The Cal Parents Fund

Internet or iPod, new ways to experience Berkeley

By Amy Cranch

Berkeley's YouTube home page

Fall 2007 | Today’s students are plugged in — to iPods, laptops, cell phones, social networking services, and other high-tech tools. Living in a time when access to information is 24/7/365, students use IT (information technology) to help them accomplish everything from downloading course lectures to “IM-ing” (instant messaging) their friends.

Thanks in part to contributions from the Cal Parents Fund, Berkeley is responding to ever-changing ways that faculty and students use technology. The campus’s Educational Technology Services (ETS) and the Office of the Registrar are leading an ambitious project to improve or install audio/visual equipment in every classroom on campus; to date, 110 out of 224 classrooms have been completed. In addition, 50 to 70 classrooms are being outfitted so more podcasts of Berkeley courses and public events can be made and delivered online for free. Both initiatives take advantage of new technology to enhance campus teaching and learning.

A history of openness

Berkeley has a long tradition of open access to its intellectual riches. Building on this history, ETS began webcasting courses in 2001 (webcast.berkeley.edu) and added audio podcasts in 2006. This year ETS aims to offer 86 full courses and at least 100 events for more than 3,500 total hours of content — a spectacular leap from its modest beginning of 12 courses.

The university also now has agreements with Apple’s iTunes U and YouTube to bring thousands of hours of educational content to students and self-learners online. In fact, Berkeley is the most watched institution in the world on iTunes. From poetry readings to full courses in bioengineering to videos about campus life, hundreds of offerings can be downloaded to portable video players or personal computers. Unlike other universities with similar agreements, Berkeley does not restrict its content to select groups or charge to access it.

“These agreements are a digital bridge to our students, alumni, and the world,” said Ben Hubbard, ETS co-manager of Berkeley’s webcast site. “They facilitate discussion and sharing, the true marks of a public university.”

The student experience

With so many courses available online, skeptics may wonder whether students are skipping class in favor of YouTube, but that is not the case.

“Students would miss out on so much if they relied solely on watching videos,” said Hubbard. “But knowing that some lectures are available online means they can focus more on listening and interacting, and less on getting every word down.”

Students also use podcasts to review challenging material for better comprehension, particularly when preparing for exams. They can revisit the material anytime, anywhere, and pause or rewind as often as necessary. Online resources also help break down language barriers. “A student who is a non-native speaker of English can listen to a lecture repeatedly until he or she understands every word,” said Hubbard.

Private support in the classroom

Today’s students expect a learning environment that accommodates their digital lifestyle, and the Cal Parents Fund helps provide these course enhancements. However, only about 30 percent of campus rooms are properly equipped, and IT maintenance and infrastructure needs compete for funding with other classroom initiatives. Parent gifts make a huge difference in upgrading classrooms at a faster rate and strengthening Berkeley’s ability to share knowledge with learners, both on campus and around the globe.

To support the 2007–08 Cal Parents Fund, call 510/642-4138, or visit calparents.berkeley.edu/gifts.