The technological innovators at Apple have done it again. Not only can the couch potato on the go download their favorite episode of Lost or The Office shows to go, but now that same savvy student can download the lecture they missed while they were out “saving the world” or sleeping in.

Class lectures are now available to download at many universities throughout the nation. In a big lecture class of 80 students, the professor is likely not to notice the presence of a truant student anyway. And now, there’s no need to worry about falling behind either.

Professors at universities such as Duke, American, Purdue and Stanford have begun course-casting programs where students can access a Web site where the professors have uploaded lectures for students to download onto their iPod, computer or other digital music holder.

John Hopeck, a senior in economics, believed downloading lectures onto iPods is something that sounds convenient and easy.

“It seems like it would be nice,” Hopeck said.

Hopeck is taking a distance education course in addition to courses on campus and compared course-casting to distance education.

“I watch my professors on RealPlayer and I would think that having the lecture on my iPod would be the next logical step,” said Hopeck.

Dhiran Patel, a freshman in parks recreation and tourism, said that he would use the feature if it was offered at N.C. State.

“I could get my lectures when I wanted to and not just during class time,” Patel said.

A controversy that many faculty members and parents of students have is that downloading lectures isn’t as interactive as actually attending class.

Patel agreed with this argument to an extent.

“For some classes, I agree that having lectures on my iPod wouldn’t be as interactive,” Patel said. “But in some of my classes all the professors do is show a PowerPoint presentation, which isn’t very interactive anyway. By having the lecture on my iPod, I can listen to it on my own time.”

Elvira Vilches, an assistant professor in the foreign language and literature department, has an iPod and uses it purely for recreational purposes.

Vilches says that she would not upload lectures onto the course-casting Web site if it was offered at N.C. State.

“I don’t lecture in my classes,” said Vilches. “Perhaps if I was teaching something like philosophy or history, I would be more inclined to.”

Vilches said that by uploading lectures onto a Web site, it doesn’t help students, but rather “puts the students in a passive role.”

Nicole Royal, a senior in public relations and Spanish, was intrigued by having the option of course-casting at NCSU.

“Classes would be a lot easier,” Royal said. “Having an iPod with your lectures on it is smaller and more efficient.”

Royal said for larger lecture classes, many students don’t retain the more impersonal lectures.

“Having the lecture on their iPod would make them feel like they mattered in a lecture hall with 200 students,” said Royal.

Alan Shirey, a junior in business management, is excited about what technology has to offer. “It’s great that we are part of a generation where we have these options. I’m sure 30 years ago, downloading lectures was definitely not an option.”

Shirey does not have the view that many have: course-casting will hinder students. “I think it will be helpful to have it as an extra tool. I don’t know that I would skip class and listen to a professor speak on my iPod as a substitute.”

Kristine Hillary, a senior in English, was a little hesitant about course-casting.

“Most of my classes are small anyway,” Hillary said. “So listening to the ‘lecture’ would be so much more impersonal than going to class.”

Hillary agreed that course-casting would make students passive and more apathetic towards coming to class.

“If the option was there, I am sure many students would only attend class when they absolutely had to,” Hillary said.