iTunes' Big mLearning Leap

With the newest release of the iTunes store, Apple has made a big mLearning leap.

This content which is available through the iTunes store itself has been provided by top US colleges and universities such as Stanford University, UC Berkeley, Duke University and MIT.

According to Eddy Cue, Apple’s vice president of iTunes, “iTunes U makes it easy for anyone to access amazing educational material from many of the country’s most respected colleges and universities. Education is a lifelong pursuit and we’re pleased to give everyone the ability to download lectures, speeches and other academic content for free.”

So if you’re planning on going to college or even university, then you must check out iTunes U via the iTunes Store. Here you will receive free and informative content that can be loaded onto any iPod with just one click, after which you can view it via your iPod anywhere, anytime.

“From its earliest days, Stanford has sought to serve the public by sharing the knowledge generated by our faculty and students,” said Stanford Provost John Etchemendy. “Our partnership with Apple and iTunes U provides a creative and innovative way to engage millions of people with our teaching, learning and research and share the experience of intellectual exploration and discovery that defines our university.”

Remember, you don't need an iPod or other MP3 player to use iTunes.  Simply download iTunes from Apple.com and in the store, browse to iTunes U.

The improvements, however doesn't stop with iTunes U.   Apple has also released the Learning Interchange, giving educators and students the opportunity to share courses and resources.

Kudos Apple!

I'm downloading several courses today and will report on the quality and overall experience.  If you haven't purchased an iPod yet, see the links below for some iPods and accessories on sale.

mlearning m-learning mobile-learning mobile+learning podcasting iphone apple web+2.0 learing+2.0 eLearning

The Immigration Debate and Education

The latest immigration debate prompted me to do some thinking about adult education. I don't want this post to be a judgment for or against the current bill and whether it is amnesty or not, instead, my thoughts are about the consequences of this bill.

The current bill in the Senate will basically provide 12-20 million people, who were once living in the shadows, some sort of legalized status. From an educational and business perspective, this may be an interesting opportunity. There will be millions of people coming out of the shadows who may want to participate more in society. There is, however, an educational gap that needs filling. From the obvious ESL to computer, business, and citizenship courses, the adult educational opportunity is huge.

Imagine learning centers, similar to Sylvan centers for children, that cater to immigrant adults that helps them learn English and the skills they need to prosper in legal society. Yes, there are programs similar to this, but generally they are not targeted at this group, instead only modified for this group. This idea could also be franchised.
This is just a late night brainstorm....

mlearning m-learning mobile-learning mobile+learning podcasting iphone apple web+2.0 learing+2.0 eLearning