can you hear me now? audio in online courses (focus: gabcast and audacity)
TRANSCRIPT
Can you hear me now?
Whys and Ways to use Audio in Online Courses
Learning Technology Council Conference ~ February 22, 2008
Facilitated by
Lisa Marie Johnson Karen Kaemmerling [email protected] [email protected]
45 minutes from now you will be…
• Familiar with reasons for using audio in your online course.
• Aware of considerations for accessibility related to use of audio.
• Able to use Gabcast and Audacity and state the difference between them.
• Exposed to ways audio has been used in CCCOnline courses and able to generate original ideas about the use of audio in your courses.
Why use audio?•Auditory Learning Styles
Some learn by “listening” others by “saying”
•Easy and FreeMore freely accessible web technologies (e.g., Gabcast, Audacity) and communities giving online help for technologies (e.g., Audacity wiki).
• Just say no… to monotonyA non-media rich course can be enhanced by inclusion of audio components.
Why use student generated audio?
“… collaborative development of audio learning objects enabling student conceptualisations of disciplinary content to be shared with peers is a powerful way of stimulating both individual and collective learning, as well as supporting social processes of perspective-taking and negotiation of meaning that underpin knowledge creation.”
ReferenceLee, M.J.W., McLoughlin, C. & Chan, A. (forthcoming, 2008). Talk the talk: Learner generated podcasts as catalysts for knowledge creation. British Journal of Educational Technology. Abstract available January 2008, from http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1467-8535.2007.00746.x
What are the considerations?1. Alternative Formats / Transcripts
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) translates to have a text alternative available for audio components. Transcripts also prove beneficial to learners for planning ‘presentations’.
2. Bandwidth, Storage, UpdatesSize does matter. Smaller files are always better. CCCOnline Faculty have access to a media server … contact [email protected] . If you content is dynamic consider podcasting, but remember point 1 (above).
3. Preparation and FlexibilityPrepare documents to teach learners, give practice opportunities before “for point” activities, be flexible and let students use the programs they are familiar with… focus on process not the product.
Karen’s Examples from HIS201• Welcome message from Instructor (Audacity)
• Audio version of instructor’s bio (Audacity)
• Recorded versions of course materials (Audacity)
• Student generated content (Audacity, Gabcast)
• Integration of available Mp3 files (NROC) for slide shows.
Lessons Learned from HIS201• Initial doubt about use of Mp3 files was dissolved when students
reported enjoyment.
• Appealing to multiple learning styles with options is a win/win. • Text component is essential even for non-auditory disabled
learners.
Informal Feedback shows…
• Student-Student and Student-Instructor rapport developed through knowing the “voice behind the text”.
• Students made suggestions about more use of audio (e.g., introductions)• Initially hesitant students found sense of accomplishment and
enjoyment when generating their audio component.
What the students say…• “I liked the MP3's the best because I am an audio learner
and I could listen to the notes before going to bed. I learned more from this course then other course because toward the end of most courses I would get tried of reading a boring textbook.”
• “The audio lecture notes helped break the routine of just reading a book straight and writing what we learned.”
• “I particularly enjoyed the audio lectures. The pictures were awesome while listening to the audio, but when I couldn’t sit to listen to the lectures; I was able to play them on the speakers as I did work around my home.”
What is Gabcast?http://www.gabcast.com
• Record voice/sound using a phone or VoIP Call using a touch-tone telephone or a VoIP client. Advantage of not needing a microphone, but lacks the ability to edit audio. Pay $6-$12 per month and you can Create podcasts, Post audio to blogs, Create audio greetings, and Host conference calls.
• Let’s try it! Dial: 1-800-749-0632 Channel number: 17595 Password: 2008Tip 1: When finished, press 1 to listen to recording and 2 to publish.Tip 2: To listen, go to http://www.gabcast.com/index.php?a=episodes&id=17595
Considerations for Gabcast• Create an account.
• Create a unique channel per class.• Provide students with specific instructions for calling.• Require a script for the audio be submitted in the courseroom or
limit the script to 500 characters and have students post as a ‘comment’ to their recordings after submission… last option helps keep audio brief.
• Paid account submissions go to an unpublished area first, but public accounts do not. Consider having students use aliases or giving their recording a number rather than using names (FERPA, Privacy).
• Figure out the easiest delivery method. Consider placing the “player” into a course webpage or other subscription options (Feeds).
What is Audacity? •Multi-platform audio recorder and editor.
•Faculty Wiki Audacity Guide:http://faculty.ccconline.org/index.php?title=Instructions_for_Using_Audacity
How do I get it and how do I use it?
Let’s get audacious!
