The university has sent letters to incoming freshmen informing them of the change, according to an article in Thursday’s Columbia Missourian, the journalism school’s student- and faculty-run newspaper.

Associate dean Brian Brooks told the paper that the underlying idea is to bring the 101-year-old institution’s pedagogy into the digital age.

“Lectures are the worst possible learning format,” Brooks said. “There’s been some research done that shows if a student can hear that lecture a second time, they retain three times as much of that lecture.”

The “requirement,” however, will not be strictly enforced. There’s no penalty associated with it, and any course material available on Apple’s (AAPL) touchscreen devices will also be accessible via laptop computer.

“The reason we put required on it is to help the students on financial need,” Brooks said. “If it’s required, it can be included in your financial need estimate.”

Some students are not convinced. One cynic commenting on the paper’s website suggested that the real reason for the requirement is to boost sales at TigerTech, the university’s official technology outlet. Indeed, the store has already started receiving calls from incoming freshmen.

Last year, Apple offered a free iPod touch to any student who purchased a MacBook during the company’s back-to-school special. There’s no guarantee that the offer will be repeated this year.

The entry-level 8-GB iPod touch retails for $229. iPhones start at $199, but a two-year contract with AT&T (T) adds a minimum of $69.99 a month.

Correction, May 7, 2009: An earlier version of this article misstated the frequency and management of the Columbia Missourian.