School of Journalism to Include iPods as Requirement

Brian Brooks, associate dean of the MU School of Journalism, tells the Missourian that, “Lectures are the worst possible learning format. There’s been some research done that shows if a student can hear that lecture a second time, they retain three times as much of that lecture.” Brooks believes students can learn much better by reviewing their lectures using an iPod touch, or an iPhone.

According to the report in question, the institution's board is preparing to send a letter to freshmen admitted into the School of Journalism, notifying them of a new learning program, based on using an iPod touch or an iPhone. However, the requirement will not be enforced, according to Brooks. Also, there will not be a penalty for students who choose not to buy an iPod touch or an iPhone, he stresses.

“The reason we put required on it is to help the students on financial need,” Brooks continues to outline. “If it’s required, it can be included in your financial need estimate. If we had not required it, they wouldn’t be able to do that.”

“There’s a lot of theory out there that says what you want to do is engage students in realms where they are already comfortable, and we know a lot of students are already familiar with iPods and iTunes, so we want to get into that space and take advantage of that,” Brooks pinpoints. Speaking of the program, “I anticipate it doing very well because it has proven to be very valuable to other universities,” he concludes.

Brian Brooks states that the MU is following other schools such as Stanford and the Abilene Christian University in using Apple's portables for learning purposes, the report further reveals. The school's teachers will keep a close eye on the students' progress, evaluating the success of the program at the end of the year. If proven successful, the program will stay. If not, it will be scrapped.