Partnering with iTunes U to Bring Podcasting to Campus: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Abstract: Recently, Boise State began developing a podcasting program to enable faculty, staff, and students to create and use podcasts on topics ranging from class lectures to campus events to advice on financial aid, all accessible from a single distribution platform with standardized features and a consistent visual design. After weighing the issues and options, we chose Appleās iTunes U as our podcasting platform, which solved several problems but created several challenges. Our presentation focuses on how iTunes U was selected, the challenges we encountered, and our responses to those challenges. We will also discuss site structure, including visual design; coordination and linkage with campus enterprise systems; development of a website to complement the iTunes U site; and other lessons learned while implementing Boise State on iTunes U. Collectively, our experiences provide a potential model for other institutions seeking a cost-effective and efficient way to bring podcasting to campus.