If you fancy expanding your knowledge using multimedia, then iTunes U could be the answer? This is a special part of the iTunes Store which provides free educational material. iTunes U has over 10,000 free educational videos and audio recordings created by universities, colleges, and other educational organizations. iTunes U lets you download individual files or subscribe (similar to iTunes Podcasts) to a series of lectures. Once downloaded, the files can be viewed on your computer or transferred to your iPod or iPhone if you prefer to learn on the go.
Here's How:
Accessing iTunes U
If you need to install iTunes first on your Mac or PC, then the best place to get the latest version is to download it from Apple's web site. Once iTunes is running, click on the iTunes Store menu item which is situated in the left pane (underneath STORE). You'll now see a small menu bar appear displaying the different sections of the iTunes Store - click on iTunes U or the small down-arrow next to it to choose a topic.
Choosing a Topic
To choose a topic on the iTunes U screen, look in the Categories section in the left pane and click on a heading. For example, clicking on Teaching and Education will display material in that topic. You can drill-down deeper into the topic by clicking on the More option to reveal more areas of study in that topic. Once you see a subject that you'd like to download, click on it for more information. You'll also notice that there's a Top Downloads section on the right-hand side of the screen showing you what downloads are currently the most popular.
Downloading and Subscribing
Having clicked on a subject that you're interested in, you need to choose the type of device that you're going to use to view the educational material. By default, the For iPod/iPhone tab is selected (near the track listing), but if you're going to use a computer then click on the For Mac/PC tab instead. To download all tracks, click on the Get Tracks button. To select individual tracks, click on the Get Track button next to each one. Finally to subscribe to the subject in order to automatically recieve updates when they become availble, click on the Subscribe button.
Playing Your Downloaded Files
To play the files that you have downloaded, click on the iTunes U menu item in the left pane (underneath Library). Simply double-click on one of the files to play it.
What You Need:
- iTunes 7.2 or higher
