purpose...even if only used twice a week to download lectures, it's still mighty useful.

[Gherkin]

Of course there are plans for a 60 GB iPod. They just don't want you to know so you don't wait to buy one.

[ArticulatedArm]

Hey Gherkin... what is the design of the G5 Imac going to be like? You seem to know all.

[Manzana]

So, are the iPods really "given" to the students?? Or will they remain school property and be returned when the student leaves?


no way, they're not given out. it's a private institution so i assume you'll be able to see a $300 dollar charge there somewhere hidden amongst the 40k(guessing here) for tuition the poor parents have to pay for one year.

i think it's great, i mean you can download class notes from most classes now, so why not download the audio also? sure beats giving somebody a tape recorder like i used to do when i felt like ditching and hitting the beach!

[jxyama]

Well this IS just a test program to see if it can actually work. Why not have an open mind about it instead of being bitter?

i'm not bitter. i just find premises behind these things so silly. instead of spending money to jazz things up superficially under the pretense of "better education," why not spend the money in a more worthwhile, but less flashier, way? duke is a top-notch university with a tuition to match. instead of supplying 1,500+ students with $200 iPods, why not award 30 $10,000 scholarships for the economically disadvantaged? why not give 300 $1,000 discounts to be used to purchase laptops by the disadvantaged?

if it's to be a test program, why go the entire campus? why not test with "honors" program first? how about with "music" majors first?

besides, if you have a laptop, what can an iPod do that any decent laptop cannot? will there be docking station at lecture halls so you can grab your lecture there? will you really be using an iPod to listen to lectures while strolling around the campus?

students rejoicing at the prospect of getting an iPod aren't excited because it will give them a way to listen to lectures. they are mostly excited because they managed to obtain the latest, hippest gadget without nagging their parents.

if i was a parent paying for duke education, i'd ask that duke do this on their own and not tack on the money on the tuition. if i was strugging to pay for my own way through duke, i'd be pissed to see some of my hard earned tuition money being spent on gadgets.

[decksnap]

It may be that they are loading them with campus building locations, office hours, campus telephone numbers, sylibi?? maybe even a guided audio tour of the university. There IS a lot of possibility here.

[^Dukie^]

Being a rising junior at Duke, I think it's kind of funny that I have not heard about this from the campus Apple representative yet. Hopefully I can get a new ipod with some of the Duke software on it to replace my old 2 gen ipod. For those of you who think this is a really big expense on the students, the yearly cost for a student to go to Duke is somewhere around $38k. The price of an ipod is not that big of a deal. Either way, I wish I'd get a free one.

[TorbX]

I don't see this coming to Norwegian universities anytime soon.

[wPod]

ha. . . now you wont get in trouble for listening to your iPod durring lecture!
'but prof. i was just looking at my assignment on my iPod' it would be nice if all computer on campus had a dock. . . then you could just drop in your iPod and use it like an external drive instead of those little flash thumb drives. that would rock. oh yeah. . . and have your home directory on your iPod with an auto sync. . . THAT would be cool!!! id upgrade from my first gen iPod for that!

[jxyama]

It may be that they are loading them with campus building locations, office hours, campus telephone numbers, sylibi?? maybe even a guided audio tour of the university. There IS a lot of possibility here.

i reiterate my point that this is nothing but gimmick. the same can be accomplished by supplying campus-wide wifi coverage and wireless card for everyone. a laptop can do everything an iPod can and is a lot more useful and productive tool.

the affluent kids will already have an iPod and a laptop. duke should spend the money to afford everyone a laptop and a wifi-card...

[rikers_mailbox]

1,800 iPods in a community computing environment? this would be a great experiment for the "home on iPod" feature.

I would definitely use something like that. . I have different Macs and home and work, and hate having to keep bookmarks, mail folders, etc. synced. (and no, I don't want a .Mac account)

[^Dukie^]

i reiterate my point that this is nothing but gimmick. the same can be accomplished by supplying campus-wide wifi coverage and wireless card for everyone. a laptop can do everything an iPod can and is a lot more useful and productive tool.

the affluent kids will already have an iPod and a laptop. duke should spend the money to afford everyone a laptop and a wifi-card...

Nearly every incoming student to Duke has a PC. The campus already has wifi everywhere, and a $50 wifi card is hardly a huge expense on students. Duke's OIT department obviously knows this and decided the iPod deal is a good promotion.

