iTunes U - higher learning

iTunes U
iTunes U, part of the iTunes Store, is possibly the world’s greatest collection of free educational media available to students, teachers, and lifelong learners. With over 200,000 educational audio and video files available, iTunes U* has quickly become the engine for the mobile learning movement. It puts the power of the iTunes Store in the hands of qualifying universities so they can distribute their educational media to their students or to the world.

14 Jan 2010 ... Oxford has now passed the 2 millionth download from its iTunes U site and Marianne Talbot is still flying high after 6 months in the iTunes

YouTube & iTunes U: Learned Ilocano & earned my college degree there
Time will be when the snippets of educational videos in YouTube, such as the 95-second episode above, and the profound lectures and podcasts of experts at Apple’s iTunes University will achieve some convergence and become accredited as integral parts of various college curricula. And well, one will then be able to earn his or her college degree in part from YouTube and iTunes University. What a monumental savings that would be, especially for those who can ill afford to attend college or are severely impacted by the economic downturn, considering how expensive college tuition has become.

Of course, under this soon-to-be new educational paradigm shift (if I had my rathers…), there will be parts of the curricula that require the students to attend some classes in school, such as those requiring lab courses or internship. But more than half of the curricula in most baccalaureate and post-baccalaureate degrees could probably be rendered in YouTube and iTunes University. Maybe both discussion and assessment periods could then be scheduled in the classroom for only one-third the norm. That provides the student-student and student-teacher interactions that seem to be missed in online learning.