--- Forwarded Message from [log in to unmask] ---
>Date: Tue, 25 Oct 2005 20:54:14 -0400
>From: [log in to unmask]
>To: Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum
<[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: #8058.1-7 Delivery of MP3 Files
>References: <[log in to unmask]>
>In-Reply-To: <[log in to unmask]>
>User-Agent: Internet Messaging Program (IMP) 3.2.5
I've just introduced Recorder by x-head,
http://www.xheadsoftware.com/recorder_xhead.asp , comparable to QuickVoice,
which is very inexpensive and looks like a 2-dimensional iPod interface (in
preparation for the eventual purchase of a heap of iPods). Students record as
.mov or mp3 files (supports .aac, .aif, .au, .avi, .mp3, .mp4 (podcasts), .mov,
.snd, and .wav). You can also save recordings as RSS xml files for web
publishing. So far the sound quality has been pretty good for such a simple
widget. Students can fiddle with pitch, etc, if they're so inclined or for
specific exercises.
Most handily, it also supports ftp internally, so uploading can be a
button-click for the less technically comfortable - right now we're uploading
to student storage files I've configured on WebCT course sites (using the
Discussion module), where the professor can harvest them from any internet
connection. I'm also considering alternate ideas, such as uploading straight
to our streaming audio server - but since student recordings aren't
copyright-laden, I'm steering clear of the streaming server for now (we use it
with strict authentication methods for our textbook audio files and there are
all the usual password glitches & issues).
Whatever delivery method you choose, I think the key is to avoid solutions where
YOU wind up having to mediate access, like having to create html pages of links
to the recorded files, or using servers with restricted access. It can create
real bottlenecks if you don't have a lot of support staff on hand.
I like Audacity, too, but in my experience the simplicity of the recorder.xhead
interface recommends itself as less off-putting than Audacity for some of the
more reluctant faculty/students.
cheers,
Ellen
Quoting LLTI-Editor <[log in to unmask]>:
> #1 Re: #8058 Delivery of MP3 Files
>
> We have replaced audio tape with digital recordings in our LRC. We have
> 40 Apple computers of several generations, all running OS X. Our
> students use QuickVoice for their oral portfolio projects. The
> interface is simple, and the recordings export as QuickTime audio
> files. Students upload their saved recordings to their respective
> professor's drop box on a networked file server. Faculty members access
> student recordings from their office and home computers (both Win and
> Mac) using a simple network connection. Even the most reluctant users
> of technology have been very pleased with the efficiency of our
> (relatively) new digital capability. Feel free to contact me if you
> wish more specific information,
>
> Louise
>
> Dr. Louise E. Stoehr
> Director, Modern Languages Learning and Resource Center
> Stephen F. Austin State University
> Nacogdoches, TX 75962
> http://www.sfasu.edu/modlang
>
> #2 Re: #8058 Delivery of MP3 Files
>
> Hi Claire,
>
> I introduced Audacity to my colleagues a year ago - and several times -
> with all the bells and whistles (record in your time and office, send
> file by email, upload on server etc..) it deserves; apart form people
> interested in exploring new techniques, 80% teachers were still using
> our analogue recording equipment (tapes and mixer) in our soundproof
> recording room as they had been doing for the past decade. The recording
> room (had to) disappear(ed) early this year to be replaced by a PC
> self-access lab for independent learning. In the months that followed,
> we have actually had very little mumble and grumble - unless I didn't
> hear about it - and all in all teachers are now happily using Audacity
> now. However the transfer to Audacity demanded and still demands a great
> deal of availability on behalf of the support person; let alone when you
> introduce something new to people starting with a great lack of
> confidence and reluctance.
>
> Have a special meeting in a computer lab and give them examples of how
> the sounds can be used, involve your head of schools to push them along,
> maybe? Keep it easy and get your IT department to install Audacity on
> all language teachers PCs - even if they are not asking. When come the
> right time introduce it on a one to one basis if need be.
> Some teachers here are also using Blackboard to upload their files, but
> students send their own recordings by email to their teachers toan
> adress other than their staff address to avoid cluttering up the mailbox
> -.
> They also sometimes upload them on our server - restricted to their
> language file - for teachers to collect and mark. Students use Audacity
> on our Macs and Soloist on our PCs for pronunciation practice and
> assignments, and are loving it.
> Best regards
>
> ****************************
> Edith Paillat
> Language Technology Specialist
> Language Learning Centre
> Victoria University of Wellington
> P.O.Box 600, Wellington
> New Zealand
> +64 4 463 5792
> http://www.vuw.ac.nz/llc/about/projects.aspx
>
>
> #3 Re: #8058 Delivery of MP3 Files
>
> Claire,
>
> You have several options to implement. It just depends which one has
> less "hoops" to go through for your institution and department.
