Adding audio to online courses

Mary Noggle, Teacher
Instructional Designer, Online Writing Center
Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute
Hudson, NC

 

Twenty-one million Americans can’t read at all, forty-five are marginally illiterate and one-fifth of high school graduates can’t read their diplomas. --  Department of Justice (1993).

 

An alarming number of Americans cannot or do not read well enough to function successfully in online settings requiring intensive reading. This connected generation of non-readers is, however, plugged in and in tune to sound. With iPods and smartphones having both visual cues and accompanying audio messages, students expect no less from their online courses. Presenting course material solely in written form, then, becomes problematic. Students want to hear and be heard. Unfortunately, a disconnect often exists among the voices of instructors and students in online courses. Given this situation, how can educators better structure online learning environments to meet the needs of today’s learners? Although the majority of communication in these courses is written, the use of verbal communication is needed to facilitate learning and make a closer connection with students. Sound advice suggests online courses must present material with multimedia components.

Oral introductions of course material as well as specific modules can give an overview of topics and emphasize major points that students often overlook in text. Recorded personal introductions is also a way for instructors and students to become better acquainted with each other.  While commercial applications such as Wimba tools allow instructors and students to record within the course management system, Audacity provides free audio recording.  The record, pause, and play controls are relatively simple for the novice recorder. Once the audio files are recorded, they can be exported as Mp3 files and embedded into courses.

With a sense of playfulness, instructors can create Voki avatars, have them talk, and embed the characters into course (or social networking) pages. Vokis can be embedded for announcements or directives in assignments to help guide those students with reading problems.

The use of Voicethread discussion boards will further reach this generation of collaborative learners. The threads can be used to narrate and comment orally on documents, slides, and video clips. Instructors as well as students can also create and share audio presentations through the application.

Using Audacity, instructors can record lectures to accompany written descriptions. These explanatory notes can be in the form of voice-overs for PowerPoint slides or screen-captured demonstrations.

A variety of audio resources are also available on the web. Organizations such as Librivox and NPR have streaming and downloadable audio files with associated transcripts for educational use.  At the end of this article, also find a list of recommended tools to create your own audio material.  For examples of types of audio available, see the file Resources for audio in online courses.

Providing feedback on assignments to students proves challenging in online environments. Students often do not understand the written comments. To meet this challenge, instructors can again use Audacity to record and send audio files through a course management system or email. These oral comments often supplement reading cues.

 

Voice of the skeptic

As an English instructor, I was hesitant to use audio in my online classes for several reasons. I did not feel comfortable with the seemingly complicated applications. Honestly, I also felt so overwhelmed with daily planning and grading that the added chore of recording seemed not worth the trouble. I simply didn’t have time, or so I thought.  I was aware of the need to verbalize feedback, and friends had encouraged me to use audio comments, but adding yet another task to an already difficult grading regimen seemed daunting. I was spending at least thirty minutes per essay and formatting audio files was more time than I could fathom.

I soon realized that recording audio feedback was actually less time consuming than marking comments in text, and the results were much more effective. Using Audacity, I could now record suggestions for improvement in less than 10 minutes. The types of errors I marked became apparent to me. Whereas corrections to theme, thesis, organization, and support were simple to verbalize, marking these types of comments was laborious in writing.  I also began to notice that students’ errors were decreasing on succeeding assignments because students better understood the suggested corrections.

Now my courses are filled with verbal expression. My Voki avatar introduces the course and instructs students how to get started. Students participate in voice thread discussions. They access professionally recorded files as well as my own oral directives. With each major work, students receive my verbalized comments and are benefiting form the multimedia format. Adding audio just makes sense.

