What is iTunes U?
iTunes U is an immense learning resource that offers free educational content for instructors and learners that they can access and download straight from the Apple iTunes Store directly to their handheld devices including iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. The unique learning app provides a special platform from which any individual having an iOS device can acquire priceless knowledge from the world's largest collection of educational content. The learning content can be drawn from universities, cultural institutions, museums, collections from leading schools and various public courses.
iTunes U provides users with the ability to choose from over a million free lectures, books, videos among other resources from various subjects. Some of the popular institutions that contribute to the amazing information hub include Oxford, Stanford, MIT, Yale, the University of Tokyo, the National Theatre, La Trobe University, McGill University, Smithsonian Libraries, and the Library of Congress among other learning institutions.
People wishing to use the app in order to participate in various supported courses should have an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch that has an iOS 8.3 or later. Those with android devices can use special tools that allow them to run the iOS platform on their devices to access the services.
- Teachers can add their own teaching materials, including photos, worksheets, documents and plan lessons using the app.
- iTunes U allows instructors to engage actively with all learners by including a variety of tools like podcasts and videos.
- Interested teachers who are affiliated with qualified learning institutions can publish their literally courses to the iTunes U catalog in a bid to ensure that they are freely available for all.
- Teachers can use the program to add comments or instructions to their PDFs using the inbuilt annotation tools.
- The app also makes it possible for instructors to monitor their students' assignments, helping them to remind those who have forgotten to do theirs.
- Instructors can use the single student view feature to offer individual, but private attention for fast parent- teacher conferences and check-ins.
- Students can use the iTunes U app to check their assignments and updates from various instructors.
- Learners can easily submit their work and assignments easily from their devices by using this app.
- iTunes U also provides reliable access to dozens of third party apps.
- Students can ask their instructors relevant questions or have them review their finished work right from the program.
- The app allows learners to start a one on one discussion/forum with their instructors or fellow students, facilitating an easier method of communicating and sharing information.
- Learners can easily access the results of their graded assignments straight from their devices using iTunes U.
1. Evernote
Evernote is a free global application that allows users to record their educational and personal notes in the form of digital photos, documents among other forms. Users can use the app to form checklists, write notes and do research. They can also review their work with other like-minded individuals right within the app. Evernote provides a simple and reliable way to organize the docs, web articles and photos. All these unique features make Evernote become a reliable alternative for iTunes U for android users and a great note taking, multi-tasking and organization software.
2. Tunesviewer
Tunesviewer is an unique, but small, easy to use program that provides users with reliable access to the iTunes University podcast and media platform straight from their Android devices. The program supports iTunes University sign up and login just like the official iTunes U handheld device application discussed above. Apart from that, Tunesviewer makes it possible to carry out downloading, browsing and direct searching straight from one's Android device.
3. Dropbox
The popular Dropbox application can also play a major role for students and instructors by helping them back up their important information like scholarly papers. After creating a free account on the site, users are provided with free 2GB space to store their documents, photos, videos among other information. Users can access their saved content right from their handheld devices from any place in the world.
4. My Sturdy Life
My Sturdy Life is a cross-platform planner for both teachers and students that make the learning process easier than it usually is. Users can store their homework, classes and their exams using unique cloud hosting services, making it accessible and usable on various devices. My Sturdy Life can provide app users with unique reminders for upcoming exams, classes, and unfinished tasks before they even start.
5. Google Classroom
Google Classroom is a unique mobile application that has reliably helped teachers and instructors to keep classes organized, save time and improve general communication with their students. Anyone with the Google Apps for Education program can readily access the Google Classroom program which is readily accessible at the Play Store. The app is easy to set up and use making it a favorite among tutors and instructors. Teachers can easily add their students directly to their groups or share a unique access code with students of their class for them to join. Google Classroom is capable of positively enhancing general communication as it complementarity allows tutors to send announcements and start timely class discussions almost in real time. The mobile app can be helpful to students as it enables them to share a variety of resources with one another or actively providing answers to various questions on the stream.
6. Teacher Aide Pro
Teacher Aide Pro is a special mobile app that is designed for teachers. The learning app was voted as the best teacher app for the years 2011, 2013 and 2014. Teacher Aide Pro which is specially optimized for phones and tablets is also a group communication messaging app for both teachers and students. Teachers can use the inbuilt email and messaging features to communicate with parents, guardians, and advisors freely.
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