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.
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Hi Stacey, long time no see~
ReplyDeleteI'm very interested in iTune U, and I think it's a very good way that students from different places can benifit from the resources on iTunes Store of the top Universities in the world. Then I can watch the lectures and lessons given in Stanford U, although I'm not a student there. The information is shared all over the world.
Expect to see your next post.