When University of California at Berkeley professor Richard Muller teaches introductory physics, the whole world can tune into what he has to say on the subject.
Muller is one of many instructors whose lectures are available for download via the Apple Computer Inc. service "iTunes U," which allows educational institutions to deliver audio and video course content to computer and iPod users over the Internet.
And although six other universities -- including Stanford, Brown and Duke -- use iTunes U, Berkeley is the first to make all of its online material accessible to the public through the iTunes service.
Penn administrators currently have no plans to jump on board, however.
Those who are involved, meanwhile, see no reason not to be.
"To say that teaching and learning is available only to those who made the grades or had the money is kind of nonsense," said Obadiah Greenberg, the product manager of Berkeley's program.
"This stuff is already out there. ... It's already being downloaded. Why don't we just bring it under one roof?" he said.
Since the 1990s, Berkeley has made course material accessible to the public online.
"The best kind of entertainment is learning," Muller said. But it's "a little bit scary. If I make a mistake, the whole world is out there listening to me."
For instance, in a May 4 physics lecture, Muller -- who arrives 10 minutes before class for a question and answer session -- drew a blank when a student asked him a question.
"Now the whole world knows I didn't know what the Casimir effect was on top of my head," he joked, referring to the physical force exerted between two objects independent of electric charge and gravity.
On the other hand, Penn College of Arts and Sciences Dean Dennis DeTurck said intellectual-property concerns might be an issue in keeping Penn away.
"There is probably a significant segment of the faculty that would embrace it," DeTurck said. However, others are less optimistic about the idea.
"Some people are more hesitant to put something out there that they've worked very hard on," DeTurck said.
But Mary Summers, a senior fellow at Penn's Fox Leadership Program, said she wholeheartedly supports integrating iTunes into the classroom and making course content publicly available.
"To me, that's the point of teaching politics -- to promote political discussion and debate," she said.
But, she added, "I'm not technologically savvy. Someone would have to completely do it for me."
At Berkeley, all audio and video programming is done by the school's Educational Technology Services, Greenberg, the product manager, said.
He added that the university has gotten significant feedback from listeners and viewers across the world.
Muller, for instance, said that he has received e-mails from audience members from New Zealand and Australia. One of his fans also listens while working night shifts at a grocery store.
"While he's doing this, he's learning physics," Muller said.
DeTurck said that any future online programs would probably be restricted only to University affiliates and students.
He is considering experimenting with podcasting in his Math 104 class next semester.
"A great experiment will start, and then we'll see," he said.
Apple iTunes U first started as a pilot initiative at six schools last year. It wasn't until January that the program was dubbed iTunes U, according to an Apple spokesman.
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