Any college that offers students a legal downloading service is, to some extent, gambling that millennials aren’t as hung up on the concept of ownership as are previous generations. After all, companies like Napster and Ruckus don’t let students burn tunes to a CD without paying for the privilege. Nor do they let students keep the songs in their collection after they’ve graduated (unless, of course, those students are willing to pay for their own subscriptions after their college subsidies have expired).
Of course, it makes sense that students weaned on peer-to-peer networks and satellite radio might not feel the need to own the music they listen to. But alas, The Wall Street Journal says, that doesn’t seem to be the case.
The Journal notes that several colleges—including Cornell University and Purdue University at West Lafayette—have dropped their download services due to lack of interest. And other institutions, like George Washington University, have seen student-usage rates drop precipitously over the past year.
The main reason for the legal services’ lack of success seems to be that students don’t want their MP3 files coming with strings attached. A recent graduate from the University of South California sums up the problem facing Napster, Ruckus, and Cdigix: “People still want to have a music collection. Music listeners like owning their music, not renting.”
We’d love to hear from campus officials who have tried out legal downloading services. Are students losing interest in the services? If so, is ownership the main issue, or are other factors—song selection, say, or Mac incompatibility—playing a bigger role? —Brock Read
Developing online and blended learning programs requires research and collaboration. Learn how top technology companies are partnering with campuses across the country to advance online learning as it becomes an increasingly important aspect of higher education.