New Topic: Wiki Wiki Wiki

I love that word, "wiki".  I want to learn more about wikis and to understand how people use them in an educational environment. 

Closing Thoughts about iTunes University

Apple, a long time supporter of educational technology in the classroom, created iTunes University (iTunes U) as place on the iTunes Store website where educators can list links to educational podcasts and can control access to them if needed.  Educators must apply to Apple to list podcasts in iTunes U, and once accepted, there is no charge to list or use iTunes U.  Educators must create and store their podcasts on their the own websites, and they list RSS feed links at iTunes U.

Learners must use iTunes software to listen to the podcasts downloaded through iTunes U.   Apple already has the majority market share of the mobile listening device market, so many people already have iTunes software on their computers.  Learners do not need to own an iPod to listen to podcasts downloaded from iTunes or iTunes U.  They can listen on any computer platform that has installed free iTunes software.
 
Since educators must create their podcast themselves, really the discussion centers around the use of podcasting technology in education.  Does podcasting result in knowledge transfer?  The answer is, "it depends."  There seems to be a lack of information on the impact of podcasting on education, most likely because the use of podcasting as an educational tool is still relatively new.  Comments from educators who have experimented with podcasting in the classroom indicate that, when used to engage students, podcasting does seem to result in improved learning results.   Requiring students to engage with podcasts -- whether through listent and notetaking or student podcast creation -- seems to result in knowledge transfer.  Podcasting can be used to engage learners to apply the what they have learned in the creation of podcasting  -- and students enjoy creating work that can be shared by classmates and the world. 

This means that simply setting up a microphone or video camera and pushing play to record a lecture or seminar, while the easier to do, will not induce much learning.  Educators will have to invest extra time to think how to engage learners in the use of podcasting technology.  If they do this, they will probably be happy with the results.

ITunes U -- Examples of Podcast Applications

This posts provides a link to a wiki that provides links to student podcasts and will guide you to a couple of iTunes U podcasts that provide examples of how educators have chosen to use podcasting in their curricula.

If you are interested in listening to some podcasts created by students, then you should visit the The Moving Forward Wiki .  The page of this wiki provides links to websites that contain student created and recorded podcasts.  Some of the links may no longer work, but many do, so don't be discouraged.

It took a while, but I also found two sets of podcasts on iTunes University that discuss how some educators have chosen to use podcasting technology in the classroom.  To listen to these podcasts, you'll have to  iTunes software installed on you computer.  If you don't have it, you'll have to download it. Here is a link to the Apple Store to get the free download.   Once you have the software installed, you can listen to or watch the podcasts on your computer.

The first set of podcast are from Abilene Christian University.  To find it in iTune, search: Abilene Christian University Potential in Podcasting Pedagogy.  This will take to the ABC's page iTunes page for Potential in Podcasting Pedagogy.  There are four podcasts.  Each is an interview with a professor at the university who explains how they use the technology.  One professor uses it to summarize class material and to answer questions have about the material that week.  Another professor uses it to create supplemental material for each week's class.   Another professor creates podcasted critiques of the writing assignments submitted by students.  And the other professor has students record their creative writing assignments as podcasts (including the addition of music).

The second set of podcasts comes from Penn State University.  To find this series search: Pennsylvania State University Foreign Languages Podcasting Studio.  Four podcasts will be listed, but the two of interest are "Podcasting Applications"  and "Foreign Language Podcasting Initiatives".  "Podcasting Applications" is a PowerPoint presentation with an audio voice-over, explaining the benefits of podcasting for use in teaching foreign languages.  "Foreign Language Podcasting Initiatives" explores some of the ways some foreign language instructors have used podcasting in the classroom.

What I liked about these iTunes U podcasts is that the speakers describe student reactions to the use of podcasting in instruction.   Students seem to appreciate the extra work that instructor put into creating the podcasts.   They seem much more engaged in the class because the technology is used.