[gwangung]

i reiterate my point that this is nothing but gimmick. the same can be accomplished by supplying campus-wide wifi coverage and wireless card for everyone. a laptop can do everything an iPod can and is a lot more useful and productive tool.

iPod's cheaper, more mobile and more convenient (or are you thinking students can pop out a laptop as easily as they can an ipod?).

[jxyama]

no kidding iPod is smaller, etc. it's also a passive device. you cannot do anything but listen/read pre-loaded material.

it's a gimmick. no doubt it's a great promotion, but that doesn't mean it's not a gimmick. i find it rather useless to argue about the educational merit of iPods because there really aren't much. i personally feel that the money (wherever it's coming from) could have been used for a better cause, that's all i'm trying to say.

if duke really wanted to promote education through portable device, a PDA with decent memory card and a phone jack would have done better. how much memory do you need to record lectures or notes? how many of us have USB keydrives with 128 MB and put all of our papers and documents on it?

it's a great promotion for apple and duke. it's very hip. iPod is the "it" item right now. but that doesn't mean this isn't a gimmick.

[Anonymous Freak]

College is expensive enough. I don't want ANOTHER $300 (min) tacked on just to get an iPod that I may already have, or don't want.

Yes, it's great for the kids who *DO* want one. But for those who already have one, it's just a pointless extra expense. Either these kids will pay for it later (in student loans,) or their parents are paying for it. (Or, some scholarship organization is paying for it.) No matter how it happens, SOMEONE is paying for it. And it's a totally frivolous expense for a college. (Why don't they just give out 36" HDTVs and DVD Recorder/TiVo units to dorm residents, so that students can record lectures that are broadcast on the internal TV system?)

Same feeling toward schools that give out laptops. Yes, they're great. But it's an expense that someone is paying for, that the majority of students don't *NEED*. If you want to have every student using a notebook, require them as school gear, and let the student choose their own laptop. An iPod is totally pointless for education, though. If you want every student to have an updated portable data device, just hand out 256MB or larger USB flash drives, for crying out loud.

[gwangung]

no kidding iPod is smaller, etc. it's also a passive device. you cannot do anything but listen/read pre-loaded material.

Yes? And reading preloaded material where toting a laptop is inconvenient or impossible has no value? Lists of campus phone numbers and addresses isn't useful? Descriptions of procedures and policies? The, um, academic catalog? (And, you know, putting the academic catalog and various directories on ipods and printing fewer paper catalogs might be cheaper....)

You seem to be stuck on interactivity and forgetting the large advantages in portability and convenience that the iPod has. Reformulate the question and you might get a bit further.

[jxyama]

Yes? And reading preloaded material where toting a laptop is inconvenient or impossible has no value? Lists of campus phone numbers and addresses isn't useful? Descriptions of procedures and policies? The, um, academic catalog? (And, you know, putting the academic catalog and various directories on ipods and printing fewer paper catalogs might be cheaper....)

we've done ok without touting around those information everywhere thus far. you don't mean to tell me that those information are worth $300 storage medium?

if you give everyone an iPod, you will find ways to use them. that doesn't mean iPods are "useful" for those purposes. if there is a problem that needs to be solved and iPod seems to work, then i will conclude iPod is useful. however, as it stands, this seems like an attempt to turn iPod into a solution to a problem that doesn't exist under the name of improving education.

that's why i'm insisting that this is a gimmick: there's no glaring problem that seems to be addressed by the introduction of iPod. i feel it's introducing iPod to campus for the sake of introducing them. give iPods first, and we'll look for problems we can solve with it later -> a certain formula for disaster. (see tablet PC - a device made to solve problems that doesn't really exist or need solving.)


You seem to be stuck on interactivity and forgetting the large advantages in portability and convenience that the iPod has. Reformulate the question and you might get a bit further.

name me one "question" on campus education scene that's better addressed by iPod than any other device.

[Downdivx]

College is expensive enough. I don't want ANOTHER $300 (min) tacked on just to get an iPod that I may already have, or don't want.

