Help and Resources

Read the User's Guide or check the Questions and Answers below for more information about using iTunes U. If you have other questions, please contact POD.

Questions and Answers

I'm a student. How do I access podcasts on iTunes U?
If your instructor is using iTunes U to provide podcasts or videos for your class, you should find a link in that course's menu in Blackboard. Your instructor may have called it "iTunes U" or "Podcasts". Click that link, and the iTunes program should launch on your computer and, after a few seconds, show you all of your classes that are using iTunes U. Click on the course in iTunes, then use the GET or SUBSCRIBE button to download the podcasts (the SUBSCRIBE button will set iTunes to automatically download any new podcasts or recordings your instructor puts online for the rest of the semester).
I clicked the link to launch iTunes U, but nothing happened. What's wrong?
Depending on the speed of your computer, you may experience a delay of 10-15 seconds before iTunes appears on your screen. If iTunes still does not appear, make sure you have the latest version installed and set up on your computer. Try launching iTunes from your Start menu before clicking the iTunes or Podcast link in your Blackboard course. If iTunes opens but does not display the NKU site, please return to your browser and click the link again. If this is the first time you have used iTunes (or an updated version of iTunes) on this computer, there may be a dialog box hiding behind your web browser. Try minimizing or closing any open windows to check for an iTunes window that needs your input before the program can fnish loading.
I clicked the link to launch iTunes U, but I don't see my courses listed. Where are they?
You can only see your courses in iTunes U if your instructor is using it for your course and if you access iTunes U through a link in Blackboard. If you access it through a link on this web site, you will only see the publicly-accessible content, not your courses.
I'm a student, and I don't see a link for iTunes U in Blackboard. What's wrong?
The iTunes U link will appear in the menu on the left side of your Blackboard course only if you instructor has set up your course for iTunes U and enabled the link. Check with your instructor to see if he or she is using iTunes U.
I'm an instructor. How do I use iTunes U in my courses?
Send an email to itunesu@nku.edu with the Blackboard Course ID of the course you want to use with iTunes U. You will need to do this for each Blackboard course every semester.
Where do I find the Blackboard Course ID for my course?
In the course you want to use with iTunes U, go to the Control Panel. A bar at the top of the Control Panel contains your course ID, course name, and your name. Copy and paste this information into an email to itunesu@nku.edu to have your course added to iTunes U.
I had my course added to iTunes U. Where do I find the link for it in my Blackboard course?
You must add the link to your course menu through the Control Panel. Click Manage Course Menu, then click Add Tool Link. Choose iTunes U Tools from the drop-down box, and type "iTunes U" for the name. Click submit, then you and your students will see the link to iTunes U in the course menu.
iTunes U is set up for my course, and I added the link to my Blackboard course menu, but I do not see my course on iTunes U. Where is it?
If your course does not appear on iTunes U after it is set up correctly, it may be because your Blackboard course is set to "unavailable." iTunes U will only show courses that are "available". To make the course available, click Settings on the Instructor’s Control Panel and then choose Course Availability. Change the setting to "Yes" and click Submit. If any students are enrolled in the course, they will now be able to access it in Blackboard.
Now that my course is set up and I added the link in Blackboard, how do I upload my files ?
Click the link in your Blackboard course menu to open iTunes U. You should see your course(s) listed under "My Courses." Click on the course image or the title of your course, then click UPLOAD AND MANAGE FILES in the gray box in the upper right corner. This will open a web page where you can load your content. Just click Add New File, then click the Browse button and select the file. It may take a few minutes to upload depending on the size of the file. Repeat this for all your files, then click the Done button. This should return you to iTunes and reload the page to show you the files you just uploaded.
I'm a TA for a course. Why can't I find my course in iTunes U?
At this time, only students and instructors are able to access courses in iTunes U. If a user has any other role in a course (TA, Grader, Guest, etc.), the credentials for that course are not sent to iTunes U when clicking the link in a Blackboard course. The course instructor will have to change your role to student or instructor in order for you to access the course in iTunes U.
How can I make my recorded lectures accessible for students with disabilities?
At the POD Center you can use advanced speech recognition software to create a text transcript from your recorded lectures. These transcripts can be included in the audio file as "lyrics" and/or made available separately for students with hearing impairments. Also, students with visual impairments may not be able to use the iTunes program because it is not compatible with many screen reader systems, and the POD Center can assist you with copying your podcasts to a CD for these students.