Apple Updating iTunes U With New Course Creation and Discussion Features for iPad

Monday June 30, 2014 6:07 am PDT by Kelly Hodgkins

Apple today announced it is updating its iTunes U app with new iPad-related features that'll make it easier for teachers and students to use the tablet device for their online courses. These new features will be available starting July 8th.

“Education is at the core of Apple’s DNA and iTunes U is an incredibly valuable resource for teachers and students,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. “iTunes U features an amazing selection of academic materials for everyone around the world. Now, with the ability to better manage and discuss educational content, learning becomes even more personalized on iPad.”

The new app updates will allow teachers to create full courses completely on their iPad by importing content from iWork, iBooks Author or educational apps in the iOS App Store. Teachers also can use the camera on the device to incorporate photos and videos into the course material.

itunesU
iPad-owning students enrolled in an iTunes U course will benefit from the update with a new discussion feature that allows them to collaborate with both teachers and other students in the class. Students can follow discussions and receive push notifications when new topics are created or new comments are added to an existing discussions.

The iTunes U app is a free download for the iPhone and iPad. [Direct Link: iTunes U]

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Top Rated Comments

newagemac

161 months ago

This is very nice, but it is utopian, that the whole class have an iDevice. I know, they can use a PC with iTunes on it but a Android and Windows version of iTunes U would make this thing really serious.

This thing is already "serious" without Windows or Android. And what the heck do you mean by utopian? Apple makes their hardware and software so that you can have nice things like iTunes U. If Windows or Android wants their users to have nice things like iTunes U well then they need to actually spend some time and effort like Apple is doing for their users. That's not utopian, that's how the real world works and how products and services have been sold since the beginning of time.

It just really bothers me that people expect Apple to make their really nice software and services available to the competition and they are somehow wrong or something if they don't. Apple's model is not about taking away as much of people's privacy and personal data as possible and sharing it with 3rd party companies. They are about building the best products, services, and experiences for their users so they will keep buying Apple hardware. So they have little to no incentive to put their software and services on other platforms.

It's like saying Toyota's engines are "utopian" because you can only enjoy them in a Toyota car and they should allow Ford owners to have their engines. No. If you wanted a Toyota engine, you should have bought a Toyota vehicle.

Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Keane16

161 months ago

Good news. One of my favourite things about the Apple ecosystem is all the great free iTunes U content.

Apple really should advertise it more. So many of my friends have no idea it even exists.

Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

NT1440

161 months ago

Finally, this app has been ignored for so long...

Indeed, hopefully it'll be a good update considering this is one of the undeniable strengths of the iTunes ecosystem.

Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

NT1440

161 months ago

I'm a 3rd grade teacher and am going by what tech guy at my school has told me, which is basically that the iPad security measures are more easily bypassed by savvy students than those in the Windows computers we have in one of the the computer labs (We do have a Mac lab running OSX as well). Windows and OSX have more refined security measures than those currently present in iOS, at least according to the aforementioned Tech guy at the school where I teach.

YeaThat guy hasn't done his homework in setting up a mass deployment.

I've been researching this for a few weeks now as I'm responsible (along with two others) for maintaining the 400+ macs and 25+ iPads on campus here.

If you're going to just hand out iPads without actually managing them, then yes students can do whatever the hell they want. IF you actually do your job as an IT professional, then I don't get the point. MDM is extremely fine grained in terms of options, and iOS 8 just stepped it up a whole new level. Tell that guy to get a free developer account and watch some of the WWDC MDM videos from this year AND 2013 (iOS 7). It sounds like he's just completely unaware of the measures out there.

Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)