Course offers freshman success, iPads

Students from a freshman success class taught by Faculty Senate President Dr. Lavelle Hendricks were given iPads by Texas A&M University-Commerce at the beginning of the spring semester as part of a pilot program to determine the effectiveness of the new technology in improving students' abilities to learn.

The iPads, which were purchased by the university, were given to students who are currently enrolled at A&M-Commerce. Despite numerous rumors to the contrary, these iPads were not distributed to students as an incentive to return to A&M-Commerce or pass a freshman success class.

"Universities have continued to innovate in the way they approach students and technology, evolving from desktops to laptops and now iPads," Dr. Hendricks said. "Innovative technology is one of the core values that the president of the university has laid out, and this pilot program is part of that. The students were not given iPads to convince them to go back to school."

Other universities around the nation have begun similar programs, including Duke, North Carolina, and the University of Texas at Tyler.

There are twelve requirements that students must meet in order to keep the iPads. If the students fail to meet these requirements, they will be returned to the university to be used by other students.

"Among other requirements, students must attend class, maintain a 3.0 GPA, be involved with at least one student organization on campus and be involved in community service," Hendricks said. "Students use these iPads to take notes in all their classes, communicate with each other, complete group projects, register for classes, etc. There is a plethora of contexts that students are using these for."

Hendricks and Associate Professor in Educational Leadership Dr. Leah Wickersham will track the students through their educational career at A&M-Commerce and compile data to determine the effectiveness of the iPad. If the pilot program is successful, Hendricks will ask the university to provide more innovative technology to students.

"If this works, I would strongly suggest to the administration to do whatever we can to bolster the learning of our students," he said. "We're investing in the future of our students."