Nekeisha Walker and
Tiffany Edmondson
Blue & White Flash / Staff Writers
Approximately 900 incoming Jackson State University freshmen have received a new Apple iPad, thanks to the iPad Technology Advantage Scholarship Initiative at JSU.
With the help of the Mississippi e-Center Foundation, the TASI program was able to award each student an ipad with only a $50 insurance fee for two years. The package includes student apps, a bluetooth keyboard and a protective cover. After a student has completed five semesters at JSU, they will be granted ownership of the iPad.
Jackson State is the first institution in Mississippi and one of the first in the nation to comprehensively integrate the iPad into the curriculum.
The program, funded by the Mississippi e-Center Foundation, is estimated to cost between $600,000 and $700,000.
This week, several University Success classes lined up in the Student Center Ballrooms A& B to receive their iPad and attend miniature workshops about the iPad usage policies.
Dr. William McHenry, Executive Director of the e-Center said, “Equipping the students with iPads is JSU’s attempt to help students improve their adaptive learning skills and to also help them save money on buying books.”
McHenry stated that as time passes, ebooks will be available for the majority of the courses and professors will be encouraged to incorporate the iPads into the class curriculum.
Students like freshmen biology pre-nursing major Lenthra Laster from Morton, Miss. said, “The new iPad will help me to purchase books at a cheaper price through ebooks.”
Besides offsetting the cost of the purchasing books, Brent Newell, a freshmen Sallies, Miss. native said that utilizing the iPad apps will help him in his prospective assignments.
“I’ll be able to keep up with all the different technological advancements and I will become more familiar with apps that can help improve my ideas as a civil engineer,” said Newell.
Freshman class president, Michael Gordon from Atlanta, Ga., said, “Teachers can look up websites to use in the classroom and in subject tutorials by showing videos and powerpoints about specific chapters. They can also use the iPads to record lectures and place them on iTunes.”
Although the iPads have many great positive aspects, some students have concerns about the iPad initiative process and the internet access within the dorms. Other freshmen are unhappy about the fact that they had to buy textbooks before they were notified if their professors were using ebooks or iBooks.
While these are minor concerns, McHenry stated that these kinks will be worked out over time.
“The TASI program has placed air watch on the iPads so that student can take surveys and my evaluation team along with Robert Lane can use the feedback to better the use of the iPads.”
With the help of the students and the university feedback, the TASI program is aiming to improve and update the iPad’s, its distribution and internet capabilities.
This program will be ongoing for future freshman and in four years every student will be equipped with an iPad.
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