I struggle with how much time it takes to be efficient with the technology. Although many professional training workshops are available for instructors, he says learning how to use the equipment is a major time commitment. Other professors agree that it hasn't really changed the way students learn but it's made them more efficient. One indication many students like the expanded possibilities of wireless networking is they don't mind paying for it. She says her classmates who can't afford it can apply for scholarships from the college of business.
Observers say such ties between universities and tech firms are becoming increasingly common.
Steve Robinson, vice president of Madison-based Discourse Technologies, an educational software developer, says companies see colleges as the perfect market for testing new products. MSU is just one of several small-town universities in the state hoping technology can help them remain competitive. Winona State and Bemidji State have also formed partnerships with wireless companies. The University of Minnesota-Crookston in 1993 became the first school in the nation to make laptops mandatory. A Crookston spokesperson says the school has further plans for utilizing wireless technology.