Using the Ipod Touch as a Teaching and Learning Tool in Undergraduate Plant, Soil, and Environmental Sciences.

Undergraduate agronomic instruction is a process of guiding student interaction with the concepts and theories in the discipline. Through lectures, readings in the foundational texts, laboratories, problem sets, or field studies the goal remains to facilitate comprehension and internalization of both broad and specific concepts by the student. Instruction has typically been limited to class or lab periods, homework assignments, or online learning management systems, which are all often constrained by access issues - to classrooms, computers, or backpacks full of books. The rapid adoption of handheld computing devices provides instructors another avenue for student interaction with class materials. For two semesters at Northwest College, students in the Agroecology course were provided iPod Touch devices for course content, interaction, and collaboration. In this pilot program, the iPod Touch provided pocket-sized access to lecture notes, web video, streaming lecture video, lab assignments, readings, student response software, calculators, unit conversion applications, email, podcasts, mapping software, and very capable web browsing.

The iPod Touch distribution revealed several key findings of importance to any distribution of wireless, handheld computer devices in college and university settings. First, students react positively to the application of new technology as a general enhancement to the course. Second, students value anywhere, anytime access to study materials. Third, students believe that the iPod Touch was a valuable educational tool. Finally, there are significant technical considerations regarding the distribution, training, wireless networking, troubleshooting, and setup that must be considered. This pilot study provided our college the needed insight into how we might harness this technology for the advancement of our educational goals.