Students at the Miller School of Medicine in Miami are as likely to have neuroscience lectures on their iPod as they are to have the latest tunes by Gnarls Barkley.

Reports from macon.com suggest that lecturers at the university are capitalising on the growing popularity of the digital player by releasing their lectures as videos, or “vodcasts”, capable of being viewed on the iPod.

Dr Ron Clark, responsible for a neuroscience module, produces vodcasts that combine various media ranging from voice to animation to describe the action of the brain and visual system.

Mr Clark said: “I teach about the brain and we learn in different ways.

“Some students love to read primarily. Some are good with audio. Some with video. This has both and images are important on the national board exams for students.”

He added: “If this is something they can go over in less time and review a whole subject matter several times it should be advantageous.”

So far, the vodcasts have been a roaring success, with pupils claiming they free up time from note-taking in lectures and are ideal for reinforcing ideas to get them learnt.

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