What is the Mobile Device Initiative

I think one of the things that really separates us from the high primates is that we’re tool builders. I read a study that measured the efficiency of locomotion for various species on the planet. The condor used the least energy to move a kilometer. And, humans came in with a rather unimpressive showing, about a third of the way down the list. It was not too proud a showing for the crown of creation. So, that didn’t look so good. But, then somebody at Scientific American had the insight to test the efficiency of locomotion for a man on a bicycle. And, a man on a bicycle, a human on a bicycle, blew the condor away, completely off the top of the charts.

And that’s what a computer is to me. What a computer is to me is it’s the most remarkable tool that we’ve ever come up with, and it’s the equivalent of a bicycle for our minds.” ~ Steve Jobs

The Mobile Device Initiative (MDI) at the University of Richmond has one goal: to provide mobile tools and methods to enhance the learning experience in our classrooms and research labs. We seek to accomplish this goal by 1) consulting with faculty about effective and impactful ways of using mobile technologies in coursework and 2) deploying iPads to faculty and students to help them achieve their teaching/learning objectives.

There are two core programs of the MDI: 1) Student semester-long or project-length (1-3 weeks) iPad checkouts and 2) Faculty semester-long iPad Pro checkout.

Student iPad Checkouts

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Faculty iPad Checkouts

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