Laptops are not the only way to bring your distance learning experience to your fingertips anymore. Thanks to Apple’s iPod Touch and iPhone, online learners now have another mobile tool capable of bringing their education to them wherever they go.

The use of iPods in the education industry started years before the introduction of the iPod Touch, however. Music teachers utilized the iPod for their lectures; students used them as storage devices between computers; colleges even offered students the ability to download lectures into a sound file compatible with their iPod so they could listen to their lecture on-the-go.

The iPod Touch and iPhone bring a whole new level of interactive education to the distance learner, starting with iTunes U.

What is iTunes U?

iTunes U is part of the iTunes Store. It provides over 175,000 audio and video files specifically designed for learning. Universities participate directly with iTunes U to provide educational media to their students and the world.

How does iTunes U work?

Educational facilities have the options of making the resources they offer internal or external; that is, they can register their personal iTunes U site that is only accessible to university students, or they may incorporate their material directly into iTunes so that any distance learner may have access to educational coursework to supplement their education. Most schools have both external and internal downloads.

Does my school use iTunes U?

Participators of iTunes U include but are not limited to Yale, Stanford, UC Berkeley, Oxford, Cambridge, MIT, PBS stations, and K-12 state projects. Ask your counselor if you school is part of iTunes U or if they plan to offer material through iTunes U in the future.

If you have an iPod Touch or an iPhone, look for iTunes U in your iTunes store and see how it can promote your online education. Many of the downloads available are free!