Reno Reporter

University of Nevada-Reno issued the following announcement on June 4.

Over the past year-plus, we have learned a great deal about new teaching, testing and assessment and student support as our campus has navigated the challenges of the pandemic. One of the major lessons has been that digital literacy and digital accessibility are at the forefront of the future success of our students. We have witnessed first-hand that the challenges facing students can be considerable — lack of reliable connectivity along with outdated devices that sometimes strain to process educational programs, leading to frustration or worse, a sense of isolation. If the pandemic has taught us anything, it is that there is a digital divide facing many of our students and that we need to do a better job of providing digital equity and digital literacy as the University resumes in-person classes in fall 2021.

The University’s recent announcement of our collaboration with Apple provides us with an excellent step forward, while also providing us an opportunity to amplify digital learning resources that are already available to all members of our student body. As noted in the announcement, each member of the incoming freshman class will receive an iPad Air at no cost. The University is working with Apple to develop a program that will provide a common learning platform and deliver equal access to technology and digital tools. The new initiative will augment digital literacy and enhance student success by providing curriculum and experiences that will benefit our students as they expand their digital skillsets, making them much more marketable as they seek out their new careers. The program, known as the Digital Wolf Pack Initiative, includes deployment of iPad Air as well as focused training for students and faculty to improve digital literacy and fluency with apps that support productivity, creativity and communication.

This pilot program, of which the University is only a small number of Carnegie R1 universities to have been chosen to participate by Apple, is designed to support students’ experience on and off campus by more fully integrating technology into students’ academic careers. Funding for the program is coming exclusively through a one-time allocation of the University’s investment income. No student fees are being used.

We realize that this is an incremental process and that the pilot program utilizes our incoming freshmen. It is important to note, however, that all University students have access to Apple iPads through @One in the Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center. These devices are available via checkout and are for all students’ use throughout the semester for classwork, assignments and navigating the University. We are hopeful that more students, particularly those who feel their current devices might be lacking, will avail themselves of these excellent learning devices during the coming semester.

There are other benefits to the pilot program as well. We will have an Apple Learning Professional on our campus to support faculty in developing curricula based on digital experiences. We will also be using the bookstore to provide access to Apple Care if students have hardware issues, and we will have a direct line to Apple Care for students and faculty to provide support for apps and training.

We are initiating this project with the incoming students as a pilot to assess how this program supports our initiatives in education, retention and graduation. This includes incorporating our Learning Management and Advising Software Systems on the devices. The devices should provide every student with the same ability to access our support systems including advisors, career services, health professionals and faculty. All of our students, whether it is through the pilot program or through other resources available on campus, should have the ability to pursue their graduation and career goals.

This initiative represents a new educational modality so that every major and every program at our institution can institute a greater emphasis on digital literacy and fluency. The digital world touches everything in the real world. We believe this is only the beginning of our University offering greater access to digital tools that will help our students throughout their time as scholars on our campus as well as professionals in the marketplace. Whether students are freshmen or already advancing through their academic careers at the University, there are resources, tools and instruction available on our campus to help. This is a promising step forward, with many more still to come.

Original source can be found here.