Improved Learning Experience with iPods

The student learning experience will soon undergo a revolution, thanks to the technological advancements brought in by the scholars at Harvard University’s Medical School. Early morning lectures can be done away with if the use of iPods as educational tools catches on at other academic institutions.

At Southampton University, students access the latest lectures on a Web portal such as Blackboard. They, then download the lectures onto iPods using podcasting technology. This facilitates ‘learning at leisure.’ Students with compatible devices can watch videos and even skip to relevant parts of the lecture.

Sources at Harvard Medical School say that 68% of students have iPods-, making the use of podcasting technology in education a logical step. While Imperial College is planning to provide students with a host of video and audio services, the University of Wales is exploring how mobile phones can be included in the learning process.

Even as universities highlight that most students have access to modern technology, this latest development is sure to raise issues on the affordability of the modern gadgets and the subsequent disadvantage some students may face. Nevertheless, students in particular need of educational support will be the first to benefit from the supply of equipment from funding groups.

Although introduced in line with the Disability Discrimination Act, the new technology will prove beneficial for all sorts of students who find it difficult to take notes. Linda Robertson, Southampton University’s assistive technology officer said, “There are some local authorities that have identified iPods as a means of recording lectures and so provide the equipment.”

But the Assistive Technology Service provides only laptops. Moreover, there is no guarantee that lecturers would allow their lectures to be downloaded into other formats, even if the equipment were available.

Source: Online Scene