http://audacity.sourceforge.net/
This open source software is a great way for your students to create mp3 files on their own. This program has a multitude of uses. Audacity can be used for students to practice reading fluency, reading expression, story retells and for sharing stories with others. This is a great way for student to reflect on their own reading. Students are able to hear how they read and what possible errors they are making.
Pros:
· Immediate response
· Ability to keep a running record of reading fluency, comprehension and story feedback
· Library of Story Telling
· Digital Artifacts for student portfolios
Cons:
· Time involved in learning the program
Overall, this is a great FREE program that can be used to create digital files for playback on your computer.
User Reviews:
http://www.snapfiles.com/opinions/audacity/audacity.html
http://fileforum.betanews.com/review/1023856334/1/view
http://podcasting.about.com/od/recordingequipment/fr/deepaud.htm
I certainly have not learned all of Audacity's features (and can not remember how to use the ones I used previously), but I found the recording, cut/paste, and export fairly simple. I look forward to capturing my granddaughter's voices as they change with age and experience.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your Monday morning announcements using the Audacity features for your podcast. You were brave in using your son's voice and the recording was clear. I had used a 1st grade girl for part of my podcast. However, when I listened to the recording when I arrived home, I found that it was not clear enough. She just spoke softly and therefore the recording was not usable. There were many creative ways to use this program that were displayed by our classmates that are applicable to your classes age group.
ReplyDeleteMy son tried it a few times, but he was a good sport about it. In the pledge, you can hear where I had him redo the ending. Then I had to convince him to do the Lego segment. He was too cute!
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ReplyDeleteI am sure that you recognize the fact that you are lucky that you had your young son at home to create the recording together. The fact that you included him was such a great way to spend time together and reinforce the value of family time and education. You are obviously very proud of him and he IS cute! On a more general note, we have come a long way from the 8 track and cassette recordings
ReplyDeleteIt's funny that you mention cassettes, Faith:) Just the other day, my 9 year old son picked up a cassette and asked what it was. When I told him that it contained music in it, he stated in a matter of fact tone, "Oh yeah! I forgot you were born in the 18 hundreds".
ReplyDeleteI'm ordering some microphones for my classroom so we can do more audio in the class, including Audacity. I know we have the program loaded on our school computers, but I've to check to make sure it can be converted to the mP3 version.
ReplyDeleteIf the lame file has been loaded...you should be able to export the file as an mp3. I'm hoping to use this with my second grade students in May. Good luck with your project.
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