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iPhones, iPods welcome in CMU intro teacher class

Sunday, November 08, 2009

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education, technology, central michigan university, local

MOUNT PLEASANT -- (11/07/09) -- The 650 students taking a first-year education course at Central Michigan University are using iPhones and iPod touches in class, with the professors' blessing.

"It's the future," professor Ruth Volz said in a statement. "We're seeing more and more technology integrated into our classrooms today than ever before. Our students will be ready for this."

The Introduction to Teaching course is taken by freshmen and transfer students at the Mount Pleasant school. Volz teaches it along with professor Janice Huffman and Volz's husband, professor Donald Volz.

The portable communications devices play a number of roles in class, university spokeswoman Tracy Burton wrote on the school's Web site.

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"Uses range from a professor asking students to access material on the Internet related to a class discussion to having them take a poll on a specific topic or question to gauge their comprehension of the material being discussed in a matter of seconds," Burton said.

Students who don't own an iPod touch can rent one for $30 through the CMU Bookstore.

"Using the iPod touch technology in the classroom really promotes active learning because everyone is involved," Volz said. "The polling also can spark some interesting discussion on what we are teaching so perhaps that one person who was too shy before will now speak up and participate."

Freshman Carley Shann of Auburn said it took her some time to adjust to using her iPod touch in class.

"Now that we've figured it out, it's pretty awesome," she said. "I don't know of a better way to get instant feedback from so many people in one place all at once. This technology allows us to do that, and most of us already have an iPhone or iPod Touch so that helps out, too."