SPIDER: Sharing Practice with iTunes U Digital Educational Resources Terese Bird, Learning Technologist, University of Leicester http://www.le.ac.uk/spider

SCORE Project www.OpenEd.ac.uk

iTunes U is the portion of the online Apple store which makes available free learning material from over 800 universities, museums, and other learning institutions worldwide. It is also a free software package which arranges and plays video and audio files, and serves out media-rich text files. Its ease-of-use and ability to attractively showcase a university's learning materials makes it an open educational resource (OER) channel with a uniquely high impact. Its corporate nature makes iTunes U controversial as an OER channel, yet gives it sustainability lacking in other channels.

iTunes U OER Scorecard

Attractive to contributors

Usable Useful Used Sustainable

Attractive showcase !

Good User Experience !

Quality material ! Download numbers !

Over 800 universities !

Raises profile ! Search function ! Consistency ! Teachers ! Apple stability !

Apple gloss ! Apple mobile ! Copyright "!

Personal ! Benefit to contributors !

International reach !

Linux, Android " Feedback "!

Not very repurposable " !

Benefit to institution !

Apple helps to market !

Discoverability !" Community " Addictive, enjoyable !

Good student experience !

UK Universities' iTunes U Site Download Figures Roles required for iTunes U Institutional Team

Twitter comments about iTunes U (Sept 18-4 Oct 2011) .

The iTunesU is a cornucopia of intellectual stimuli. It's quite amazing. So easy to dive into an ocean of knowledge and discovery

'ItunesU recommended as well - recently visited a school in India where the content is created in fee paying school transferred to local schs'

iTunesU has fantastic free lectures on various topics. A new place for organisations to build their training material #FutureOfClassroom

I love love love #iTunesU. Learning tons. Perfect to listen on my iPhone as I go for my daily long walks around the city