MacBook Required
Profiles in Success: University of Maine,
College of Education and Human Development
Orono, Maine — A full 21 percent of all teachers in the State of Maine graduate from the University of Maine’s (UMaine) College of Education and Human Development. In order to ensure that the future educators are conversant with the technology tools necessary to create the best-possible learning environment, UMaine has implemented a required-purchase program with Apple MacBook computers. Acquiring proficiency with such applications as the iLife and iWork suites, the teachers-in-training are learning the skills they will need to become innovative, successful education professionals.
The Technology Committee … really settled on the Mac platform because of its flexibility. It’s so easy and seamless for students to move between all of the Apple applications, like the iLife suite.
— Tim Hart, Instructional Technologist, College of Education and Human Development, University of Maine
The College of Education’s notebook requirement officially began in 2006. Instructional Technologist Tim Hart says there were several factors that led UMaine to select the Apple computers. “The Technology Committee that made the recommendation really settled on the Mac platform because of its flexibility,” says Hart. “It’s so easy and seamless for students to move between all of the Apple applications, like the iLife suite. And now with the Intel-powered Mac, users have the flexibility to leave an Apple program and use something that’s Windows-based, all on the same system.”
“Mostly,” Hart adds, “it was the stability of the Mac that won out. When students buy a MacBook as freshmen, theoretically it’s going to last the entire four years they’re in the program. So far, it’s really turned out that way. We have a loaner program, in case anyone needs to send his or her Mac out for repairs. But the loaner program hasn’t been used very often, because we have very little breakage or software issues with the Apple machines.”
(Almost) No Support Needed
Hart says the demands on the campus Help Center team are very small, in terms of the ongoing support needed for the MacBook notebooks, as well as the iMac lab housed at the College of Education. Though several of the support team have been certified as AppleCare providers, their repair workload is minimal.
Says Hart, “Mostly what we see is just normal wear and tear. I haven’t seen or heard of any issues with viruses. We can focus on teaching and learning with the tools, instead of fussing around to make them work.”
Objectives
- Ensure future teachers acquire optimum educational technology skills
- Provide single, user-friendly platform for all faculty and students
- Support use of Windows-based applications as needed
Solutions
- Required buy of MacBook notebooks for all incoming freshmen
- iLife, iWork
- 20 iMac computers in campus lab, 3 Apple Mobile Learning Labs
- 1 Xserve
- AppleCare
Results
- Flexibility of Apple software encourages classroom innovation
- Computer viruses and breakage are virtually nonexistent
- Future teachers develop proficiency with technologies used by students
For more information on how your institution can implement a similar solution, call 800-800-2775 to speak to an Apple education representative.
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