>
> 1. A web page linking to all of audio files. This depends who has access
> to your web page the web master or you.
>
> 2. An ftp account can be created. Network Admin will have to create.
>
> 3. If you have a server within or computer with a large harddrive, the
> professor can map to that shared resource once their network account has
> been granted permission to do so.
>
> 4. If you have Blackboard, you can create a generic class for the
> professors log into. This depends on who has control of the Blackboard
> server. Or if your Blackboard Admin is open to the idea of uploading the
> recordings into the actual class they came from, then the students can
> download them as well for their review. You know the whole
> self-assessment thing.
>
>
> Jason Vance, Supervisor
> Language Learning Center
> Thomas Nelson Community College
> PO BOX 9407
> Hampton, Virginia 23670
> 757-825-2819(Office)
> 757-825-3807(fax)
>
>
> #4 Re: #8058 Delivery of MP3 Files
>
> Our students save their voice recordings to class folders on our MCX
> (Managed Client for OS X) network. Teachers have the option of
> accessing this class public folder and listening to these files from
> any computer on our network; however, most of them prefer an
> old-fashioned CD audio to listen to at home or in their office on a
> boom box (teachers who are, in Claire's diplomatic language, "less than
> thrilled about using technology"). We have a student worker or other
> lab staff burn the students' MP4 audio files to CD, which is simple,
> cheap, and takes just a few minutes, then deliver the CD to the
> teacher's mailbox. We spend less time burning the files to CD than we
> would helping a technically challenged teacher navigate the network and
> play these files.
>
> Also, there's a lot of talk about Audacity on this list. We've had
> numerous problems with this freeware in Mac OS 9 and in OS X and have
> opted instead for Sound Studio for OS X, which is not free but quite
> reasonable. It has an interface that is much cleaner and more intuitive
> than Audacity and it saves to MP4 (AAC), which is what we use for
> compressed audio. It also offers AIFF-compressed and MP3 with the
> installation of the LAME library framework.
>
> We're currently using Sound Studio ver. 3.0 beta, but the full version
> is available for order at http://www.freeverse.com/soundstudio/ .
>
> Voice recordings are at the heart of what many in a language lab might
> do, so why must this critical tool be free? We shell out an awful lot
> for our OS, networking software, office suites, reference and pedantic
> software, web, graphics, and A/V editing tools, etc., so why should we
> primarily consider voice recording tools that are free? We're happy to
> pay for a simple, sturdy app that performs this task exactly as we want
> it to.
>
> -John
> ___________________________________________
> John de Szendeffy
> Multimedia Language Lab
> Center for English Language and Orientation Programs
> Boston University
> 890 Commonwealth Ave., 2nd floor
> Boston, MA 02215 USA
> ph 617.353.7957
> fx 617.353.6195
> lab http://www.bu.edu/celop/mll/
> personal http://people.bu.edu/johndesz/
>
> "A Practical Guide to Using Computers in Language Teaching"
> http://www.press.umich.edu/titleDetailDesc.do?id=97662
>
> ---------------------------
> CELOP is accredited by the Commission on English Language Program
> Accreditation. Accreditation by CEA signifies that an English language
> program or institution has met nationally accepted standards of
> excellence and assures students and their sponsors that the English
> language instruction and related services will be of the highest
> quality.
> ---------------------------
>
> #5 Re: #8058 Delivery of MP3 Files
>
> We use a QuickTime Streaming Server to deliver streaming audio and video
> files. Our website divides content by language, book/course/etc., then
> finally file. Each web link has a corresponding reference file that directs
> the browser to the file on a separate streaming server. The files are of
> the type .mov, and there are various codecs that can be used for delivery.
> The web pages listing the content are typically accessible only after a
> student authenticates against a Kerberos database (she enters her campus ID
> and password, which uses Kerberos). The combination of streaming format and
> password protection makes it easier to acquire permission to allow access to
> the media.
>
> The audio can be accessed anywhere with a web browser and (free) QuickTime
> software, even down to a 33k modem, although we're looking at also making
> some higher quality files that may require something like DSL or cable modem
> service or better speed. We also have .WAV files on a Windows 2K3 server,
> and Windows clients access these files through Sony Soloist software, which
> creates a second audio track (upon opening a file) that allows students to
> do listen/ record/ compare.
>
> Bob Majors
> Language Learning Center
> University of Washington
>
> #6
>
> Hello,
> Have you looked at Audio Portfolios? http://www.audioportfolios.com/
>
>
> [log in to unmask]
>
> #7
>
> dl-recorder (available at http://schiller.dartmouth.edu/dl-recorder) can play
> all types of MP3 files.
>
> [log in to unmask]
>
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