iTunes U Hits One Billion Downloads of Free Educational Content

[MacRumors]

Apple today announced that its iTunes U service has hit one billion downloads, less than six years after its official debut.

"It's inspiring to see what educators and students of all types are doing with iTunes U," said Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. "With the incredible content offered on iTunes U, students can learn like never before-there are now iTunes U courses with more than 250,000 students enrolled in them, which is a phenomenal shift in the way we teach and learn."

Apple notes that over 1,200 colleges and universities and over 1,200 K-12 schools are using iTunes U, offering thousands of public and private courses through the service. Over 60% of iTunes U downloads are coming from outside of the United States.

Apple also touts the sheer size of some of iTunes U's offerings, with several universities offering courses seeing enrollments of over 100,000 and Stanford University and The Open University each having topped 60 million downloads of their content.

iTunes U debuted as a partnership with Stanford University in October 2005 before launching in an expanded form in mid-2007. A year ago, Apple launched its dedicated iTunes U app as part of an education-focused event leveraging the iPad as the learning platform for the future.

Article Link: iTunes U Hits One Billion Downloads of Free Educational Content

 

[iMacFarlane]

I wonder what share of that total is due to Stanford's excellent iOS programming lectures. Seems like they've been in the top ten for the last few years.

 

[bbeagle]

Many of the courses are downright amazing. Quality professors teaching with great visual aids, and the ability to rewind and watch portions of a lecture again. For example, when I find I've drifted off for 5 minutes and have no clue what the professor just said - I can just go back and hear it again.

Every college student should supplement his own college's courses with some of these courses if they have difficulty with certain subjects or just a topic within a subject.

 

[Akarin]

I wonder what share of that total is due to Stanford's excellent iOS programming lectures. Seems like they've been in the top ten for the last few years.

That is exactly what I first thought when reading the news: "oh, probably 90% of the downloads were of the iOS Stanford course" (which I watched... ...like most of the iOS devs out there )

 

[AngerDanger]

The billionth downloader will receive a full ride to the college of their choice… or something.

 

[KdParker]

Many of the courses are downright amazing. Quality professors teaching with great visual aids, and the ability to rewind and watch portions of a lecture again. For example, when I find I've drifted off for 5 minutes and have no clue what the professor just said - I can just go back and hear it again.

Every college student should supplement his own college's courses with some of these courses if they have difficulty with certain subjects or just a topic within a subject.

I agree completely. I still am surprised that the content for iTunes U is still free.

 

[iphone495]

I can honestly say I have learned a lot through the lessons on iTunes U. But too bad it can't be counted for actual college credits, though.

 

[needfx]

I looked for stunt driving lessons but no luck...

 

[sexiewasd]

It is amazing the content that is available from iTunes U, most notable being cs193p. It is incredible that i can view those lectures. I would have no chance to take the course in real life, and no interest in taking the prerequisite courses either. I do wish that the Apple TV had an iTunes U app though.

 

[needfx]

It is amazing the content that is available from iTunes U, most notable being cs193p. It is incredible that i can view those lectures. I would have no chance to take the course in real life, and no interest in taking the prerequisite courses either. I do wish that the Apple TV had an iTunes U app though.

can't you airplay it?

 

[sexiewasd]

can't you airplay it?

Yes i can, and that is what I do, and it works well.

It doesn't seam like it should be necessary though. If airplay is Apple's excuse for not having apps on the Apple TV, then why have any of them? There isn't anything on the Apple TV that couldn't be sent via Airplay from an iOS or OSX device.

 

[lincolntran]

iTunes U is a great step toward a better society. Knowledge should be freely shared for everyone.

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

I look forward to the day I can buy my school textbooks through iBooks for $15 like Apple promised... Unfortunately, I think I'll probably finish my master's before that's the case (even though its 3 years away, still need to finish my BS first.)

 

[Yelmurc]

While that's very impressive I just feel there is a lot more that Apple could do with the iTunesU content and software. Wouldn't it be amazing if they mapped out the all the courses you would need for specific degrees so that becoming self taught is that much easier.

 

[Keane16]

Things like iTunes U are what I really love about iOS.

Supremely useful and sync across my iOS devices. I'm watching less and less TV and instead I've managed to take part in some fantastic classes.

