It’s back-to-school time, but some students may be headed for their headphones instead of campus or class. That appears to be the message from Apple’s Tuesday announcement of 300 million download in three years from iTunes U. The collaboration between the Cupertino, Calif. company and universities provides “iTunes users with an incredible way to learn on their computer, iPhone, iPod or iPad,” Apple said in a statement.
More than 800 universities worldwide have contributed 350,000 audio and video files. China, Hong Kong, Japan, Mexico and Singapore are just the latest countries to join the program. The free content allows anyone to get a taste of learning or virtually audit a classroom.
“iTunes U makes it easy for people to discover and learn with content from many of the world’s top institutions,” Eddy Cue, Apple’s vice president of Internet Services, said. Harvard, MIT, Cambridge and Oxford are just some of the learning institutions taking part.
In 2009, a report claimed students who listened to podcasts of classes scored better on tests than students who attended the lessons. The podcast users averaged a C while in-class students averaged a D. A State University of New York professor explained podcasts allow students to replay difficult concepts and take better notes.
