Users will be able to take advantage of substantial discounts for preconfigured Macintosh iBooks and PowerBooks said Jr. King, associate director of University Computing Services. Users can choose an advanced system or a minimum configuration of an iBook with a 12-inch display, 256 MB RAM, a Combo Drive (or SuperDrive), an Airport Card, AppleCare and the Apple Maintenance Program (AMP).

AppleCare is a three-year warranty and telephone support, and AMP provides access to operating system upgrades for three years.

The discounted hardware and software can be previewed at the Ball State Apple Store at www.bsu.edu/softwareagreements. To place an order, individuals must call (800) MY-APPLE and identify themselves as a Ball State student, faculty or staff member.

“By partnering with Apple, Ball State can now offer students, faculty and staff cutting-edge computers at reduced costs and allow them to stay competitive by having the latest software,” King said.

The agreement is a big benefit for incoming freshmen in the teacher education program, said Roy Weaver, dean of Teachers College. Beginning next fall, these students will be strongly encouraged to purchase laptops to hone their technology skills as students and later as teachers.

Laptops will be used for developing digital portfolios, which are now required in the teacher education curriculum

“Students will assemble samples of video clips, text, interactive lessons and other technology applications that will be used to demonstrate that they have met teacher education standards and to showcase their talents during job interviews,” said Laurie Mullen, associate professor in educational studies and co-director of a major federal grant that has supported the development of digital portfolios.

Teachers who can step into today’s technologically advanced classrooms and incorporate all available electronic media will be viewed as valuable assets, Mullen added.

“Providing technology leaders for schools must be a priority for all teacher preparation institutions,” Weaver said. “This is a vital commitment that we must make to our students and to school teachers, administrators, their students, their families and community leaders.”

The agreement follows Ball State’s $300,000 commitment to make the entire campus wireless by 2003-2004 and reflects a continuing partnership with Apple.

“The wireless environment and infrastructure we are building to support technology innovation in teacher education is a prototype for what we see the entire university becoming—all students and faculty using a variety of laptops for their work with easy access to global information at any time from any place on campus,” said H. O’Neal Smitherman, vice president for information technology.

 (Note to Editors: For more information, contact Smitherman at (765) 285-1045 or osmitherman@bsu.edu; Weaver at (765) 285-5251 or rweaver@bsu.edu; Mullen at (765) 285-9126 or lmullen@bsu.edu; or King at (765) 285-1478 or jking@bsu.edu.)