One of the reasons I won't be off to Android/WP/Blackberry anytime soon.

Massive thanks to all involved in providing this, from the back end infrastructure to the classes themselves.

 

[vmachiel]

Awesome, I use it all the time! Great place to learn stuff outside of your field

 

[luigi408]

Currently doing the beginning class of programming from Stanford through iTunes U. It's an awesome service. Although, I wish that class updated the video quality. The teachers are great. You can truly see the teacher quality compare to other schools. Wish I had good teachers like that in public schools growing up.

 

[writingdevil]

While that's very impressive I just feel there is a lot more that Apple could do with the iTunesU content and software. Wouldn't it be amazing if they mapped out the all the courses you would need for specific degrees so that becoming self taught is that much easier.[/

Apple's contribution to learning is truly amazing, the quality of course work excellent and availability unfettered. It's always good to seek improvement but what you suggest isn't feasible. You may not be familiar with academic degrees, but it would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to boiler plate degree requirements. Every educational institution has a variety of degrees with innumerable options, including areas of major and minor emphasis, content options, elective choices and on and on.
Many universities offer, tuition based, online degrees where a clear path to a degree can be worked out with online help from the university. This is a 'free university' kind of experience for self starters, and a really outstanding one. A billion times outstanding.

 

[Joe-Diver]

Is there a way to access the courses and content from a MBP or iMac? Just a cursory look at it, looks like you have to have an iPad or iPhone.

 

[eagandale4114]

I'm doing the Stanford iOS course. S

Is there a way to access the courses and content from a MBP or iMac? Just a cursory look at it, looks like you have to have an iPad or iPhone.

You just use iTunes. It works on pc too.

----------

I'm doing the Stanford iOS course. So much fun and I've learned a lot of new stuff.

Is there a way to access the courses and content from a MBP or iMac? Just a cursory look at it, looks like you have to have an iPad or iPhone.

You just use iTunes. It works on pc too.

 

[Yelmurc]

Apple's contribution to learning is truly amazing, the quality of course work excellent and availability unfettered. It's always good to seek improvement but what you suggest isn't feasible. You may not be familiar with academic degrees, but it would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to boiler plate degree requirements. Every educational institution has a variety of degrees with innumerable options, including areas of major and minor emphasis, content options, elective choices and on and on.
Many universities offer, tuition based, online degrees where a clear path to a degree can be worked out with online help from the university. This is a 'free university' kind of experience for self starters, and a really outstanding one. A billion times outstanding.

I'm not suggesting it be a perfect map or anything. I'm just suggesting that they point you in a possible direction once you complete a course. I can see something to the affect of "people who completed this course completed this other course next" By telling them you want to focus on say physics, they know not to send you to a course for architecture.

 

[sexiewasd]

I'm not suggesting it be a perfect map or anything. I'm just suggesting that they point you in a possible direction once you complete a course. I can see something to the affect of "people who completed this course completed this other course next" By telling them you want to focus on say physics, they know not to send you to a course for architecture.

Physics is one of those fundamental sciences where one might benefit from the experience of using it in a real world application like architecture, mechanical engineering, or programming. I'm watching the MIT physics courses on iTunes U to supplement the cs193p course.

 

[RedTomato]

iTunes U looks fantastic, unfortunately there's very little of it I can actually access because I'm deaf. Very little of it is subtitled.

Subtitles would also help a lot of people who don't speak English as a first language. It would also help no end with searching and indexing course content. Google has done some fantastic work on subtitling, can Apple step up a bit more on subtitling please?

 

[jim.arrows]

Yes i can, and that is what I do, and it works well.

It doesn't seam like it should be necessary though. If airplay is Apple's excuse for not having apps on the Apple TV, then why have any of them? There isn't anything on the Apple TV that couldn't be sent via Airplay from an iOS or OSX device.

Totally agree, iTunes U would be a perfect value added App on the Apple TV and having it prominently featured right alongside the music and podcast apps would help raise awareness that it even exists; I'm shocked by how few people know about it, I have told every friend and colleague about it for years and nearly every one of them was completely unaware of the service.

I just submitted an iTunes U app request via the apple tv feedback form last week, I hope it's in the works.