The weekly podcast "Inside Michigan Education," has now been featured in the MI Learning section of Apple's iTunes U.

Inside Michigan Education is produced in Grand Rapids and features in-depth interviews with regional experts who share their knowledge and opinions about the present condition and future needs of Michigan’s K-12 education system.

Apple’s iTunes U makes educational content available on demand, similar to the way music is delivered via the popular iTunes service. Apple recently extended the scope of iTunes U content from higher education to K-12 education.

Produced through the cooperative efforts of Apple and the state of Michigan, MI Learning is among the first of the K-12 channels. According to Bruce Umpstead, director of educational technology and data coordination for the Michigan Department of Education, "We are one of eight states that announced our pilot sites yesterday. Our site is called MI Learning and you can find that when you log onto iTunes U."

Umpstead acknowledges the use of iTunes for educational purposes is not without its detractors.

“ITunes is blocked by most school districts," he said. "Some of the content on iTunes can be questionable at times. Also, the videos and the music can clog a school district's Internet connection with non-relevant content. So the question is why are you going to engage?”

The vision, according to Umpstead, is founded in the desire to engage students in learning with rich media.

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Source: Great Lakes IT Report, WWJ News, 7.13.08

Learn more about Inside Michigan Education at www.insidemieducation.com.