Robin Glynn – Staff Writer –
A little secret that students might not know is that Southern is on iTunes U, but the bad news is that no new content will be available for several months.
According to Paul Mckenzie, the Office of Public Affairs currently has iTunes U on hold.
“We are in the process of redoing our website,” said Mckenzie. “It will be about another threemonths before we get to iTunes U.”
Southern on iTunes is intended to be a forum for the Southern Community to “showcase Southern-developed audio and video educational and entertainment podcasts in a convenient, on-demand format,” according to Southern’s website.
Southern joins many of the top universities across the country to have a forum for students to access universities such as MIT, Villanova, Duke, Yale and Harvard Universities.
According to Southern’s website, the launch of SCSU on iTunes accompanied Apple’s enhanced iTunes U and iBooks app.
“It’s weird that they don’t advertise for it,” said Lyndsay Lockhart, a history education major.
Lockhart said she would not use it personally.
“I wouldn’t want to listen to a lecture a second time around,” said Lockhart.
Lockhart said that it may help students when professors can upload their lectures.
Niajah Manley, a social work major, said she does not use iTunes and was not sure what is offered on iTunes other than music and movies.
“I am not into technology,” said Manley,” but that would be cool for people who use it.”
While no new podcasts will be on iTunes, there are older podcasts and videos that can be viewed including previous SCSU News episodes of featured stories, audio and video of the Southern Choir performing in London, the ground breaking at the School of Business, highlights of different programs, the Undergraduate Commencement Ceremonies from 2011 and 2012 as well as the Graduate Commencement from 2010, and the Alma Mater of SCSU.
Once the Office of Public Affairs returns to working on SCSU on iTunes, faculty can create a complete course on iTunes, including assignments and course materials such as books, apps and any other iTunes U contents.
Faculty are not the only ones who can develop content for iTunes U. According to Southern’s website, “If you are a member of the Southern faculty or staff, or a Southern student with a faculty sponsor, you may submit an unlimited number of creative, high-quality podcasts, including lectures, projects and other audio or video segments.”
Access to the podcasts created for course can be set as public or restricted to students in the course and is decided on by the instructor. Content created is owned by the faculty member or student who created it. The SCSU server only acts as a host. Content on SCSU’s iTunes can be downloaded or subscribed to.
Guidelines provided by Southern say that content “should reflect collaboration” and “can describe existing programs of study, current students, alumni, faculty, staff, research projects, innovative uses of technology, or college life.”
Until the attention turns to SCSU on iTunes U, students can view some of the types of content that will be on iTunes.
