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