Educators using iTunes U

That Apple created a category in the iTunes Store called iTunes U and generosly allows educators to house feeds to their educational podcast at no charge is fabulous, however, the discussion is really about use of podcasts, and/or mobile devices as a learning tool.  How do educators use this technology? How can learners use this technology?

Here is a link to a paper that summarizes how some early adopting colleges and universities chose to make use of iPods, podcasts, and iTunes U.  Several of the schools in this paper gave students iPods to use so that students could access lectures outside of the classroom.  As I noted in an early post, students who listen to lecture podcasts AND take notes score higher on exams than students who only attend lectures and take notes. 

Another use of podcasting is to have student create the podcasts.  One teacher found that by having students work in teams to create podcasts of lectures and review notes increased students understanding of the material.  Here's a link to an article that examines this. 

iTunes U: Content

There so much content!  Over 200,000 podcasts from around the world.  The best thing to do is check it out for yourself.  You'll need iTunes software to access iTunes U.  It's free.  And you don't have to have an iPod to access the podcasts.  You can listen to or view the podcasts on your computer if you don't have have an Apple mobile device.  Here's a link to the Apple site to download iTunes.

You can take classes offered by many universities from around the world, in a variety of different languages without leaving your home.  You can attend seminars and workshops without paying the fees.  Want to improve your Mandarin Chinese listening skills?  Interested in learning about Vermeer's painting "The Milk Maid" that is housed at New York's Metropolitan Museum?  Want to virtually VISIT the Met?  Want to learn about educational technology from the state of Ohio's ed tech conference, University of South Florida, Penn State?  I could go on.  It's worth a visit. 

One thing to note is that if you find a podcast series that interests you, iTunes will provide a link to the site that houses the podcast series so that you can visit that website for more details.  iTunes will also provide links to other similar content that other subscribers also visit or download. 

So, whatever subject interests you, iTunes or iTunes U probably has a podcast.  If you're the self-motivated learner, there are NO EXCUSES.  There's something on iTunes that can help you in your quest for knowledge.

How does iTunes University work?

Sorry for the silence.  Got a little backed up at work, but I'm back.

Okay so, let's back up a little and start the discussion about how iTunes University (iTunes U) works.

We'll start with iTunes.
The term "iTunes" is a can be used to refer to two things:  1) the software that resides on a computer (Mac or PC) that allow one to manage music, videos, podcasts; and 2) the iTunes Store server through which one can access music, videos and podcasts. iTunes software is free to download.  Content at the iTunes Store (on the iTunes server) can be free or purchase; can be available to the public, or  limited to a member group (i.e., students enrolled in a course at a school).

What are podcasts?
Here is a link to a youtube video that explains Podcasting in Plain English.  Basically, a podcast is typically an audio program (but can have video) that you can download and store on your computer or iPod or MP3 player, and you can listen to it at anytime. 

Anyone can make a podcast.  Many radio programs (NPR and the BBC radio broadcasts) and TV shows (Bill Maher and Bill Moyer make podcast versions of their TV shows) offer podcast versions of their programs that you can download for free and then listen whenever it is convenient. 

To learn how to create a podcast you can search the web.  Here are a couple of links that explain how to do this:
Keith Bowers Youtube video gives a overview of how to make a podcast.
Corey Dietz at about.com explains how to create your own podcast.

Listing your podcast on iTunes.
Once you have you iTunes loaded on your computer and have created a podcast, the next step is to submit your podcast feed to iTunes.  You don't upload your podcast to iTunes, instead, you submit an RSS feed to iTunes that points to the location where your podcast is saved.  When someone wants to listen to or download your podcast, iTunes goes to location where the podcast is stored, and downloads to the requestor's computer or iPod.  Here is a link to Apple that explains in great detail how to make and submit a podcast to iTunes.

To listen to podcasts using iTunes, you need either a computer or iPod/iPhone.  A non-Apple device (an MP3 player) won't work.

So what is iTunes University?
Think of iTunes U as section on at the iTunes Store that lists podcasts from institutions of higher learning.  iTunes U is not limited to colleges and universities, however.  I will explore who posts on iTunes U in another post.