iTunes U @ UCLA

A new cross-campus IT project will help change the way students study for tests and review classroom lectures. The project will also make it easier for the entire campus community to share information and interests.  Several campus units are working through UCLA’s Technology Sandbox on a project with Apple Computers to create an iTunes U @ UCLA website.  The project is part of Apples’s free, hosted service for colleges and universities.  Through iTunes U, Apple provides easy access to educational content 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“This pilot is important because it's a campus-wide collaboration with Apple where we are sharing our expertise and experiences with podcasting to launch a collective iTunes U @ UCLA website,” said Rose Rocchio, Office of Information Technology Director of Program Management.
 
“And, it’s very exciting because it’s technology changing the way students can access course information.  For example, subscription-based podcasts simply download to a subscriber's iTunes U desktop application, as they become available.  There is no more checking to see if the files have been uploaded by the professor.  That’s a huge benefit for students,” Rocchio said.

Several campus groups are participating in the pilot.  The project is being co-led by the Office of Information Technology, the Office of Instructional Development, the Library and University Communications.  Participants include professors and volunteers from: Recreation, Student Affairs, The International Institute, Social Sciences Computing, The Center for Digital Humanities, The Graduate School of Education and Information Studies, Statistics, Ethnomusicology, CLICC, The Film and Television Archive, AASC and Bruin Online.

The project was officially launched in April and several people have already signed up to participate on one of the two project sub-teams.  The UCLA’s iTunes U website should be launched by the start of fall quarter.  Currently the pilot is working on content identification and creation, usage rights and process, and a deployment process.  If you’re interested in joining the pilot, the two groups meet on alternating Tuesdays from 9 – 10 a.m. in the Technology Sandbox, 4328 Math Sciences.  Contact:  rrochio@oit.ucla.edu for more information.

There will be a BruinTech seminar about Podcasting and the iTunes U @ UCLA pilot in mid-July.