These jokers are really upping the ante. Of course, unless they’re providing crippled iPhones, there’s going to be a whole lot of chatting going on in lecture. They say they’ll integrate them into the classes (answer quiz questions, watch slide shows, etc) but I am skeptical that a bunch of 18-year-olds will be able to resist the temptation of watching an episode of Aqua Teen Hunger Force or some such instead of listening to a professor recite the contents of a powerpoint presentation. Still, it’s hard to fault Abilene Christian University (for that is its name) for doing something so next-gen. Let’s hope it works and the idea spreads.

ACU first university in nation to provide iPhone or iPod touch to all incoming freshmen