iTunes U - WGBH (Boston's PBS Station)

A digital library free to the public, WGBH's "Teacher Domain" on iTunes U features media derived from PBS programs such as FRONTLINE, NOVA, and American Experience. Programs from other public broadcast stations are also available. The domain is divided into three sections representing each grade level - K-5, 6-8, and 9-12. The media is designed to enhance teaching and learning skills. Being an elementary education major, I focused primarily on K-5, but did explore the other grade levels. There were nine tracks available, all scientific based. All tracks come with down loadable informational guides to aid teachers in the instruction of the topics. iThough I found all to be very interesting, "A Night in the Coral Reef" was one that stood out. Filmed in an actual reef, the narrator gave a clear explanation of the activities taking place while also providing information on the more prominent sea creatures. In the video "Observe Clouds", students are encouraged to pay more attention to the clouds in that they change by the second.
Here is another example of a wonderful resource which can be used to make the learning experience more interesting for the student. It also provides an added mechanism by which a teacher may be able to provide a clearer understanding of what is being taught. Another site I'm sure to refer back to once I become a teacher.
For more information on these videos and more like them, visit WGBH-Teachers Domain

"Living the Lesson"

"The Edible Schoolyard" was a video showing students at Martin Luther King Middle School in Berkeley, California beginning their day, not in the classroom, but in the organic garden they are growing together. The garden is said to be a "learning lab for social studies, math, science, and life. The children grow, cook, and eat the food produced by their hands. The children seem to comprehend better with they are taught using "the hands on" method. As well as teaching the children ecology, the garden helps them to learn to build communities along with cooperating with others. Children who may be good in math, science, and English, may not necessarily be good with their hands so this is good experience for them. The same applies with someone who is not good in the before mentioned subjects but good with their hands, this give them the opportunity to explore a field in which they may excel. The idea for this program was that of Alice Waters in 1994 to improve school lunch programs.
Awesome is the word I use in describing "A Night in the Global Village". This video profiles the Global Gateway Program taking place at the Heifer Ranch in Perryville Arkansas. The program allows students (in this episode the children are from the Rocky Mountain School of Expeditionary Learning in Denver, Colorado) to experience living as others do in "developing" countries. The five acre ranch is set up in communities designed to resemble those of the country they represent. The children experience first hand what it's like to live without little or no food and water, live in abodes not "fit for living, and to share and cooperate. What better way to teach a lesson than to live the lesson.
As a future educator, I continue to be impressed by the types of resources available to enhance the learning experience. Both of these programs, which are hands on, would be great to use.

iTunes University

iTunes University, part of the iTunes Store, contains educational content(audio and video) that can be downloaded at no charge to a ipod or iphone. There are courses and topics for K-12, colleges and universities, and beyond. Information is provided by top universities such as Cornell, Duke, Oxford, and Stanford. PBS stations also provide information as well as famous museums and other cultural institutions. iTunes has an introductory video which allows the user to preview the site and get some insight on how to use it.
Business, history, mathematics, science, and teaching & education are just a few of the categories in which information, courses, series, and lectures can be found. An individual university can be chosen in which a page will appear listing all they have to offer through iTunes. When looking for a specific course such as Western Civilization, all files related to that course (audio and video)are listed. Some courses and series are ongoing so a person is allowed to subscribe to the course or series and updated information will be downloaded in the podcast section of iTunes. There are thousands of tracks available to be downloaded. It's learning on the go.
iTunes U is useful as a student in that if I need information on a course or topic, I can download the information and refer to at my leisure.