Podcasting on iTunes U: Audio and Video of Lectures, Course Materials, and Special Events

Frequently Asked Questions

At its simplest, podcasting is making audio or video files (usually voice recordings) available for users to access and listen to on their computers or portable audio devices.  While podcasts are often regularly scheduled, so that individuals can set their computers to automatically receive specific podcasts as they are released, podcasting can also refer to specific one-time files that people can browse and access.

It is up to a faculty member to decide if they want to podcast lectures or other audio materials.

With the Podcasting at UM site up and running, you should follow these simple steps:

  1. Launch iTunes U at the University of Mississippi.
  2. Browse the available podcasts and select one you would like to access.
  3. Click the play button to hear the podcast and the subscribe button (if available) to have the podcast regularly delivered to your computer.

Faculty may podcast material relating to their course instruction. Departments, centers, and special groups on campus may also podcast through the public iTunes U site.

The Faculty Technology Development Center has software, computers, and how-to guides that will help you to create podcasts.  There are also numerous internet sites that will help you to create podcasts (see for example, http://www.podcasting-tools.com/how-podcasting-works.htm).  Please note that the University of Mississippi iTunes U site is for official podcasts of the University and course instructional podcasts only. 

If it is not previously copyrighted.  Originally created music may be used as a part of a podcast, but music from the internet and from CDs is subject to copyright protections and cannot be used unless permission is sought and granted in writing.

No.  Podcasts can be downloaded to any computer with a sound card and speakers and can be played on laptops or desktops in addition to many portable digital music players.  However, certain podcasts created for the Mac platform called “enhanced podcasts” are iPod exclusive.

Yes, there are many inexpensive solutions to listening to podcasts in the car:  devices that broadcast to a radio wavelength that can be played on the car radio, devices that plug portable players into a cassette which can be inserted and played, portable speakers that can power and play a mobile device using the lighter socket, and others.  You can also burn podcasts onto a CD and play in the car CD player.

Public podcasts, generally made available to a wide variety of people, can be played and forwarded.  Educational material, including lectures and course content, is restricted to the students enrolled in the course; this material may not be shared with anyone outside of the course.

For assistance with downloading podcasts to your personal computer, see Apple's tutorial, or contact the IT Helpdesk (for students) or the FTDC (for faculty and staff) about how this is done.

No. The tracks offered via UM on iTunes U are kept apart from the content on the main iTunes Music Store.

No. Since this a special section for the University of Mississippi, there are no direct links off the main iTunes Music Store . You must first visit www.olemiss.edu/itunesu to access the University of Mississippi on iTunes U public site or visit your course in Blackboard to access a private course site.