Yes, it's great for the kids who *DO* want one. But for those who already have one, it's just a pointless extra expense. Either these kids will pay for it later (in student loans,) or their parents are paying for it. (Or, some scholarship organization is paying for it.) No matter how it happens, SOMEONE is paying for it. And it's a totally frivolous expense for a college. (Why don't they just give out 36" HDTVs and DVD Recorder/TiVo units to dorm residents, so that students can record lectures that are broadcast on the internal TV system?)

Same feeling toward schools that give out laptops. Yes, they're great. But it's an expense that someone is paying for, that the majority of students don't *NEED*. If you want to have every student using a notebook, require them as school gear, and let the student choose their own laptop. An iPod is totally pointless for education, though. If you want every student to have an updated portable data device, just hand out 256MB or larger USB flash drives, for crying out loud.


I have to completely disagree with you. I just graduated from Wake Forest. Wake was the first college in the country to give include a laptop in tuition. Yes, tuition increased more than the price of buying the computers individually. But we got a ton of software (probably too much) and support was a breeze. If you had a computer problem you took it into IS, they gave you a loaner and you had your computer back in a day or two. Standarization across a campus has its benefits.

At the same time Professors could require more from students without hearing the traditional computing complaints. Campus IT was more secure (IS could force Anti-virus updates) and compatability was never a big issue.

So its not just about national prestige or charging more for tuition - issueing standard equipment has its advantages.

W

[gwangung]

we've done ok without touting around those information everywhere thus far. you don't mean to tell me that those information are worth $300 storage medium?

if you give everyone an iPod, you will find ways to use them. that doesn't mean iPods are "useful" for those purposes. if there is a problem that needs to be solved and iPod seems to work, then i will conclude iPod is useful. however, as it stands, this seems like an attempt to turn iPod into a solution to a problem that doesn't exist under the name of improving education.

This is quite possible. However, I can see the utility of having standard, portable multi-Gig storage as a standard for students (and iPods are competitive in that range). Placing that in a package where it is VERY attractive for students to keep with them may be worth the minimal cost (and $300 is a minimal cost if there are savings in printing of directories, policy manuals and catalogs). That may be worth it for Duke to try.

[jxyama]

i think, given the way the world is now, a laptop should almost be a standard issue equipment for college. i don't think any college education is complete without some knowledge of how to operate a computer. yeah, i know, to learn how to use a computer, you don't need a laptop. but then again, you don't need anything but dial-up to use the internet too. at some point, a certain level of convenience should become a part of the "standard."

a portable music device, well, hmm...?

[gwangung]

name me one "question" on campus education scene that's better addressed by iPod than any other device.

Academic catalogs.
Faculty/staff directories.
Policy manual.
Campus maps.
Public domain source materials for core courses

Put 'em on an iPod and students have it RIGHT THERE.

[jxyama]

This is quite possible. However, I can see the utility of having standard, portable multi-Gig storage as a standard for students (and iPods are competitive in that range). Placing that in a package where it is VERY attractive for students to keep with them may be worth the minimal cost (and $300 is a minimal cost if there are savings in printing of directories, policy manuals and catalogs). That may be worth it for Duke to try.

centralized network storage, accessible even remotely with a wifi access, will be more secure (professional maintenance, no potential for loss or theft and backed up regularly), more cost effective (since most dorms/campus buildings are wired and wireless is easier and cheaper to set up than issuing iPods and bulk HDs are cheap) and more versatile.

it may be worth a try, but it sounds like a rather expensive experiment to test something that's not very convincing (at least to me) that it needs to be tried. i just don't see the formula on how iPod would trump over all other available, cheaper and robust alternative solutions.

[rickvanr]

Lucky bastards...my frosh kit consisted of a few mini chocolate bars and some samples of Tide.

you must remember in the U.S. tuition is a little pricer then up north

[stingerman]

You don't need to worry, because Apple isn't relying strictly on the ipod to make this a glorious thing.

The customized iTunes store that allows them to download school related things in addition to music is the real key here.......it's the same power that works with keeping the iPod at the top of the field, too.

The iPod + iTunes Music Store = a fantastic music experience.

The iPod + Duke University + Special Duke/iTunes Music Store = a fantastic Duke University/music experience.

This is also the key to more Xserve/WebObject sales. Since iTMS runs on Xserves and Apple's WebObjects.

