Learning beyond the classroom with iTunes U

June 16, 2009 by Doug Worsham

University Communications' recent launch of iTunesU for UW-Madison offers a great new platform for instructors to share instructional media with their students as well as with a wide audience outside the walls of campus classrooms.

One of the first features on the new site, Personalidades, shows how an iTunesU podcast can serve UW-Madison students and at the same time bring the work of the University to people throughout Wisconsin and around the world.

Produced by Patricia Rengel, a graduate student in the department of Spanish and Portuguese, Personalidades features interviews with notable personalities from throughout the Spanish speaking world. The show has a diverse mix of local and international guests, from Madison's own Mario Mendoza, local salsero and liaison to Mayor Dave Cieslewicz, to literary heroes like Luis Rafael Sánchez, author of La guaracha del Macho Camacho, and musical superstars like Lila Downs and Eddie Palmieri.

Best of all, you can do this, too. To get started:

• Contact L&S LSS for a consultation. We can help you choose from a variety of recording options, create a plan for recording, editing, and sharing your work, and most importantly, create a format that will meet your instructional goals. Send us your ideas and questions at lssinfo@lss.wisc.edu.
• Learn and connect: The DoIT Engage program's podcasting site has a number of great resources to get started with podcasting. The Engage program helped launch many campus podcasts, including Personalidades.
• Go public. University Communications is currently accepting submissions for iTunesU podcasts. Visit http://itunes.wisc.edu/contribute.html for more information on their submission guidelines.
• Go global. L&S instructors have had great success using simple technologies to bring guests from around the world into their classrooms, often by simply sending an e-mail inquiry to someone they'd like to talk to.

Please let us know your ideas for creating instructional media. We're looking forward to hearing from you!