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HOWTO: Enhance Course Materials with iTunes U
by Steven B. Combs, Ph.D.
Hot on the heels of my Apple TV: “Out of the Living Room and into the Classroom” presentation, I have prepared another entitled, Enhance Course Materials with iTunes U. This presentation was held on January 10th, 2013 from 12:00 - 1:00PM in Poling Hall, Room 201 on the Ivy Tech Columbus campus.
In this post, you will find my presentation outline that includes all the links (and a few more) shared during my 45 minute talk. As always, feel free to add comments or ask questions using the comments section at the bottom of this post.
Opening
- Welcome
- About me
- About the presentation
- Who are the Mac, iPad or iPhone users in the room?
- Who are the PC users in the room?
iTunes
- Gateway to iTunes U
- Download available for Mac and PC
- iTunes features include:
- Music - search, purchase and download music
- Movies - search, purchase and download movies
- TV Shows - search, purchase and download TV Shows
- App Store - search, purchase and download iOS apps
- Books - search, purchase books to read in iBooks
- Podcasts - search and subscribe to podcasts
- iTunes U - search and subscribe to educational content (the main topic of today’s conversation)
- Link to iTunes content to share online or within a course management system system such as Blackboard
- Locate and create a link demonstration - the secret sauce
iTunes U
- Gateway to amazing, and free, instructional resources
- Accessible through iTunes
- Content from a wide variety of K–12 and higher education providers
- Review all content entirely before adding to your own course materials
- Follow iTunes U on twitter to learn about new content additions
- Learn more on the Apple iTunes U page
Sample iTunes U Resources
Let’s take a look at some unique iTunes U content available for your course:
- Duke University Libraries Ad Views
- Library of Congress – Origins of American Animation
- Library of Congress – Hidden Treasures
- Library of Congress – Early Films from the Edison Companies
iTunes U Course Manager
- Free. browser based, online content management system to consolidate iTunes U and traditional course resources
- Link: iTunes U Course Manager
- Supplement your traditional course materials
- Easy to maintain and manage
- Does not include collaboration or assessment tools
- iTunes U Course Manager demonstration
iBooks Author
- Optional companion product to iTunes U Course Manager
- Free in the Mac App Store
- Simple to use electronic book authoring
- Interactive components to enhance content
- Self publish!!!
- iBooks OS X
iTunes U iOS App
- It all comes together for the student in the iTunes U iOS app for iPhone and iPad
- Provides access to course content including:
- Course information
- Course overview
- Instructor information
- Course outline
- About the course
- Posts - formatted weekly
- Notes - consolidated and can be shared from the app
- All notes
- Course notes
- Audio/Video notes
- Book notes
- Materials - consolidated
- Videos
- Books
- Apps
- Images
- iTunes U iOS app demonstration
iBooks iOS App
- Access to the entire collection of books in the iTunes store
- Students use iBooks to view the course textbook on an iPhone or iPad
- iBooks demonstration
Conclusion
- Its free, so give it a try
- Include a few resources from iTunes U within your current course materials
- Slowly add resources to a closed course within the iTunes U Course Manager
- Finalize and publish your course for students to access
- Self publish your own textbook
- Drop a comment below and share your experiences
Questions and Discussion
Additional Resources