Globe U Adding iPad Programs at 22 Campuses

  • By Dian Schaffhauser
  • 07/17/13

A private college network based in Minnesota is introducing the use of Apple iPads into its classrooms to encourage students to take their in-class learning outside of class too. Globe University, which has 22 campuses in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and South Dakota, will be adding the use of iPads in its degree programs. To ensure that each student has an iPad, starting in fall 2013 the institution will offer iPad scholarships to cover the cost of the device.

"We're always looking for ways to optimize costs for our students while simultaneously assessing and enhancing the rigor of our degree programs," said Academic Dean Shana Weiss. "By providing students with the iPad scholarship we're able to ensure every student has the proper tools and technology to be successful in the classroom."

The new program, the Educational User Experience (edUX), is intended to provide a "dynamic user experience" to students, said Raney Linck, a member of the nursing faculty. Linck maintains a Web site that shares lists of mobile apps that are useful to nurses.

"The students we serve are going to have a unique opportunity to apply what they're learning almost immediately inside the classroom and continue that process outside of the classroom with these iPads," noted Christine Storms, dean of faculty.

The institution is hoping to minimize the use of traditional textbooks in courses and to convert students to the use of ebooks customized to their classes and downloaded onto the iPads.

"Eliminating the need for most textbooks will save our students thousands of dollars and we know affordability plays a major role in ensuring students stay enrolled and working toward on-time degree completion," said Weiss.

The use of digital content and apps will also simplify the process of finding "common things" that the same programs across campuses will be able to share, added Associate Dean of Faculty Eddie Nestingen. "We're trying to find out applications that will give us the richest environment for our students that work across campuses and across platforms."

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

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