Mobile Computing

U Texas, Austin Debuts Course App To Complement MOOC

• By Joshua Bolkan
• 12/01/14

The University of Texas at Austin has launched its first course app in an attempt to meet the needs of students, who prefer to access digital content via apps instead of Web sites.

Designed for Energy 101, a massive open online course (MOOC) offered through edX, the app allows students to download all course content to their phone and provides instructors with tools to follow student progress, understand how students are using resources and easily distribute new material.

Built with the Adobe Digital Publishing Suite (DPS), the app allows "professors to utilize video, interactive content, embed quizzes and more, delivering an engaging interactive course," according to a news release. "Students can download the course and access it on the mobile device of their choice. They will always have the most up to date content due to the push notification feature within DPS. For a student audience that has grown up with digital technology, this is a welcome change for how course content is delivered and consumed."

Cheaper than a traditional textbook, the course app is available to anyone interested in learning more about energy or other professors who want to use it as a supplement to their own curriculum. Additionally, the app could be used as an adaptive tool by tailoring the content for individual students.

For more information, or to download the app, visit the iTunes store.