 

Suggested Tools to Create Your Own Audio

Although a variety of tools exist for recording audio, consider the following equipment:

1) Headset - Headsets are inexpensive and provide good quality recordings. These devices use standard plugs for microphone and headsets. Some headsets are available with USB connectivity. Personal preference will dictate which headset will best serve your needs. Headsets eliminate feedback problems as well as minimize room noise.  I recommend purchasing a Logitech Headset

3) Digital Voice Recorder - An assortment of voice recorders are available. Olympus, Sony, and Samsung, among other companies, manufacture relatively inexpensive handheld devices with USB interface. The gadgets record sound as WAV or MP3 files. Many MP3 players and smart phones also have recording capabilities.  I recommend the following:

 

• Olympus Digital Voice Recorders
• Samsung YP-U3 MP3 Players

3) Webcam - This camera that connects to your computer generally has a built-in microphone for recording. The device can be used for video conferencing or to record images and sound for presentations.  I recommend the following:

 

• Logitech Webcam
• Creative Webcam

 

SEEQ Assignments

One of the challenges of monitoring students’ work in an online class is assessing reading assignments.  Reading assessment is somewhat easier in traditional classes through class discussions, Socratic questioning, etc., which can usually give the instructor a good idea of who has read the material.  However, even with intense and careful class discussion it is still difficult to know how deeply and thoroughly students understand the material. 

Critical thinking initiatives have been all the rage among educators at all levels.  One components of critical thinking instruction involves critical reading – trying to give students the skills needed to read carefully, thoroughly, and with better understanding of the material.  At SCC instructors participated in several in-depth seminars with Dr. Linda Elder from the Foundation for Critical Thinking.  As an outgrowth of these seminars, Michael Ayers, the science department chair at SCC, created a unique method, the SEEQ Assignments.  The goal of SEEQ assignments is to improve students’ critical reading skills and, at the same time, allow instructors to assess their reading.  Students are required to think and write critically about any reading assignment, which hopefully results in a deeper understanding of the material.  

The SEEQ assignment is a very useful tool for online classes and can be used for almost any type of reading assignment.  I have used them in my online Biology 111 (General Biology I) classes to assess reading of textbook sections and of web pages.  They are graded as “writing assignments” that count as part of the course grade. 

SEEQ stands for State, Elaborate, Exemplify and Question.  Here are the instructions given to students for completing a SEEQ assignment: 

•    Critically read the assignment (textbook section, web page, …) all the way through.   At this first reading, do not highlight parts or take notes.  However, do take the time to look up any words you do not know.   On this initial reading do get bogged down in details, read for an overall picture of the subject.
•    Complete a SEEQ for the assignment by following the 4 steps outlined below.   Use the words State, Elaborate, Exemplify, and Question as sections headings for your paper.   Keep the intellectual standards in mind as you write.

1.    State the main idea of this section, in your own words
Some sections will only have one main idea, other sections may have two or three.
You must use your own words!  This is key to the whole assignment.  If all you do is rearrange the author’s words, you have 2 problems:  (1) you are plagiarizing, and (2) you have not understood the material.  If you really read and think about the material, you will be able to state the main idea in your own way.

2.    Elaborate on each main idea in 1-2 sentences. 
When you elaborate, you restate the main ideas in another way.   Suggestions:  Use phrases like "in other words" or "this is important because" or “another way to see this is.”

3.    Exemplify.  Five an example of how the main idea may be applied.
Think about the practical applications of the idea.  If you can, use an example from your own experience.   Do not be afraid to be creative.  Metaphors and analogies are excellent ways to exemplify ideas.  If you cannot think of an example on  your own, do some research or use a different version of an example given in the assignment. 

4.    Write down at least one Question you have about the main idea.
Think about the anything that is still unclear and address a specific question that will help you understand better.  Your question can be address the author's reasoning, clarity, accuracy, etc.  It may be about implications of this idea to others.  Do not ask a question you know the answer to!

Students prepare and submit the document which becomes part of the course grade.  The questions are posted on the discussion forum for each unit. (Ayers, 2005)

I have used these assignments in lecture and in online courses and found them very effective for improving understanding of reading.  I always have an “open forum” discussion at the end of each online class where I encourage students to tell me what works and what does not work in the course.  These assignments always get a lot of comments.  My students have a real “love/hate” relationship with SEEQs.  Students do find the assignments quite difficult.  They have never been required to read in quite this fashion.  Many think they are too time consuming, but they do admit that the assignments get easier as the semester progresses.  I take this as a sign that their ability to read carefully and critically has improved.  Many students realize that although the assignments are a lot of work, they result in a much deeper understanding of the material.   One aspect that the instructor must be aware of from the very first is the tendency for plagiarism.  Some students will simply rearrange the sentences from the source.  Some do this from laziness but some simply do not understand how to rewrite and restate.  I will not accept papers that plagiarize.  Students who violate plagiarism rules are given one chance to rewrite.  Generally, students who plagiarize quickly figure out that they cannot get by with it, and they learn to use the resources provided to help them learn how to paraphrase.

