Spartan Daily - Serving San Jose State University since 1934

Issue date: 3/6/07 Section: News

Apple and San Jose State University are teaming up this semester to provide a series of workshops to teach SJSU professors how to create visual and audio content online for students, an Apple official said.

According to Dane Riley, Apple higher education system engineer, SJSU will use a program called "iTunes U" to record class lectures and general information about the university to be made available online to faculty, staff, students and alumni.

"Instead of concentrating on taking class notes and not missing writing down an important item in class," Riley said, "students will become more engaged in the conversation because they know after the class they can listen to the lecture again and take notes then."

"How to Podcast a Lecture" was facilitated by Associate Professor of Physics Peter Beyersdorf on Feb. 19 at the Instructional Resource Center and Riley led a seminar called "Podcast Creation" on Monday.

"For class lectures," Riley said, "if the professor chooses to do so, they can make the classes authenticated so that only the students enrolled in the classes have access to the lectures."

Josh Heger, a junior majoring in justice studies, said that if all his class lectures were available as online podcasts, he may be likely to attend class less often.

"I would probably only go to office hours if I had questions," Heger said.

Riley said that most teachers are weary of allowing students the ability to solely listen to podcasts for lecture purposes, but said that the system should show good results for students.

"Often the initial response from professors is that will allow students to skip class and listen to the lecture later," Riley said. "In fact, students are more engaged and have better retention because they can listen to the lectures."

Caitlin Allmen, a freshman majoring in art, said that podcasting lectures can create attendance problems.

"I guess I am more against it than for it because it would only encourage students to skip class more often," Allmen said. "If they can just make it up online then what is the point of even going to class except on the exam days?"

Christopher Ficke, a junior majoring in English, said that online lectures would not create an improved learning environment.

"Not in the least," Ficke said. "Students resist going to class enough as it is. Putting lectures online will only make the situation worse."

Ficke added that current students' attitudes are already a substantial issue.

"Today's student is all about laziness and procrastination - sad but true," he said.

However, Riley said that students are already situated to improve their education experience based on the technology many posses right now.

"We are living in a digital age," Riley said. "Many students already carry cell phones capable of media-rich technologies ranging from voice, audio, video and images."

"Podcast Creation" will be administered by Riley on Monday, March 5 in the Instructional Resource Center, according to the SJSU events online calendar. "How to Podcast Class Handouts" will be held at the center tomorrow and will be facilitated by Breyersdorf, faculty-in-residence for podcasting.

"The faculty is very appreciative of the excellent classes that are being offered," said Mary Fran Breiling, interim associate director of academic technology. "And they are excited about being able to provide additional learning resources to students."

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