Learning the World

Open University has deployed iTunes U, Apple’s free education version of its popular iTunes Store. This post talks about the OU’s adoption of the service as well as some of its early experiences with it.

I’ll be curious to see what impact this has on iTunes U/Moodle integration. OU is a huge Moodle school, and I have to think that they would want seamless integration between the two services.

Woolamaloo  is a stand-alone app that’s great for trouble shooting your iTunes U site, particularly when you’re trying to get your authentication/authorization bridge built. Also good for doing bulk operations (like mass uploads of files) rather than relying on the single-file-upload option native to iTunes U.

Check it out at: http://itunes.uic.edu/Woolamaloo.html

There’s an iTunes U authentication block available for Moodle 1.9 now. I haven’t had a chance to do more than kick the tires on it, but it seems like it’ll handle basic authentication to a protected iTunes U site using admin, faculty or student credentials. It allows you to create a block with a link to an iTunes U course. It doesn’t generate a list of the resources available in that course (which would be fantastic) but it looks like it might do what I need it to do in the short term. I’ll try it out more next week and report back.

Apple’s improved iTunes U’s handicap accessibility by adding the ability to set alt-text for images on the site. It’s not entirely intuitive, but to add the alt-text to an existing image you need to click on the “upload image” icon for the image in question. You can then add the text without having to upload a new graphic for it.

I participated in a webcast on authentication and authorization to iTunes U at MacLearning.org today. Presenters included:

• Eric Bailey, Senior Engineering Mgr. iTunes U, Apple Inc.
• Ken Newquist, Web Application Specialist, Lafayette College
• Paul Edminster, Web Manager, Gonzaga University

I focused on how we tied our Novell eDirectory-based LDAP into iTunes U while Paul talked about how his school integrated iTunes U into Blackboard via a building block. Finally, Eric talked about basic structure and credentials within iTunes U as well as the nifty new web services.

A video of the webcast will be posted to the site in 2 weeks or so; I’ll post a link when it’s available.

To promote iTunes U on campus, Lafayette’s Information Technology Services department is hosting a digital media competition called Leopard Shorts. The competition runs Thursday, March 1 through Monday, March 26 noon and is open to individual and group audio/video submissions.

Prizes include iPods for the top winners in each category as well as gift cards to the Cosmic Cup Coffee Co. for the first runners-up.

Learn more at: http://itunes.lafayette.edu/leopardshorts/

The iTunes U pilot at Lafayette College is live. I’ve been working on it — in one way or another — since Apple opened up the iTunes beta in May, and I’ve poured quite a bit of time, energy and sweat into the thing. I’m exhaustedly happy that it’s up … now we just need to get more content for it.

News of the launch of Lafayette’s Moodle pilot program and the Leopard Shorts Digital Media Competition lead off the ITS Coffee Break this week. Tech news finds Blackboard pledging not to sue open source course management systems and those who use them for infringing on its patents, while Apple Inc. and the Beatles’ Apple Corp. resolve their long running trademark dispute. Finally, Help News reviews the new Moodle, iTunes U and Word documentation that’s been posted to the ITS web site, previews upcoming workshops, and offers a quick tip on working with the iTunes Music Store’s FairPlay authorization system. Listen in iTunes | Show Notes