The 650 students taking a first-year education course at Central Michigan University are using iPhones and iPod touches in class, with the professors' blessing.

The Introduction to Teaching course is taken by freshmen and transfer students at the Mount Pleasant school.

Professor Ruth Volz teaches it along with professor Janice Huffman and Volz's husband, professor Donald Volz.

University spokeswoman Tracy Burton says the devices play a number of roles in class.

They include a professor asking students to get material on the Internet related to a class discussion to polling students on a specific topic.

Students who don't own an iPod touch can rent one for $30 through the CMU Bookstore.