[jxyama]

Academic catalogs.
Faculty/staff directories.
Policy manual.
Campus maps.
Public domain source materials for core courses

Put 'em on an iPod and students have it RIGHT THERE.

were those information begging to be made available at all times? funny, i did fine in my college without those info on me all the time.

need to see class description? get online. how often did i want to know about the class description while walking around on campus? not very often.

need to contact a faculty? go to their building.

policy manual? i never needed to read that except at my room.

need a map? if you are a student, it takes a week to learn the campus map. only visitors would need the map with them - but visitors wouldn't have the iPod with the map, would they?

directory? how about just one cell phone call to a campus information center? (i didn't even have a cell phone during college. i still did fine.)

again, the critical questions: making these available to all students via iPods - is that worth $300 per student? are these issues that really need to be addressed? if so, are they best addressed by iPods?

[Doctor Q]

Many questions can be answered by reading the details (http://www.dukenews.duke.edu/news/ipods_0704.html).

For example:
Duke officials said the iPod distribution is part of a pilot program between Duke and Apple Computer, Inc. that will be evaluated after a year. Duke is paying for the project with strategic planning funds that it has set aside for one-time innovative technology purposes.

The 1,650 20-GB iPods distributed to Duke freshmen are the latest-generation ipods from Apple and are compatible with both Mac and Windows systems, as are an additional 150 iPods slated for other academic and support needs. The iPods given to the first-year students will become property of the recipients. Students who do not own their own computers will also be able to participate in the project through computing laboratories on campus.

[ChuckM]

again, the critical questions: making these available to all students via iPods - is that worth $300 per student? are these issues that really need to be addressed? if so, are they best addressed by iPods?

From Maccentral:
"This is a pilot program between Duke University and Apple, which will be evaluated after a year. It's being paid for by Duke using strategic planning funds that have been set aside for one-time purposes, rather than with funds that might otherwise have been used for other operational programs."

So the funds are from a source that is set aside for these exact types of experiments. At least the university is trying to think outside the box. Your argument of using the funds on tuition, while admirable, is not valid. These funds would have been used for something experimental in a one-time fashion anyways.

Chuck

[Skandranon]

A little bird shared this with me today...



From: help@duke.edu
Date: July 19, 2004 4:32:55 PM EDT
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Subject: Duke Technology Announcement

Dear Faculty within the School of Arts & Sciences and the Pratt School of
Engineering:

I'm writing to let you know about an innovative year-long pilot program
Duke is launching in cooperation with Apple.

This August during Orientation, all incoming freshmen will be issued special-
edition Duke iPods. These pocket-size digital devices will be preloaded with
Duke-related content. Throughout the year, students will be able to download
course content provided by faculty, including language lessons, music,
recorded lectures and audio books. We anticipate that students will generate
some of their own material for the program as well.

A collaborative effort by Duke's Center for Instructional Technology (CIT),
Office of the Provost, Office of Information Technology, Office of Student
Affairs, and the Executive Vice President, this pilot project supports the
goal outlined in our strategic plan, "Building on Excellence," to encourage
effective uses of new technology in education and campus life.

We are limiting our distribution of these iPods to this single class because
it will make it easier for us to evaluate their experience relative to other
students and to determine whether the iPods promoted educational innovation
as we hoped. Lynne O'Brien, director of CIT is coordinating the academic
applications of this project, and will be inviting faculty to submit project
ideas early in the fall semester.

Although I encourage you to learn about and consider participating in this
iPod project, faculty participation will be strictly voluntary. There will
be no requirement that faculty use iPods in their classes. Duke is paying
for the project with strategic planning funds that it has set aside for
one-time innovative technology purposes, rather than with funds that might
be used for other operational programs.

Look for more information on this project in the days ahead in the Dialogue
and on www.duke.edu, as well as in the wider media.

Sincerely,

Peter Lange
Provost

[jxyama]

From Maccentral:
"This is a pilot program between Duke University and Apple, which will be evaluated after a year. It's being paid for by Duke using strategic planning funds that have been set aside for one-time purposes, rather than with funds that might otherwise have been used for other operational programs."

So the funds are from a source that is set aside for these exact types of experiments. At least the university is trying to think outside the box. Your argument of using the funds on tuition, while admirable, is not valid. These funds would have been used for something experimental in a one-time fashion anyways.

