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Tune It In: Texas A&M To Start iTunes U
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
High-tech learning has come to Aggieland in a new way, with Texas A&M University now offering educational content through iTunes U — the first university in the state to make the Apple Computers service available to the general public, announced Steve Moore, the institution’s chief marketing officer and vice president for communications.
iTunes U is a free hosted content distribution system from Apple that enables colleges and universities to make audio and video material from lectures, interviews, audio books and other sources more available to students with the ease of the iTunes Store. It allows users to download the content to their Mac or PC, transfer the information to their iPod and listen to it or view it any where and at any time, Moore explains.
“This is a new program by Apple that allows universities to feature educational audio and video content,” he adds.
Interested users can access the site by going to http://itunes.tamu.edu.
“Coursecasting,” or “podcasting,” the latest trend in educational technology, is one feature now offered. It allows students and the general public to download audio and video recordings of class lectures to their computers, iPods or other MP3 players and listen or view them whenever they want and at their convenience.
“It also allows faculty, staff and students to exchange information,” Moore notes. “It can be related to a specific course or simply be general educational content.”
Olga West, Texas A&M’s executive director of marketing, says that by clicking on http://itunes.tamu.edu (a free download at <http:// www.apple.com/itunes is required), students can have access to “many educational courses 24-7. It’s a great reinforcement of classroom material.”
West says that although iTunesU will likely be used primarily by Texas A&M students, faculty and staff, the service is open to the public.
“You don’t have to be a student enrolled here to benefit from this technology and content,” she adds.
So far, five of Texas A&M’s nine academic colleges are supplying content to the service, and West hopes all colleges and departments will eventually do so. “Once this takes off, the level of participation and interest will definitely grow,” West says.
Subjects range from agricultural and engineering courses to content about homeland security, teacher training and numerous other topics.
The university is also exploring the possibility of creating links between academic units, such as Texas A&M’s main campus in College Station and branch outlets such as Texas A&M at Qatar, where the university has a campus in that Middle East country that focuses on engineering.
“The possibilities for this are just staggering,” West believes.
“Technology is allowing us to do things like this that weren’t dreamed of just a few years ago.”
Photographic displays and videotaped virtual campus tours are other types of content planned for the site.
“This is another way for prospective students to learn about Texas A&M,” West adds.
“Again, the possibilities for this are endless. It can cut across educational boundaries – from distance learning to continuing education courses to lectures and symposiums here and at other locations."
“It’s so exciting because the applications for it are unlimited.”
Contact: Olga West at (979) 845-4600 or cell phone at (979) 255-2528 or email at olgawest@tamu.edu
Contact: Olga West at (979) 845-4600 or cell phone at (979) 255-2528 or email at olgawest@tamu.edu
Texas A&M University
http://www.tamu.edu/tamunews/
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