Wide Angle

iTunes U Offers Portal for Lifelong Learning

In July 2011, the University of Pittsburgh joined Harvard, Stanford, Yale, Oxford, and more than 800 other universities in distributing content publicly via iTunes U.  A project begun by Apple, iTunes U attempts to harness the extraordinary success of iTunes to further educational goals. The idea is to enable colleges and universities—as well as museums, libraries, PBS stations, and others—to create and share content (audio, video, visual materials, etc.) that becomes part of the iTunes Store, able to be downloaded freely by the general public.

Says Jinx Walton, director of the University’s Office of Computing Services and Systems Development (CSSD), and the point person for the initiative, “The University is committed to supporting iTunes U for the new opportunity it provides to communicate academic content, ideas, and approaches in a range of formats for a range of audiences. Students can use their Smartphones or media players to access Pitt class material; faculty and staff can listen to or view colleagues’ lectures; and, people from around the world can learn more about the very exciting scholarship happening here.”

The Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences is already well represented in the University’s iTunes U library, with plans to continue contributing.  Thanks in part to resources made available through the Bettye J. and Ralph E. Bailey Fund, the Dietrich School has produced several videos featuring students, faculty, and programs.  By logging on to the iTunes Store, visitors can download segments on subjects as diverse as the William Pitt Debating Union, the Summer Language Institute, and the history of the Jazz program at the University.  They can also learn more about the leading-edge research being conducted by Graham Hatfull, Eberly Family Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, and Christine Whelan, visiting assistant professor in the Department of Sociology.

Offers N. John Cooper, Bettye J. and Ralph E. Bailey Dean of the Dietrich School, “The power of the concept is obvious, and the audiences we anticipate reaching through this resource are both internal and external, and include non-traditional students seeking to learn from the resources of the University, prospective students “shopping” for schools, our own faculty seeking a new way to share sophisticated digital content with their students, and alumni and friends seeking to catch up on the University.”

You can view Pitt’s public iTunes U content here.  Note that you will need to have the iTunes application installed to view the page.  If you do not have iTunes on your computer or mobile device, you can download it here.

 

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