Chuck

thanks for the clarifications. (of course, those "funds" came from somewhere too.)

anyway, i guess i still don't see the merit of the "experiment." i just don't see much evidence that iPod is the best solution because i don't see the "problem" to begin with.

don't get me wrong, it's great promotion for apple and, to a lesser degree, duke. i won't dispute that. maybe i'm just old fashioned when it comes to educational policies. :D

[Peyote]

thanks for the clarifications. (of course, those "funds" came from somewhere too.)

anyway, i guess i still don't see the merit of the "experiment." i just don't see much evidence that iPod is the best solution because i don't see the "problem" to begin with.

don't get me wrong, it's great promotion for apple and, to a lesser degree, duke. i won't dispute that. maybe i'm just old fashioned when it comes to educational policies. :D


Just because there is no noticeable problem, does not mean that the experiment won't improve things. There is no "problem" using dial-up internet...but isn't broadband so much better?

[Peyote]

Are these going to be iPod Mini's? I don't think so, but that's a shame since the kids could all get the blue mini to match Duke's colors.

[diamacibal]

Some universities have offered PDA opportunities for their students, only to find the students ending up not using 'em at all. This iPod idea is not too bad, for it gives students something they'll use--even if it's not for educational purposes. On the most basic level, students can use this as a portable drive--no more messing around with network drive space or floppy disks. Beyond that, it's up to the Dukers to figure out how to get the most bang for the buck.

[Downdivx]

Are these going to be iPod Mini's? I don't think so, but that's a shame since the kids could all get the blue mini to match Duke's colors.

One of these articles says that they are the 20GB Gen 4s.

W

[macfan86]

hmmmm I wonder if Berklee College of Music will soon follow...

-- They are all Mac at that College, and Require All Students to own 15" PowerBooks upon Entering the School.

Maybe iPods will be next?

[Doctor Q]

Are these going to be iPod Mini's? I don't think so, but that's a shame since the kids could all get the blue mini to match Duke's colors.Maybe they'll engrave each one with "Go, Blue Devils!"

[virividox]

bastards BASTARDs

[themacrobaye]

Dammit... Duke of all people! Why not Wheaton!!! Or why not UCONN!!! UCONN deserves it more than Duke...cuz Duke sucks, and they didn't make it to the final...cuz they suck...and UCONN rules...OK I'm done hehe

But seriously, I always hear about "Free iTMS at so and so university" and "free iPods at duke" and "free PBs and iBs at x college.."

Why not wheaton??? WHYYY!!!???

[Thussy]

38K per year for tuition?!?!?!?!

Why are us Canadians complaining about 4K per semester, when those poor bastards down south have to pay 38K?!

[suneun]

The people who whine about this being an unnecessary expense are probably the same people who would be shocked to discover how much money these Universities spend on landscaping. Or electricity. Or frequent rennovations. Or student activities.

The University needs this kind of whole-body care. If you try to be focused in your spending to faculty, libraries, and buildings, then what you end up with is a drab, uneventful four years. A University is in the perfect position to take chances, innovate, and really spark beauty in their students.

Often, most of the money Universities use doesn't come from tuition. They come from grants, donations, and their endowment.

[jbembe]

why go to the boring classes when they will be able to get audio recordings of their lecture on their special itunes. To bad I didn't have that option when i was in college. It would be fantastic to get class audio related material via itunes and ipod.

Class always got in the way of my bike training schedule. Maybe I could have been riding the pyrenees and alps with Lance if I'd only had this option... :eek: :D

[~Shard~]

Wow, this is pretty cool - I'm envious of those freshman! But, good publicity for Apple, a good little promotion, good for Duke, and good for the kids - a winning situation all around!

[Target]

how someone uses it and what it's intended to be used for are different things. most college students use their computers for email, surfing the web, and playing games. maybe a small percentage is actually used for "educational purposes." that doesn't make it useless or justify it as a necessary item. even if students will spend the bulk of their time listening to music, that doesn't mean it can't serve an educational purpose...even if only used twice a week to download lectures, it's still mighty useful.

I was just over at www.macminute.com and now it all makes sense. Podtender.

[Doctor Q]

Let's all hope that the experiment at Duke is a success. Today Apple is getting good publicity. But if Duke renews or doesn't renew the program next year, people might interpret that as a success or failure by Apple rather than what it will really be - an experiment that shows whether or not Duke's particular ideas for using iPods is practical.

