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Sounds Good: Innovative practice with digital audio

Sounds Good: Innovative practice with digital audio. Bob Rotheram, Graham Webb Leeds Metropolitan University www.soundsgood.org.uk. Sounds Good: Quicker, better assessment using audio feedback. Audio feedback: can everyone benefit? students: richer feedback? staff: save time?

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Sounds Good: Innovative practice with digital audio

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  1. Sounds Good: Innovative practice with digital audio Bob Rotheram, Graham Webb Leeds Metropolitan University www.soundsgood.org.uk

  2. Sounds Good: Quicker, better assessment using audio feedback • Audio feedback: can everyone benefit? • students: richer feedback? • staff: save time? • Leeds Met, JISC-funded • Jan-July 2008 • Coursework feedback (x2) • formative + summative • ~15 teachers, 460 students • various subjects, levels, numbers

  3. How? • Digital audio feedback • MP3 recorders • ‘Audacity’ software • ‘WIMBA’ voice tools • Audio files via: • Email • VLE • mobile devices

  4. Early comments • (Student) “Very helpful. It felt like the tutor was able to expand more… . Often when you read feedback, things can get misunderstood or meant in a different way. I felt this way was very clear.” • (Staff) “I think with practice this will get quicker as I get more used to things.”

  5. Later comments • Team member • Project manager • (Lecturer, on group feedback) “Never have I 'listened' so intently to others' comments on any work I've done. … And it sounded better than I recalled it from the actual session!”

  6. Main findings • Students like audio feedback! • personal, detail, careful consideration • Staff like it - better feedback • Best chance of saving staff time if: • give lots of feedback • write slowly but record speech quickly • comfortable with technology

  7. Practice guidelines • Don’t expect to save time immediately • Handheld recorder more convenient? • record direct to MP3; USB port • Keep files short (<5 mins?) • ‘Good enough’ sound quality (32kbps mono?) • Get approval for audio use • See website for more

  8. Continued… • ‘Sounds Good 2’ • more at Leeds Met • 3 other HEIs • Newman University College • University of Northampton • York St John University • ‘Widening Stakeholder Engagement’ • collaboration with 2 HEA subject centres

  9. Explore, if possible… • Staff quicker with practice? • Better feedback/guidance saves time in medium/long term? • Improved practice guidelines? • Electronic submission + audio feedback? • Speech-to-text for written feedback? • Feedback sent automatically? • Tutor-student dialogue via audio? • Novelty wears off?

  10. <EuroFone> Project Graham Webb Head of Languages Leeds Metropolitan University

  11. <EuroFone> What is it? • Use of WebCT voice tools to link students in UK with students in France, Spain & Germany • Enables students to practice speaking & listening skills via any PC, where and when convenient to them • Uses synchronous and asynchronous facility • TQEF Funded project run by Graham Webb and Dr Jane Shelton, Leeds Met

  12. <EuroFone> How is it organised? • Students in UK and abroad are linked in groups of 4 (AB:AB) • Each student communicates with one foreign student in their own language and with the other in the “foreign” language • Year 2 students are involved as they will be going abroad in Year 3

  13. <EuroFone> What do the students do? • Students communicate with their partner abroad to find out all they need to know before their Year Abroad • They decide what they want to find out, ask the questions and await the answers • They also respond to the questions posed by the “foreign” student

  14. <EuroFone> What do the students gain? • Improved speaking and listening skills • Increased confidence with colloquial language and vocabulary • Engagement with someone their own age with similar interests and motivation • An assessment of their own needs and their language development

  15. <EuroFone> Also… • How to “be coached” and how to coach others in language learning • How to set their own objectives and achieve them through a series of tasks – “Enquiry Based Learning” • Engagement in effective Technology Enhanced Learning

  16. <EuroFone> As well as… • The possibility of integrating more quickly on their Year Abroad • Personal contacts/friends in the foreign country • Output in the form of an oral report on what they have learnt – information and tips to other students

  17. <EuroFone> What will be the outcome? • Research into students’ attitudes to this resource • Research into their speaking & listening confidence levels • Research into their experience of integration during their Year Abroad • Assessment of the Project, amendment and implementation

  18. <EuroFone> Finally… • Extension of Pilot Scheme (Leeds Met / Universidad de Murcia) to France & Germany in 2009/10 • Full integration within core language modules for all undergraduates • Use for both formative and summative assessment.

  19. Contact us • Bob Rotheram (Sounds Good) • b.rotheram@leedsmet.ac.uk • Graham Webb (EuroFone) • g.webb@leedsmet.ac.uk

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