'Kentucky on iTunes U' Now Available with Free P-20 Educational Content

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Aug. 24, 2011) — Kentucky's teachers, students, parents and communities now have access to free, state-specific academic content available through "Kentucky on iTunes U." The new learning platform, which is the result of a collaboration between the Kentucky Department of Education, the University of Kentucky College of Education, and Kentucky Educational Television (KET), was officially announced and launched today at Woodford County High School in Versailles, Ky.

[IMAGE4]The iTunes U platform was announced in conjunction with the Woodford County High School iPad program, which will provide every student with access to an iPad for their learning needs.

"Making better use of technology in our classrooms was one of the goals of the Transforming Education in Kentucky initiative we undertook two years ago to create a unified vision of how our schools can better prepare students for this increasingly sophisticated and competitive world," said Gov. Steve Beshear. "Here at Woodford County, Superintendent Scott Hawkins and his team recognize that reaching the new generation through technology is not only an opportunity but also a critical strategy."

iTunes U is a dedicated area within the iTunes Store giving users public access to thousands of free lectures, videos, books and podcasts from learning institutions all over the world.

"Kentucky on iTunes U" provides free curriculum and instruction resources for users, including school districts and other Kentucky providers, to download and enjoy on a Mac or PC, iPad, iPhone or iPod. Content includes videos produced by school districts, instructional resources and more.

"'Kentucky on iTunes U' provides our P-20 education community with an incredible variety of resources and information," said Kentucky Education Commissioner Terry Holliday. "This cooperative effort between the University of Kentucky, KET and the Kentucky Department of Education gives our students access to content through iTunes, a format they are already familiar with -- and with iPad, iPhone and iPod touch, learning anywhere and anytime is as easy as listening to music."

"Kentucky on iTunes U" is also a collaborative project with school districts and government agencies and their affiliates that provide access to quality digital content resources. The platform will offer resources such as:

--Kentucky Core Academic Standards

--UK College of Education

--KET’s "News Quiz," "Scale City," "Everyday Science," "Education Matters" and "Kentucky Life"

--Highly Effective Teaching & Learning

--Balanced Assessment from the Leadership Networks

--STLP | Student Technology Leadership Program

[IMAGE2]"UK is proud to partner with Kentucky Educational Television and the Kentucky Department of Education to increase access to interactive learning tools that enhance our academic missions," said UK President Eli Capilouto. "This program, 'Kentucky on iTunes U,' and others like the College of Education's P-20 lab and CASTLE, are bringing innovative teaching techniques to a generation rapidly integrating mobile communications into their everyday lives."

New content will be posted frequently in categories such as curriculum, teaching and learning, educational leadership, learning resources and more.

"KET has a long history of harnessing technology to enhance and extend the learning experience," said KET Executive Director Shae Hopkins. "'Kentucky on iTunes U' is a natural extension of that effort, and we're excited to see Kentucky's students and teachers benefit from this new partnership."

Visit "Kentucky on iTunes U" at http://itunes.apple.com/us/institution/kentucky/id411806090.

MEDIA CONTACTS: Jenny Wells, (859) 257-5343, Jenny.Wells@uky.edu or Lisa Gross, Kentucky Department of Education, (502) 564-2015 or Lisa.Gross@education.ky.gov