Upgraded iTunes U allows course creation and discussions for teachers and students

Teachers can now create and manage entire courses, lectures, assignments and books directly on the iPad for the first time. This new functionality comes with Apple's latest upgrades to iTunes U, enabling them to have control over the course design as well as integrate content, pictures and videos through other educational apps.

Apple said on Tuesday that the latest upgrades to iTunes U will also allow students to collaborate better with their teachers and classmates.

One highlight is the discussion feature in iTunes U app which helps students to automatically follow classroom discussions and join conversations on new topics. Push alert notifications can also be enabled when new topics are started, and discussions can be moderated by teachers.

Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of Internet Software and Services said: "Now, with the ability to better manage and discuss educational content, learning becomes even more personalised on iPad."

iTunes U is the world's largest online catalogue of free educational content, hosting over 7,500 public and thousands of private courses encompassing fields such as the arts, sciences, health and medicine, education and business.

grongloh@sph.com.sg