how digital audio is being used in HE as an adaptable and meaningful extension to the learning environment

Andrew MiddletonSheffield Hallam University

How the recorded voice is being used in HE by staff and students to create engaging situations that connect across the physical and virtual spaces that are already familiar to us.

• Listening to examples• Consider,

– what technology is available to us and our students now

– 7 techniques for media-enhanced learning

Who here is using,• Podcasting• Digital video• Screencasting• Audio feedback• Other digital media

techniqueswho is the producer?

user-generated media

Users and Producers

Are you ready?!

Hands up if you have on your person,• an audio recorder• a video camera• a smartphone• another kind of mobile phone

• Keep your hand up if you have used your personal device to make recordings that relate to teaching, learning or assessment.

The technology is more accessible to us

WHY?

Motivating Promoting learning

Active learningCollaborativeFormal, semi-

formal, informalPersonalised

InclusiveFlexible

HOW?listeningdiscussingthinkingpresenting ideasacting(together or alone)recordingreportingassessingfeeding back

Learning environments

A space for,• listening• discussing• thinking• developing and articulating

ideas• acting (together or alone)• recording• reporting• assessing• feeding back

What do we value?

“The best [learning spaces] are likely to assist all within the institution to work more productively and to produce learners who are confident, adaptable, independent and inspired to learn. In short... responsive, inclusive, and supportive of attainment by all."

Designing Spaces for Effective LearningA guide to 21st century learning space design

JISC, 2006Online at:

http://www.jisc.ac.uk/media/documents/publications/learningspaces.pdf

Audio

Digital voices?

mediaaudioVoicepodcasting

“e”technologyDigitalrecording

Person-centred

Engaging Conversation

Access

Asynchronous

Timely

Meaning

Manageable

Adaptable

Engagement throughthe Richest Resource

Publics and others

Experts andprofessionals

Peers

Tutors

OurselvesTechnology

PlatformEnvironment•Mediating•Connecting•Active•Authenctic•...

Context

Ways of thinkingpreconceptions and possibilities

TalkingListening

Conversing

Terminology

e.g.

“Podcasting”

“Audio”

“Media”

“Voices”

listeningdiscussingthinkingdeveloping and articulating ideasacting (together or alone)recordingreportingassessingfeeding back

formal: notes from the planned curriculum

semi-formal: unplanned notes from the formal curriculum

informal: notes from beyond the formal curriculum(Nortcliffe and Middleton 2009a)

Where?

Everywhere. Anywhere. In between and across locations…Lecture theatres, classrooms, corridors, outside, pub, home office, student rooms, workplace, placements, professional settings, international settings, online, on the move…

Digital Voices as learning environments

Some rights reserved by Zanthia

Media

• Audio• Video• Screencasting• Conferencing inc. Skype• (other media in which the

recorded voice is important e.g. Voicethread.com)

User-generated

• Who is pressing the red button?

• Staff• Students• Others

Red button

• The technology is ubiquitous

Lo-fi

• We are not the BBC• So,• Realistic, authentic, timely,

meaningful, manageable...

Highly granular

• Short!• Media interventions

(orientate, motivate, challenge, reflect)

Timely andimmediate

• Responsive• Repeatable• Reflective• Ready• Re..!

Authentic

• Connecting to the real world– External voices– Role play– Student publishing

• Performance• Active

Learner-centred

• Active – rather than transmissive

• Meaningful• Integrated and open ended• Supporting and promoting

discourse

Asynchronous

• Just-in-time• Reusable• Capturing, gathering,

sharing• Listen again

Blended

• Embedded• Connecting different

spaces, times and people• Virtual/physical• Part of something bigger• Part of something

emerging

Formal-informallearning continuum

• Formal• Semi-formal• Informal

Digital Voices as learning environments

How?100s of ways!But here's 7 to start with…

Audio Briefing: timely assignment settingAudio Feedback: feedback for learningAudio Summaries: not lectures?Digital Posters: briefer and longer lastingDigital Storytelling: capturing essencePodcast Assignments: enquiry and rhetoricStudent Audio Notes: formal, semi-formal, informal and autonomous learning

Digital Voices: 7 Ideas

1. Audio Notes2. Audio Summaries3. Digital Posters4. Podcast Assignments5. Digital Storytelling6. Assignment Briefings7. Media-Enhanced Feedback

Pick 2 or 3 of the following:

Imagining digital voicesImagine and create descriptions:

• Who is producing?• Why?• Who else is involved?• What is involved?• Where does it happen?• Where is it used and who uses it?• How does it fit into the curriculum

(specific or general thoughts)• What are the strengths of your

approach?• What are its weaknesses?

• Start with something that will be really easy (audio announcements, generic feedback)

• Can you find a buddy/mentor? (Here and now?)• How will you share back what you discover with others here?

• Media-Enhanced Learning SIG• (was PPP SIG)• Melsig.com

• a.j.middleton@shu.ac.uk