Abilene Christian University in Texas plans to give free iPhones and iPod touches to all incoming freshmen this fall, Ars Technica reports. ACU began exploring uses for mobile devices in the summer of 2007 and ran a pilot study with faculty and educational technology developers to determine how the iPhone could be used by students. The group came up with quite a few uses for the devices, devising more than 15 iPhone applications that they hoped would be useful to students. These applications include homework alerts, in-class surveys, directions to classrooms and offices, and meal balance information, just to name a few. The iPhone and iPod touch program is a direct result of the study, and the usage patterns of the incoming freshman class will shape future mobile device programs at ACU. CIO Kevin Roberts made a recent presentation to Apple and a number of other institutions about the iPhone programs, so perhaps more schools will follow suit in the future…

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