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Apple Learning Interchange Shutting Down in Favor of iTunes U

Wednesday August 4, 2010 8:48 pm PDT by Eric Slivka

Apple today announced that it will be phasing out its Apple Learning Interchange (ALI) site as of September 3rd, diverting its users to iTunes U for that program's educational resources.

For years the Apple Learning Interchange (ALI) has served as an important resource for educators to access great education content, share best practices, and learn more about using technology in the context of teaching and learning. Over the last three years, iTunes U in the iTunes Store has grown to be an even larger education resource.

On September 3, 2010, Apple will be phasing out the ALI website and we invite you to visit iTunes U and the following resources to continue learning and collaborating with other educators. As we look ahead, we believe that iTunes U is the best way to meet the growing needs of teachers and students demanding flexible access to world-class curriculum and learning resources.

Apple has added an option to the ALI site to allow those users who have contributed content to download and archive their contributions before the site's contents are deleted next month.

While the ALI program has been mostly invisible to the vast majority of users, it has long been a valued resource for a number of K-12 educators, assisting them with developing lesson plans, receiving technology advice, and networking. The site gained a brief bit of attention last year when the company announced that ALI users' names and passwords may have been compromised.
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autrefois
20 months ago

Please take this time to review your contributions and ensure you have retrieved any needed items before September 3, 2010, as the site and it's contents will be permanently and securely deleted at that time.


This is just more proof that Apple just isn't paying enough attention to education...

I'm referring of course to the incorrect use of "it's" in the quoted sentence. If the folks at Apple had only paid more attention to their education, they would know the difference between "it's" and "its"! :)

I don't know how popular this service was, or how much material was on it, but it sounds to me as though iTunes U will not be an exact replacement. I hope that announcing this right before the school year starts for most teachers will not be putting too many people out...
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guzhogi
20 months ago

I don't know how popular this service was, or how much material was on it, but it sounds to me as though iTunes U will not be an exact replacement. I hope that announcing this right before the school year starts for most teachers will not be putting too many people out...


I agree. Does iTunes U have the interaction like ALI does?

While the ALI program has been mostly invisible to the vast majority of users, it has long been a valued resource for a number of K-12 educators, assisting them with developing lesson plans, receiving technology advice, and networking.


If iTunes U doesn't support this, I'll be disappointed. These are very useful features.
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Doctor Q
20 months ago
The Apple Learning Interchange was used for collaboration, not just publishing lesson plans. It had a members list and places for interaction so educators could connect with and work with each other. I don't see how the iTunes U can replace that. This seems like a step down.
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TheSlush
20 months ago
Hmm... an Apple website replaced by a section on iTunes... this is obviously proof that Apple intends to pull the entire World Wide Web into iTunes and create a walled garden where the entire internet is controlled by THEM, MUHAHAHA!
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Doctor Q
20 months ago

Hmm... an Apple website replaced by a section on iTunes... this is obviously proof that Apple intends to pull the entire World Wide Web into iTunes and create a walled garden where the entire internet is controlled by THEM, MUHAHAHA!

Good idea. They could call it the Apple Online Living-room, AOL for short. :)
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