SEEQ assignments are a lot of work – for students and for the instructors who grade them.  However, the increase in depth of learning is worth the effort.  Students come away with not only a better understanding of the material assigned, but also with a tool they can use in other endeavors.

Work cited

Ayers, Michael. "SEEQ Assignments: A Way to Foster Critical Reading and Thinking in Academic Disciplines ." Surry Community College: Critical Thinking Strategies. 2005. Surry Community College. 8 Jul 2008 <http://www.surry.edu/about/ct/faculty/strategies/seeq.html>.

Time Management Strategies: Less Can be More

One of the persistent beliefs in academia is that substantial additional time is required to facilitate online courses compared to seated classes.  My experience, which is corroborated by a small but growing body of research, (Hislop, 2001; Lazarus, 2003) challenges the idea that a reasonably-sized online class absolutely requires an inordinate amount of time.  Because there is relatively little literature describing specific strategies for time management (Shin et al., 2006), I will describe a number of simple, proven tips that may save you significant amounts of time and improve the learning experience for your students.

Time management problems are often caused by confusing instructions and inefficient means of communication.  In addition, instructors must maintain a positive presence as an engaged lead participant.  Therefore, the challenge for instructors is to maintain this engaged presence while not consuming inordinate amounts of time each day per class.  For example, Cavanaugh (2005) noted that the additional time required for teaching online is primarily the result of increased student contact and individualized instruction and not simply because of the technology or the online format.  This is important information because it points to where our time management issues lie.  It is not surprising then that I often hear from colleagues spending hours each day communicating by email with their online students.  To address this issue in my own courses, I developed a comprehensive strategy that had the added benefit of improving the quality of my classes.  My strategy involved reviewing previous student emails and feedback to determine their primary areas of confusion.  I then reviewed each component of my own course, with special emphasis on the syllabus and assignments, for any additional ambiguity in my instructions.   At the same time, I began to keep account of the ways my students and I communicate.  This is resulting in a significant set of data to illustrate the effectiveness of the strategy.

For example, over the past two semesters I taught three sections of Environmental Biology, entirely online, to a total of 71 students.  Within these classes I received a total of 125 emails, slightly less than two per student.   During the same time, there were 2755 discussion posts made, or thirty-nine per student.  These data suggested that students spent communications time discussing course topics rather than seeking clarification on instructions. This created productive communication that directly resulted in subject competency.  It also allowed me to participate in the discussion and to research new material for the course.  In addition, my student reviews consistently showed marks high above the institutional average in instructor participation.  Students’ comments in these reviews noted that they appreciated that they had an engaged instructor.  Not surprisingly, my engagement was more often in the form of class discussion rather than specific emails.  I have also noted anecdotally that when I institute a new version of an assignment without a careful review, the number of emails I receive per day soars, reminding me of the benefit of my strategy.

Given these positive outcomes, I would like to share what I consider to be a successful model of time management for an online course, including tips that would be appropriate across disciplines and academic levels.  In addition, you may find that these strategies significantly improve the experience for your students:

The best way to overcome a problem is by eliminating its probability of occurring.  In developing the course, anticipate and solve problems in the syllabus before they happen. See the atttached file for strategies for anticipating problems and saving time.

References

Cavanaugh, J. (2005) Teaching Online – A Time Comparison. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 8(1). Available at: http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/spring81/cavanaugh81.htm.  Accessed July 20, 2008.

Hislop, G. W. (2001) Does Teaching Online Take More Time?  Proceedings, 31st ASEE/IEEE Frontiers in Education.

Lazarus, B.D. (2003). Teaching Courses Online: How much time does it take? Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 7(3), 47-54.

Shi, M., Bonk, C.J., & Magjuka, R.J. (2006) Time Management Strategies for Online Teaching.  International Journal of Instructional Technology and Distance Learning.3(2).