RADFORD – Radford University officially launches iTunes U this spring to offer students an innovative way to access course materials.  iTunes U at RU also allows the general public a new way to view and listen to university information and educational, arts and sports programming.

iTunes U is a service offered in partnership with Apple Computing that provides access to media files on a subscription basis. After subscribing through the iTunes U website, media files are automatically downloaded to the users’ computer and iPod, if desired.  It is not necessary for subscribers to have an iPod to receive podcast feeds as the easy to use, free, iTunes program will play “feeds” on any computer.

Last semester, iTunes U at RU (http://itunes.radford.edu) was in the beta testing stage to enable faculty and students an opportunity to explore its capabilities.   RU music instructor David Zuschin explains, “When I started doing podcasts last year, I was worried that it would encourage students not to attend class, but I have found that it is actually my best students who listen to the podcast, in order to review their notes, reinforcing concepts and filling in places they missed the first time.”

Two Radford professors, Zuschin and dance professor danah bella, are at the forefront of podcasting and iTunes technology.  Zuschin uses a program called ProfCast to create a podcast that looks and sounds exactly like his lectures, with each heading and bullet appearing in real time as the audio plays.

When opening the iTunes U site, visitors are directed to a public portal that highlights the latest news, university information, events, community outreach initiatives, sports highlights and featured lectures by faculty and guest speakers in the form of video or audio podcasts.  All content on the public portal can be downloaded to a Mac or PC and transferred to an iPod or Mp3 player at no cost.  Visitors to the site can subscribe to the service, which will automatically download new program offerings.

RU students and faculty will login to a password protected area through the public portal to access and download coursework and lectures from their classes.  All RU students will have access to only the courses in which they are registered.

RU’s Technology in Learning Center director and iTunes U coordinator Krista Terry says that this program caters to this generation of college students.  “This generation of students is accustomed to receiving information through this technology.  Today’s students are ‘mobile.’  We are providing ‘mobile’ learning opportunities,” says Terry.

For more information, contact Terry at (540) 831-5974.