Ever wish that President Richard Brodhead could read you poetry in the privacy of your own room? Now you can have the next-best thing.
With the launch of iTunes U last Wednesday, audio and video recordings of many Duke course lectures, speeches, conferences and other campus events-including "An Evening of Poetry with President Richard H. Brodhead"-are now available free of charge through Apple's iTunes Store.
"Conversations and creative work are an important part of the vibrant intellectual life here on campus, and that's what you're seeing on this site," Provost Peter Lange said in a statement. "Making these materials public in a format that's convenient for curious but busy people is a way for Duke to put the knowledge generated here in service to a wider audience."
Fifteen other colleges are currently providing free content on iTunes U. When professors and students started using iPods in their courses as part of the Duke Digital Initiative in 2004, they needed more effective ways to distribute and manage multimedia content, said Julian Lombardi, assistant vice president of academic services and technology support.
Lombardi said web-based tools for academic multimedia exchange were developed in concert with Apple, and the project was given the code name "Indigo"-a reference to Duke blue. The effort culminated in the public release of iTunes U last week.
"By leveraging our relationship with Apple through the Duke Digital Initiative and the iPod program, we had dialogue and discussion with Apple engineers to help them design a system that would meet the needs of higher education communities," Lombardi said.
Jessica Mitchell, special projects manager for the Duke Digital Initiative, said faculty, students and student groups can sign up for albums on iTunes U and upload their own multimedia files for public access. Current offerings include Froshlife videos and tracks from the student band the Pulsar Triyo.
Mitchell said course spaces, similar to those currently provided on Blackboard, can also be created on iTunes U. Professors and students can use these spaces to share multimedia files and turn in assignments, including vocal recordings for language classes. Access to course spaces is private and requires a Duke NetID to log in.
"We're seeing more and more courses finding ways for students to create their own multimedia, and faculty want to put materials up for students as well," said Samantha Earp, director of foreign language technology services.
Sterly Wilder, executive director of alumni affairs, said in a statement that she hopes the Duke area of iTunes U will help alumni keep up with campus events and continue their learning after leaving the University.
"When you're a student, there are only so many courses you take and talks you can attend. This site lets you listen to lectures and keep up with the latest research long after you graduate," she said. "It's one more way to stay engaged with and connected to Duke."
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