Unlike in past years when mobile devices were distributed to students, students must purchase their own iPads for several courses that will require students to own an iPad in the fall 2014 semester. This includes all incoming freshman; and upperclassmen may be required to purchase one as well.

According to an email sent out by Dr. Robert Rhodes, provost, many 100-level courses will require the iPad as an instructional tool. The iPads will allow teachers and students to collaborate more easily in the classroom and give them the opportunity to utilize apps to enhance learning. Some of the courses include Life and Teachings of Jesus, Cornerstone and Quantitative Reasoning.

“We have chosen to lead the way in pursuing the future of learning, because we know our students will live and work in a world that doesn’t yet exist,” Rhodes said.

This is the second action in ACU’s mobile learning effort, following the 2008 Mobile Learning Initiative, which issued students iPhones for classroom use. This, paired with the AT&T Learning Studio and awarding faculty Mobile Learning Research Fellowships, has allowed ACU to be at the forefront of mobile learning innovation.

Morgan Mosley, sophomore nutrition major from Coppell, said the iPads will add to the learning capabilities of students and benefit classroom interaction between classmates and faculty.

“I think it will enrich the classroom by providing hands-on learning for the students,” Mosley said. “Some classes will also have the textbooks available for the iPad and this will make the students more resourceful.”

According to an Office of the Provost webpage, students enrolled in courses in fall of 2014 marked with a “(T)” are tablet-designated courses and will require an iPad or an iPad mini.

The iPads are available for purchase in the Campus Store but may be purchased from any retailer. They can be charged to a student account as long as the student is enrolled in a tablet-designated course.