[stevehaslip]

i bet duke will get beaten up when they play sports! damn kids with your ipods! that or everyone will be walking around with white earphones in their ears.

Teacher: "Smith!!!! why aren't you listening to your ipod!!!! 10 minutes minimum at the start of every lesson! no do as you're told!!"

Student: "yes miss"

:D instead of reading it will be listening to audio books in english classes!

[baseballtwin]

Well, I think we are all extremely happy to get these iPods as incoming freshmen at Duke. I can really see how these could really be an awesome technological experiment, to see how these devices can be creatively used by students and faculty to further the educational experience. Not to mention its about the coolest gadget out on the market. Its quite a nice suprise to be receiving this after sending off my insanely expensive tuition bill!

[sinisterdesign]

wow, i used to have to sneak my walkman in class in my jean jacket. of course, i had taped a bunch of answers to the test and listened to them via the headphone i had run down the sleeve of the jacket.

i wonder how long it's going to take before people start selling test answers for download?

about the first week...

[jxyama]

Some universities have offered PDA opportunities for their students, only to find the students ending up not using 'em at all. This iPod idea is not too bad, for it gives students something they'll use--even if it's not for educational purposes. On the most basic level, students can use this as a portable drive--no more messing around with network drive space or floppy disks. Beyond that, it's up to the Dukers to figure out how to get the most bang for the buck.

sorry, but i never understood this aversion to network drive space. it's far cheaper and much, much more secure and robust. there's this strange fear amongst tech-averse students that somehow it's not "secure" if you can't physically carry it. (and of course, the same people complain when their floppy gets bent or lost...) i always found that idea strange.

if one needed a removable media, USB key drives are the way to go because they are smaller in capacity and cheaper in bulk, not to mention even more mobile than iPod. and those comparing the capacity, i'd personally be a little hesitent to have so much information (on the order of GB) on my iPod that can be stolen or lost any day. if you have data that cannot fit on a 128 MB USB key drives, then you really should know how to upload that on the network drive.

IT dept. should teach all incoming students how to use network drive space. this is one thing a lot of universities neglect. given proper teachings on how to use it and what the benefits are, students would gladly use it. (not to mention the fact many companies would practically require you to use networked drive space and forbid you to have mobile media for obvious security reasons...)

[jxyama]

wow, i used to have to sneak my walkman in class in my jean jacket. of course, i had taped a bunch of answers to the test and listened to them via the headphone i had run down the sleeve of the jacket.

i wonder how long it's going to take before people start selling test answers for download?

about the first week...

that's pretty sad...

but you are probably right about your prediction...

[tabascojrc]

anyway, i guess i still don't see the merit of the "experiment." i just don't see much evidence that iPod is the best solution because i don't see the "problem" to begin with.

This may not be just an educational issue. Its another university promoting the responsible downloading of music. Only this time with the Industry Leader. Other Universities have done it, only this time the result has more benefit than just music.

I do agree with suneun, You can't spend your money only on books and scholarships and offer a great college experience. Money has to be spent to shape the whole university. I know I didn't like the fact we overpaid the union housekeeping staff to sit and watch our tv instead of cleaning our dorm, but hey ;) there are far worse wastes of money than that of an innovative product given to students with a multitude of uses.

[apple2991]

Now all the freshmen will be immediately recognizable throughout campus--and hated! At least I would if I had been working my ass off at Duke for 2 years and got left out of the deal.

[Bhennies]

Knowing Duke, it will come preloaded with Brittany Spears and N'Sync. :Dhahahaha :D

[^Dukie^]

Now all the freshmen will be immediately recognizable throughout campus--and hated! At least I would if I had been working my ass off at Duke for 2 years and got left out of the deal.
The freshman live on a different campus than the rest of the students, and are trucked around on busses. They are easy enough to pick out as it is.

[^Dukie^]

Dear Students:

We're writing to let you know about an exciting new project that may
affect how you and other Duke students learn new material in some of
your classes. During orientation this August, members of the Class
of 2008 will receive Apple iPods preloaded with Duke-related content,
including orientation material such as campus tours, class schedules,
and other audio- and text-based information.

This is a pilot project to help us evaluate the potential of these
devices for educational purposes. We're deliberately limiting the
initial distribution to the first year class, to help us evaluate
more effectively after a year whether the iPods have contributed
significantly to our strategic plan and educational objectives. The
total cost is $500,000, which is being supported with strategic
planning funds that Duke has designated for one-time innovative
technology projects, rather than with funds that might be used for
other operational programs.

