The Duke iPod Experiment

• Cathy tells the story of how all freshmen at Duke were given iPods in 2003 with no strings attached. While many upperclassmen were miffed, they were told they could also have a free iPod if they could convince a professor to use it as part of a class. Many did and many interesting, valuable, and unexpected uses were created for the iPod by students and faculty. These were students who grew up with the Internet and thus were use to exploratory learning. This was an experiment without a plan or an assessment matrix. It was a calculated exercise in disruption, distraction, and difference. In essence, the students were given a chance to make the rules rather than follow them.

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