Along with textbooks and lab fees, expect more schools to require iPhones and similar technology.

Earlier this week, rumors started flying about Apple buying Twitter, perhaps as soon as June 8, the date of Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference.

Yesterday, Missouri University announced that incoming journalism students are required to own an iPhone or an iTouch.

What does it all mean?

Other than being juicy fodder for Mac enthusiasts, it further supports a concept that we discussed last March: Being a late-adopter or an online communications Luddite is increasingly not an option for people that intend to have careers in virtually any job that involves communications.

Not Just Software Anymore

One new twist to this paradigm is the need for hardware savvy. Last month, we focused on Web 2.0 and social networking, both for its current functions and the need to evolve with it.

But now with schools requiring students to own mobile technology (and the suppliers of that technology—like Apple—reportedly looking to drop millions on related applications like Twitter) the chasm between old school and new school widens.

Even the Mizzou students that know how to use an iPhone are already at an advantage over those that don’t…so, just imagine how much this concept will exponentially impact one’s viability in coming years (especially as today’s students eventually graduate and bring their specialized training to the job market)?

They Still Have Journalism Schools?

As a former journalism student whose education is virtually worthless (I was trained in traditional print journalism and public relations), it’s fascinating to see how schools are adapting to shifts in online and mobile media and communications—especially when newspapers are closing because of these shifts.

Naturally, the Mizzou J-school isn’t requiring students to have iPhones and iTouches because they can play mp3s and have cool games. Instead, it’s more likely because these powerful and portable communication tools are the way journalists (or anybody—including marketers—that uses mass media) will be communicating.

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This entry was posted on Friday, May 8th, 2009 at 1:40 pm and is filed under Computers & Technology, Industry Trends, Things 'n' Stuff, Web 2.0. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.