A number of faculty members are already developing iPod material for
their courses, although such participation is voluntary and not all
classes will require iPods. Students in these classes will be able to
use their iPods to download course content, perhaps including language
lessons, music, recorded lectures and audio books. Any upperclassmen
in these courses will be offered loaner iPods, so they may fully
participate as well. Indeed, we will welcome your feedback about the
project, as well as any content and ideas you might contribute.

You'll be hearing more about the iPods after you return to campus for
the fall semester, and you'll find more information about it on
www.duke.edu. However, we wanted you to be among the first to hear
about the project, which will be an important new educational and
technological experiment for the entire Duke community in the coming
year.

Sincerely,

Bob Thompson Kristina Johnson
Dean, Trinity College Dean, Pratt School
and Vice Provost of Engineering
for Undergraduate Education

Oh sweet, I get loaner iPods to play around with if my professors want me too....

[sushi]

In followup to a Page 2 rumor (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2004/07/20040713004840.shtml) that Duke University would be offering iPods to their incoming freshman, CBS Marketwatch provides (http://cbs.marketwatch.com/news/story.asp?guid=%7BD9767465-77A6-4E5A-B53D-6593FCF68A2B%7D&siteid=google&dist=google) confirmation of this report.

According to the news site:
This is fantastic.

Hope other schools follow!

Sushi

[ValiumLolliPoP]

thanks for the clarifications. (of course, those "funds" came from somewhere too.)

anyway, i guess i still don't see the merit of the "experiment." i just don't see much evidence that iPod is the best solution because i don't see the "problem" to begin with.

don't get me wrong, it's great promotion for apple and, to a lesser degree, duke. i won't dispute that. maybe i'm just old fashioned when it comes to educational policies. :D

You keep bringing up the fact that you can solve "problems" with other devices other than iPods. However, was there a problem using smoke signals to communicate to others? Was the desktop computer not enough? Who needed a laptop? We did just fine without todays technology. The truth is, times change, technology gets better and smaller and faster. The iPod is small enough to hold a huge mass of information and it's trendy as well. It's not a "gimmick" it's just times changing and Duke adapting. The customized music store is a great tie-in to a students life. It's actually appealing to the students, it makes it fun. It also gets the students more involved and allows students to be more knowledgeable about their school. For example, instead of all having a huge stack of papers as your information and not reading it, (i.e. handbook and other crap) you have it all on your iPod and you can get info on the itunes music store.

These funds are not derived from tuition costs. The school has benefactors and Alumni and other private funding as well i'm sure. Also, with Napster trying to strike deals with schools it's only smart for Apple to see colleges as a lucrative market. This is an experiment to branch out for Apple's market and for Duke to tune up their technology prowess.

[jxyama]

You keep bringing up the fact that you can solve "problems" with other devices other than iPods. However, was there a problem using smoke signals to communicate to others? Was the desktop computer not enough? Who needed a laptop? We did just fine without todays technology. The truth is, times change, technology gets better and smaller and faster.

you aren't reading my posts correctly. my main point wasn't that devices other than iPod can solve "problems." my main point was that i don't see the "problem" which is best solved by iPod. it's like gadgets advertised on TV - as seen on TV stuff - the biggest reason most of them look stupid is that the "problem" they address (such as making pancakes) are trivial and aren't real "problems" that need solving. do you see my point now? it's stupid to introduce a "solution" when there's no clear "problem" to be solved.

let me just say that an iPod is a portable audio player/file storage device. to compare it to the introduction of computers and laptops into education is off target. learning to use computers and laptops is almost a necessity to obtain a job in the real world. learning to use an iPod is not. (and likely never will be - it's a recreational device... not a productivity tool.) i would feel cheated if i went to a university these days and wasn't required to learn to handle computers for various tasks but i wouldn't if i wasn't taught how to use an iPod.

this is good news for apple. i will not deny that. great exposure and potential to put another device into education - apple's traditional strength. that doesn't mean i, even as a fan of apple, can't question its effectiveness or potential for success.

i'm old fashioned when it comes to educational policies and techniques. i still firmly believe that hard and repetitive work is the way to learn, not flashy "gimmicks." that's why i'm skeptical.

