The option for professors to record their lectures to iPods and upload them for student use is being tested in certain Texas universities as a pilot for a new program, called Coursecast, created by a company called Pick-A-Prof in collaboration with Apple.
Pick-A-Prof is a Web site that began at Texas A&M University and the University of Texas at Austin in April 2000. It started as a service that posted information regarding professors, including grading patterns and student reviews, edited and listed based on informative quality, said Karen Bragg, director of University Relations for Pick-A-Prof.
"We don't accept personal attacks or profanity in reviews," Bragg said. "We do have people reading them, not a computer."
Pick-A-Prof has extended its range to 116 universities nationally, though not yet U.Va., and includes a schedule planner, an option to chat with other students in a class and a textbook exchange.
"Coursecast is just one more academic tool," Bragg said.
According to Bragg, the Web site will be available to University students before registration for spring classes begins. While the resources will be available, Bragg said it might take until fall semester for professors to become involved with the Coursecast system.
Bragg said surveys of students before this small implementation showed that the top three reasons students were interested in the recordings were in case of missed class due to illness, as a study aid preceding exams and as a supplement to written notes.
"The majority said it would not encourage them to skip class," Bragg said. "Professors haven't seen a decrease in attendance."
Four professors from the two original Texas universities have implemented the use of the iPod Coursecast program in their classes. Gary B. Wilcox, professor of advertising at Austin, said he always has been involved in new technologies and has used the system in his past two weeks of class.
"It's pretty simple for my part," Wilcox said. "I turn it on when I start lecturing and turn it off when I finish. I don't know if anyone has used it yet or not."
Wilcox said he isn't worried students will stop attending class.
"I think you've got to be in the class to understand, but this could help somebody study," Wilcox said.
Other universities have their own programs that involve recording and streaming classes over the internet. Duke University has programs in which various participating professors can upload audio and video for their classes for no cost.
Pick-A-Prof has had a price of $5 per lecture to pay for equipment and implementation but hopes to make it free soon, Bragg said.
The University currently uses podcasting for guest speakers and public lectures.
"When people come to give talks, we will put it on a Web site so people can download it," University Director of Web Communications Nancy Tramontin said. "We have not done any faculty lectures, but we have addresses from President Casteen to new students and a couple different lecture series."
Bragg said the Pick-A-Prof will attempt to send a representative to speak during Faculty Senate meetings to make professors aware of the system.
"We will post the site first," Bragg said.
As of right now, all course lectures are available to any student within a University registered with Pick-A-Prof.
"You can restrict it to only students in the class," Bragg said. "But none of our professors wanted it to be restricted."
University Astronomy Prof. Michael Skrutskie said he thought it could be very effective for studying.
"Now in reality, I do a lot of hand-waving and demonstration and those things wouldn't be captured on an iPod, but any sort of audio recording would help," Skrutskie said.
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