College Lectures Are Just A Pod Away

Internet

access to college lectures is nothing new, but listening to them on portable

gadgets is a more recent phenomenon of the digital age, spurred in part by the

popularity of podcasts, or downloadable audio files.

In its latest move to

broaden its iPod and iTunes franchises, Apple Computer has introduced 'iTunes

U', a nationwide expansion of a service that makes course lectures and other

educational materials accessible via Apple's iTunes software. Apple has been

working with six universities on the pilot project for more than a year and

expanded the educational program this week, inviting other universities to sign

up.

The University of

Missouri offered podcasts of lectures through its school network before it

signed up with Apple last summer as a pilot school. But 'iTunes U' offered a

software and service package for free, said Keith Politte, the development

officer at the university's School of Journalism. The market dominance of

Apple's iTunes Music Store and iPods, which helped spawn the podcast movement,

was another key factor. “Our students are digital natives. We seek to meet our

students where they are, and iTunes is the interface that most of our students

are already familiar with,” Politte said.

Apple's service

offers universities a customized version of the iTunes software, allowing

schools to post podcasts, audio books or video content on their iTunes-affiliated

web sites. The iTunes-based material will be accessible on Windows-based or

Macintosh computers and transferable to portable devices, including Apple's

iPods.

The service lets

institutions decide if they want to limit access to certain groups or open the

material to the public. For instance, Stanford University, which joined the

pilot program last fall, gives the public free access not only to some lectures,

but also audio broadcasts of sporting events through its iTunes-affiliated site.

Source- www.yahoo.com