[caseyD]

I'll be going to Cornell next year, and I read on yahoo that they've made a deal with Napster.

Lame.

But I don't know what exactly the deal was. It seemed to be Napster talked to Cornell and was all like,

"Hey, Cornell, your kids can use Napster."

And Cornell goes,

"K."

I'll be using Acquisition. I mean iTunes.

Screw Napster.

[JoePike]

The incoming frosh have to be just pumped about this.....except those who just got an iPod as a graduation present. What a great idea Duke has here. I wonder what that proprietary software bundle will be. Any Dukies on here, let us know when you get your pod!

[wdlove]

I certainly hope that this deal between Apple and Duke will be very successful. This sounds like a great deal.

As mentioned by macfan86, Berklee is very much into the Mac. They were very prominent at MacWorld Boston.
:)

[krimson]

ABC's world news tonight just ended their broadcast with a story on this. They interviewed alot of people off the street. Most of them said they couldnt' live without their iPod's.
:)

[Rantipole]

what worries me is how many schools will see this as a good idea, but realize they can do the same with the extremely less expensive other MP3 players on the market for a LOT less money.
Hmm, let's say you're Emory University. You think Duke's ideas make sense. Are you really going to give away cheap knock-offs, thereby making your school look "cheap" in comparison to Duke?

Not likely.

[MontgomeryBurns]

i'm old fashioned when it comes to educational policies and techniques. i still firmly believe that hard and repetitive work is the way to learn, not flashy "gimmicks." that's why i'm skeptical.
Or you're insanely jealous that all those darn kids are getting free ipods just for enrolling in school.

:p

Keeping in mind the fact that a good number of Duke's incoming freshman probably already have ipods, which were probably free to them anyway (by way of daddy's wallet).

[jadam]

i'm not bitter. i just find premises behind these things so silly. instead of spending money to jazz things up superficially under the pretense of "better education," why not spend the money in a more worthwhile, but less flashier, way? duke is a top-notch university with a tuition to match. instead of supplying 1,500+ students with $200 iPods, why not award 30 $10,000 scholarships for the economically disadvantaged? why not give 300 $1,000 discounts to be used to purchase laptops by the disadvantaged?

if it's to be a test program, why go the entire campus? why not test with "honors" program first? how about with "music" majors first?

besides, if you have a laptop, what can an iPod do that any decent laptop cannot? will there be docking station at lecture halls so you can grab your lecture there? will you really be using an iPod to listen to lectures while strolling around the campus?

students rejoicing at the prospect of getting an iPod aren't excited because it will give them a way to listen to lectures. they are mostly excited because they managed to obtain the latest, hippest gadget without nagging their parents.

if i was a parent paying for duke education, i'd ask that duke do this on their own and not tack on the money on the tuition. if i was strugging to pay for my own way through duke, i'd be pissed to see some of my hard earned tuition money being spent on gadgets.


You should also try to remember that the majority of students going to duke have excellent grades, and therefore almost ALL recieved grants/scholarships for college, so an extra $300 which they probally wont pay isnt that bad... Plus the economically disadvantage??!? At Duke?!? They get Full scholarships... how less economically disadvantaged can they get? And all the other students tend to be uper class and have the money to spend to get an ipod. :p

[yellow]

All I got my freshman year at Duke (1990) was a plastic cup and a pigbook. Will the pigbook be on the iPod now?

[jared_kipe]

I wish University of Washington would do that.

[kaylie_kipe]

I would love a free iPod. I would really contimplate attending Duke next year if it wasn't for the fact that I would never get accepted. But if the University of Washington did that I would be oh so grateful to them.

[Roger1]

Hmmm. Free ipod worth $300, or $300 worth of text books. Which one would I need more, and which one would be more useful to me?? :rolleyes:

[iMeowbot]

instead of supplying 1,500+ students with $200 iPods, why not award 30 $10,000 scholarships for the economically disadvantaged?
Why can't they do both? Duke already separates admissions from ability to pay and covers students who can't afford it.

[Burns]

Seems a fantastic idea! I'm a medical student and using the iPod & griffin recorder would make revision so much easier for understanding any complicated lecture notes. Sadly due to the nature of many of my lectures i doubt i'll be allowed to record them for legal reasons...damn technicalities. :o