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Southern Arkansas University participates in iPad pilot project with Silicon Valley firm

Southern Arkansas University

The Honors College at Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia is helping to pilot a new app that helps students manage and complete their coursework on a mobile device. 

The app’s creator, EmpoweredU, is working with 11 universities nationwide to get ongoing feedback. The director of SAU’s Honors College, Edward Kardas, says the Silicon Valley company reached out to SAU because its honors students are equipped with iPads. He says the students take surveys to help improve the app’s functionality.

“One of the things that we try to do is to have student presentations show up on the app. We’re working out the kinks right now in how to get that done more easily. Once it’s on the app, then all the students can see the presentation,” Kardas said.

The benefit of this collaboration, according to Kardas, is that students get to use a free pilot app and help improve it. The students will take a survey next month after using the app for a full semester in their general psychology class.

Chuck Smith brings more than 30 years' broadcast and media experience to Red River Radio. He began his career as a radio news reporter and transitioned to television journalism and newsmagazine production. Chuck studied mass communications at Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia and motion picture / television production at the University of California at Los Angeles. He has also taught writing for television at York Technical College in Rock Hill, South Carolina and video / film production at Centenary College of Louisiana, Shreveport.