Using BookWidgets with iTunes U

What is iTunes U?

iTunes U is a wonderful app for teachers, that is freely available for every iOS device. Rather than try to explain it myself, let me quote Apple:

"iTunes U courses give each class a completely customized learning experience that’s easy for teachers to manage. iTunes U Course Manager is a web-based tool that lets you build a course just the way you want — by bringing together your most successful teaching materials all in one place with the iTunes U app that comes on every iOS device. Course Manager lets you build courses with anything that inspires you and engages your students. From Multi-Touch books, news articles, and handouts to dynamic apps, videos, and websites, you can curate and upload all sorts of materials that let different types of learners interact with and master your subject."

And now, you can add BookWidgets to that list!

How BookWidgets works together with iTunes U

Finally, you can create assessments, worksheets, educational games & other classroom exercises and add them to your iTunes U course really easily. Here's how to do it:

1. Create & Upload a widget

Create your widget using BookWidgets for Mac or Windows, and click the Upload button to make it available on the BookWidgets Cloud Servers.

2. Create a new Post in iTunes U Course Manager

 

3. Attach Material

At the bottom of the post, you'll see an "Assignment" box: enter a short description for your widget there, and click on the "Attach Material" button

4. Choose "iTunes or Web Link"

5. Input your BookWidgets link in the provided box and click "Enter Link"

Your link should look like this: http://bookwidgets.com/embed/your_shortcode_here
For example: http://bookwidgets.com/embed/XCJA

When such a link is clicked on an iPad, and the BookWidgets app is installed, the widget will open directly in iPad app.
If the app is not installed yet, the student is requested to install it and a link to the App Store is shown.
On computers, the widget will be displayed directly in the user's webbrowser. 

 

6. Add a description and click "Add"

For example, you could use the description field to give additional instructions to your students.

 

The end result 

When you now switch over to iTunes U on your iPad, your new post will look like this:

Tapping on the "web link" will open the widget right up in BookWidgets for iPad!

All widgets will also be available in the Materials tab of iTunes U. 

Niels Vanspauwen

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BookWidgets enables teachers to create fun and interactive lessons for tablets, smartphones, and computers.

Choose from over 40 exercise templates (quizzes, crosswords, jigsaw puzzles, ...), and adapt them with your own content.