Reading: “Self-learners creating university of online”

I came across the article by Richard Woods this morning on “‘Self-learners’ creating university of online” and enjoyed it.

The basis of the open access podcast material that has been added to iTunesU over the past year or so has grown. Not only is it the volume of information that has grown, but also the participating Institutions and the quality of work being added.

In less than 1 year since they opened their iTunesU ‘doors’, Oxford University has achieved over 1 million downloads of lectures or other academic works: see the presentation by Peter Robinson “A Pocket University: Open Content and Mobile Technology – Oxford on iTunesU” for more details on this exceptional achievement.

Richard reports that;

“Podcasts that were scattered on the university’s departmental sites are now on iTunes,” said Carolyne Culver, head of strategic communications at the university. “We are getting many more downloads.”

Richard goes on to interview an Oxford academic (Marianne Talbot) who had been asked if she minded her lecture being recorded and published, only to then find herself the most downloaded clip;

“Talbot admits she was fortunate to choose an engaging title in a subject of wide appeal. Nevertheless, she describes the potential of such open access as ‘awesome’.”

Please read the full article on the link above.