Teachers Will See Huge Benefits from Refreshed iTunes U

Apple has always been at the forefront of mobile technology, creating an expansive fanbase and dedicated followers who get excited about every single release. But while Apple changed the mobile game with the introduction of the iPhone, Apple has also had an impact in other realms as well.

From wearable technology to desktop computers, Apple has always brought their culture and intuitive technology into the hands of a wide range of users, including students. Which is why Apple is updating iTunes U to make technology in the classroom even easier.Introduced in 2007 as a very basic platform for university video lectures, iTunes U has grown into an educational service that can be implemented in any classroom. Students and teachers alike can use a variety of apps to take learning to a whole new level. As Apple states their site: “The App Store gives you endless ways to help students learn new concepts and express their creativity.” Currently, the App Store offers 80,000 educational apps for iPad use in the classroom.

This past week, Apple announced that it would bring a few new upgrades to iTunes U. Now, students have the ability to submit their assignments via their iPads, complete with a timestamp. For the teachers, the iTunes U updates will alert them when students’ assignments are submitted and ready for review. Teachers will also be able to send out reminders to students and make use of PDF annotations along with a new grade book.Another update to iTunes U will include the ability for teachers to import information from Apple apps like Keynote, iMovie, and Pages. This will open up more capabilities and more venues by which students and teachers can collaborate and learn. The update to iTunes U will also come with new discussion features to further facilitate interactions between teachers and students, both in and out of the classroom.

Recode reports that there are nearly 15 million iPads in schools and more than 100,000 educational apps available. With this new update and widespread usage of technology, we can only expect that more and more schools will begin to explore these apps and utilize iPads in the classroom.

Are you a teacher who uses technology in the classroom? What tech do you use? How do the students respond? Let us know in the comments below!