iTunes U

Most of us will be familiar with or will at least have heard of Apple’s iTunes music store, especially if you own their iPod mp3 player.  It’s a computer program that enables you to buy and download digital music and other content.

In this digital store Apple has a service named iTunes U which makes available audio and video content from many universities across the world.  A few local contributors are Trinity College Dublin and the Open University.  The content includes lectures, seminars and interviews on a range of subjects – all freely available to download.

This is a move that facilitates mobile learning through digital devices such as mp3 players; a trend that appears to be becoming more common among learning providers as they continue to embrace the digital and Web 2.0 worlds to distribute their content and connect with learners.

As a result, the need for media and digital literacy among adult learners is becoming increasingly more relevant and important.