Darden to Test Amazon’s Kindle DX
Amazon has selected the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business as the world’s only business school to participate in a new Kindle education project. Leaders from Darden were in New York City today as Amazon’s CEO Jeff Bezos introduced the new Kindle DX and announced the details of the program.
The project is a two semester pilot program in which students will use the new, upgraded Kindle DX, Amazon’s latest generation wireless reading device with a large screen, to access academic materials. In addition to Darden, Amazon selected four other schools, spread across a broad range of academic disciplines, to participate in the project: Princeton University, Arizona State University, Case Western Reserve University, and Oregon’s Reed College.
“The sky is the limit in terms of the positive outcomes this project can produce,” said Darden’s Dean Bob Bruner, who is in Singapore today where he will address the 8th Annual Darden International Finance Conference. “It has the potential to have a great impact on technology, environmental sustainability, student and school savings, teaching, and learning. I’m pleased that Amazon selected Darden as the business school to participate in this important pilot program.”
The School’s goal is to make the device available to two groups of students in the fall. Plans call for one group from the School’s full time MBA program and another group in its MBA for Executives program to receive, test, and assess the Kindle DX.
“We expect considerable interest from our students in terms of pilot program participation,” said Darden’s Associate Dean for MBA Programs Robert Carraway speaking in New York City this morning after the project was announced. “Having the case studies and textbooks required for classes on the Kindle DX will be a wonderful benefit to students.”
Amazon first introduced the Kindle in November 2007. It has undergone changes and upgrades since its introduction. The latest version, the Kindle DX, was introduced today. The education project is the first company-sponsored project for Amazon that involves students and institutions of higher learning.
Students in the pilot program will be able to take advantage of Kindle DX’s popular features, such as its larger screen, auto-rotation, wireless, cellular connectivity, the ability to take notes and highlight, search across the library, and access a built-in dictionary. It provides the opportunity for students to carry all of their books and case studies in one lightweight device. Darden professors and students participating in the pilot program will receive orientation on how best to use the Kindle DX for teaching and learning.
“A neutral, third-party will develop and administer survey and online research throughout the program to determine effectiveness,” said Michael Koenig, Darden’s director of MBA operations who attended Amazon’s announcement in New York City today. “The Darden School will also conduct its own research. There will be much to learn in the next academic year.”
In addition to the education project, Amazon’s Bezos announced a program that will offer three major newspapers at reduced prices for long-term subscriptions on the Kindle DX. The Washington Post, New York Times, and the Boston Globe will be available to subscribers on the device this summer.
“This project is significant,” said Darden’s Carraway. “It affects many segments of the population. Education, journalism, the textbook industry, consumers, and others could greatly benefit from the new device and the pilot study. It will be exciting to follow the progress of the program.”
Founded in 1955, the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business improves society by developing principled leaders in the world of practical affairs.
For questions, contact: communication@darden.virginia.edu.