iTunes U, the podcast phenomenon that gave academia a place in the world of iTunes merchandise, has now spread to Columbia. The Center for New Media Teaching and Learning launched its Web site utilizing the Apple product in early September.
Created by Apple and used by universities around the country, iTunes U taps into iTunes software—a program enabling users to download music for a fee—to access various forms of media from courses and university programs. The Web site set up by CCNMTL currently features podcasts from some lectures, clips of the University orchestra in performance, and audio commentary accompanying a self-guided campus tour.
The selection of recorded courses on the Web site is sparse, save recordings of lectures from Frontiers of Science, a required first-year course for students of Columbia College that covers scientific topics of emerging importance. Columbia’s iTunes U collection also includes conferences and guest speakers from various schools of the University.
“We form partnerships with faculty, providing them with as much support as they need in everything from the construction of course Web sites to the development of advanced projects,” stated a press release from the CCNMTL.
According to a press release, the Center first began posting podcasts of classes in 2005, and later developed a contract with Apple to harness the capabilities of iTunes U. Additional content is expected to be added over the year.
The Web site is open to the public, but many additional features are available only to students after they log in. Students can listen to recordings of different Columbia classes, and some lectures include a video component of electronic slides, as the professor narrates.
According to the Web site, the College of Dental Medicine is currently ahead in taking advantage of the feature, using it more than any other Columbia program or school. A category entitled “Visual Techniques in Dentistry” holds over 100 video clips demonstrating various dental procedures, supplemented by transcripts of their audio portions.
The Center hopes the program will soon encompass a variety of University schools and courses.
“We are committed to remaining a leader in our field, engaging our faculty partners in the reinvention of education for the digital age,” the press release said.
