iPhones and universities

The current generation of smart phones offer a glimpse of the potential for use in education. About ten years ago, I was involved in a research project to evaluate the use of PDAs (Palm Pilots in particular) in education. The biggest complaint: screen size is too small. The reason? Most people looked at PDAs as small computers, not a different, distinct device with affordances unlike those of regular laptops. The development of applications for the iPod (and a similar service by Blackberry maker, RIM) suggests that smart phones have their own role to play - not one of augmenting laptop/computer use, but rather one that takes advantage of the learning moments that arise in more informal environments. I use my iPhone for podcasts, “small chunk learning”, listening to video lectures, email, navigation, etc. Put another way, I do very different things on my phone than I do on my computer.
Abilene Christian University reports their use of iPhones for all incoming learners. The big question that I’ve been grappling with lately - and is alluded to, but not fully addressed in the article - is “how long can we continue to add technology to teaching and learning before we fundamentally reconsider the entire process, including the spaces and structures of learning?”