Everywhere we go, mobile devices are present in most of our lives. With the increasing popularity of Apple devices such as iPads, iPhones and iPods, students are presented with the opportunity to use these devices to help them with their schoolwork.
iSchool Initiative is the brainchild of Travis Allen who established the organization in 2009. After realizing the potential in utilizing mobile devices as an educational tool, Allen conducted a plan to start an organization that promotes mobile learning. Allen, who is now a senior majoring in Business Administration, entered KSU and discovered Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE). SIFE assisted him in his vision to revolutionize the educational world. Currently, iSchool Initiative has nine members: Allen as CEO, Ken Cavallo, Michael Edwards, Nikola Kolev, Will Mansfield, Sunny Narshi, Arvin Ross, Shashi Tiwari and Emily Wolfe.
Allen and his team ventured on a 24-city bus tour for 45 days this past summer. The iSchool Initiative team visited schools ranging from elementary to college level and shared how students and teachers can use mobile devices for educational purposes. “Mobile devices are changing how students learn and interact with information in the 21st century,” Allen said.
In addition to attending conferences and presenting workshop sessions, Allen and his team have many goals for the organization, including forming partnerships with other organizations. Recently, iSchool Initiative partnered with Otterbox and OtterCares Foundation, which provide protection and security services for the mobile devices that students are utilizing. “Alongside with board members and advisers, we strive to network with professionals in our economy and grow strategically,” Allen said.
Allen and his team also have numerous upcoming projects. First, the “Donate to Educate” program is for people to donate older models of iPads and other mobile devices, which in turn can be donated to schools that cannot afford them. In the next few months, Allen and his team plan to publish an iBook of iSchool Initiative’s workshops, develop an application and create a database for instructional videos.
“We are completing a financial case study at Kennesaw State University showing how an undergraduate college student saves an average of $3,100 over the span of four years by switching to a mobile device,” Allen said. By using mobile devices, students can save money on textbooks and printing costs as well as expenses for school supplies such as notebooks and writing utensils.
In addition to these projects, Allen and his team are kept busy with advocating for local education and government institutions to adopt policies needed to transition into a 21st-century classroom.
“iSchool Initiative’s goals for the upcoming year are focused on being prepared for these changes and providing the support needed to transition into a 21st-century classroom. We want to prepare today’s children for the world they are entering,” Allen said.
iSchool Initiative is a non-profit organization, and the parent student organization on campus is SIFE. Please contact SIFE to find out how you can join and get involved with projects with iSchool Initiative. To find out more about iSchool Initiative, please visit: http:// ischoolinitiative.org.
